Giant Panda in Hong Kong Gives Birth to Twins, Becomes World’s Oldest First-Time Panda Mom

Mar. 15, 2025

The twin panda cubs born at Ocean Park Hong Kong on Aug. 15, 2024.Photo:Ocean Park Handout/Shutterstock

Ocean Park Handout/Shutterstock

A theme park in Hong Kong is celebrating a doubly special delivery!

Giant panda Ying Ying gave birth to Hong Kong’s first set of twin cubs, making her the world’s oldest first-time panda mom, according toa press releasefrom Ocean Park. She and partner Le Le welcomed a female and a male cub on Thursday, Aug. 15, just one day before she turned 19, which is the equivalent of about 55 in human years.

“This birth is a true rarity, especially considering Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time,” Paulo Pong, chairman of Ocean Park Corporation, said in statement, also thanking the animals' care and veterinary team.

Ying Ying and Le Le have lived at Ocean Park since 2007.

The twin panda cubs born at Ocean Park Hong Kong on Aug. 15, 2024.Xinhua/Shutterstock

Xinhua/Shutterstock

Per the release, the proud panda mom first began displaying pregnancy-like symptoms at the end of July, including decreased appetite, increased rest time and changes in her hormonal levels. The pregnancy was confirmed via ultrasound on Aug. 11.

On Aug. 14, Ying Ying exhibited signs of active labor such as increased activity and irritability. Her water broke around 10 p.m. that same day. “As a first-time mother, Ying Ying was understandably nervous throughout the process. She spent much of her time lying on the ground and twisting,” the park said.

After more than five hours of labor, the female cub made her arrival at 2:05 a.m. on Aug. 15, weighing in at 122 grams (4.3 ounces). The male twin followed at 3:27 a.m., weighing 112 grams (3.95 ounces).

The park said the newborns are “currently very fragile and need time to stabilize, especially the female cub who has a lower body temperature, weaker cries and lower food intake after birth.” Both cubs remain under “24-hour intensive care” and will not make their public debut for a few months.

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Ying Ying the panda in 2020.JEROME FAVRE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

JEROME FAVRE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

A thirdposton Friday shared video footage of Ying Ying tending to her cubs. “The birth of the giant panda babies is the most nervous thing for mother Ying Ying,” the caption read in part. “When the babies [were] born and [made their] first cry, it immediately awakened Ying Ying’s maternal love.”

Giant pandas have a “notoriously difficult time reproducing, especially as they age," the park said. According toPandas International, a female panda only has one estrous cycle per year, in the spring, for two to seven days, and she is only fertile for 24 to 36 hours. As there are often substantial difficulties in getting female and male pandas to mate, scientists often rely on artificial insemination procedures.

source: people.com