Hong Kong's beloved giant panda Ying Ying is now a mum! On the eve of her 19th birthday, she delivered not one, but two adorable panda cubs, making Ying Ying the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time. These tiny bundles of fluff are the first-ever giant panda twins born in Hong Kong, marking a significant milestone for Ocean Park's conservation efforts and a seriously adorable event for the city.
Ying Ying, who arrived at Ocean Park in 2007, has always been a fan favourite, capturing the hearts of Hongkongers and visitors with her charming antics. Her journey to motherhood has been a long one, with several false pregnancies over the years. Ying Ying first started showing signs of pregnancy like decreased appetite, increased rest time, and changes in hormonal levels at the end of July. Giant pandas have a notoriously difficult time reproducing, especially as they age, but the Park’s veterinarians and experts were able to confirm her pregnancy via ultrasound scanning on August 11.
The birth of the twins was a nail-biting experience, with Ying Ying exhibiting signs of labour for several days. On August 14, her amniotic fluid broke, and after over five hours of labour, she delivered two healthy cubs: a female weighing 122g and a male weighing 112g. The twins are now under the watchful eyes of Ocean Park's expert team, receiving around-the-clock care. It's going to be a few months before the giant panda cubs make their debut and officially meet everyone – so sit tight!
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