Black Patterns Visible... 12-Day-Old Cub Pu Bao's Twin Sibling Revealed

Nutritional Supplementation through Artificial Rearing
First Natural Panda Mating in Korea

The 12-day-old appearance of the first twin baby pandas born in Korea at Everland Panda World has been revealed. The twin pandas are also the younger siblings of the giant panda Pubao, who is gaining great popularity.

On the 21st, Everland released photos of the 12-day-old twin pandas through its official social media (SNS) accounts. They were born on the 7th to mother Aibao and father Lubao, and are siblings of Pubao.

The baby pandas in the photos look quite different from mature pandas. However, dark patterns can be seen on areas where black fur will grow, such as the eyes, ears, front legs, and hind legs. Pandas are originally born with pink bodies without any black spots. Regarding this, Everland explained, "As the black patterns become more prominent over about a month after birth, they will start to look more like typical pandas."

Among the twin pandas with black patterns visible in their hair follicles, the youngest
[Image source=Everland]

Currently, the twin pandas are being cared for alternately by mother Aibao and the keepers, each taking charge of one panda. Usually, they stay in an incubator, and when it is time for artificial feeding, they are given a mixture of the mother's milk and formula to supplement their nutrition.

Meanwhile, the twin pandas were born to Aibao at 4:52 a.m. and 6:39 a.m. respectively on the 7th. Aibao, the mother, gave birth after about an hour of labor. At birth, the elder sibling weighed 180g, and the younger one 140g.

Pandas have only one breeding season per year, usually lasting just one to three days around March to April, making pregnancy and childbirth extremely challenging. Everland scientifically analyzed hormonal changes to induce mating between Aibao and Lubao, and it is reported that mating was successfully achieved in mid-February, the period with the highest likelihood of breeding.

Mother panda Aibao holding her cub after birth
[Image source=Samsung C&T Corporation·Yonhap News]

With this, Everland earned the title of the first zoo in Korea to successfully breed pandas naturally, and gained a reputation for successfully breeding twin pandas naturally.

China also sent congratulatory messages regarding the birth of Aibao and Lubao's cubs. On the 11th, the Chinese Embassy in Korea posted on its official WeChat (the Chinese version of KakaoTalk) account, "The pandas living in Korea have brought good news after three years," and added, "We thank the Korean people for their care and love for the Korean panda family, and sincerely hope that the two newborn cubs grow up healthy."

Meanwhile, Aibao and Lubao are pandas sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in March 2016 as a symbol of promoting Korea-China friendship. At that time, the two pandas were only 3 to 4 years old, but thanks to the care of the keepers, they safely grew into adults and have given birth to three cubs including Pubao. The eldest, Pubao, is scheduled to be returned to China in 2024, the year he turns four, for mating purposes.