Rare sighting of twin cubs caught on film released

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December 18, 2019

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Rare sighting of twin cubs caught on film released

Source: Xinhua | 00:00 UTC+8 December 18, 2019 |

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Footage and images of young giant panda twins in the wild have been released by the Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

The images and video clips, captured by an infrared camera in July for the first time, show two wild pandas, about 2 years old and the same size, playing under a tree at an altitude of 3,100 meters near a bamboo forest on Niutou Mountain.

Sub-adult pandas refer to giant pandas aged between 2 and 5 years old.

“From the size of their skulls and bodies and the luster of their fur, we preliminarily determined that they are a pair of sub-adult giant pandas,” said Shi Xiaogang, head of the reserve’s Mujiangping protection station.

“The way they interact showed they are more likely twin sub-adults,” said Wang Pengyan, senior engineer at the reserve. “Both of them have long snouts, a typical appearance of young pandas. The pair are believed to have been born in the summer of 2017.”

It is not a common phenomenon because most wild panda mothers would abandon one cub because they lack the energy to raise two at the same time.

“Wolong is rich in resources and has enough food for the mother to raise two cubs,” said Wang.

“Additionally, the mother was lucky to find a suitable nest for her family.”

In Wolong, pandas usually use tree holes to breed their cubs. A large hole is necessary for the mother to raise twins at the same time, said Wang.

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Rare sighting of twin cubs caught on film released

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