Video: Another baby giant panda born at Ouwehands Zoo in Netherlands
Another baby giant panda has been born at the Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen. Wu Wen, one of the pandas at the zoo for the past seven years, birthed her cub on Friday, July 12, the zoo announced on Monday.
This is the second time Wu Wen has given birth in the Netherlands. Her first cub, Fan Xing, was born in May 2020. “Ouwehand Zoo is happy and proud that it can again contribute to the conservation of this endangered species in a natural way,” the zoo said.
The mating happened at the end of February. “Just like last time, in the natural way by letting Wu Wen and Xing Ya together at the right time.” In recent weeks, Wu Wen increasingly retreated to the maternity den, ate less, and slept more. All signs of a possible pregnancy, but which could also indicate a false pregnancy.
“In the run-up to the weekend, Wu Wen became increasingly restless. This turned out to be a harbinger of the birth of a very alive, screaming cub that immediately received its mother’s attention,” the zoo said.
Over an hour later, Wu Wen gave birth to a second, significantly smaller cub. “Unfortunately, this one did not live long.”
The gender of the new cub will only be checked at the first health check. For now, the zookeepers will leave Wu Wen and her cub in peace. The new panda will get a name after 100 days, according to Chinese tradition.
Wu Wen and her cub will remain in the maternity den for a few months while the cub grows and learns to walk and follow its mother. Caretakers will monitor the cub’s development via cameras.
Wu Wen and Xing Ya have been at Ouwehands Zoo since 2017. This is their second live cub. The first, a female cub named Fan Xing, was born in May 2020 and went to China in September last year.
“A panda cub goes its own way in nature around the second year of life,” the zoo said. According to the agreement with China, panda cubs born in the Netherlands can stay in the country for up to four years before going to China to contribute to the panda conservation program.
