First Twin Pandas Born in South Korea at Everland

"We are very pleased to have the first set of twin baby pandas in Korea following Fu Bao. We will take good care of them so that they can bring hope and happiness to many people," said Kang Cheol-won, a panda keeper at Everland, known as 'Panda Grandfather'. Everland's famous panda Fu Bao has gained twin siblings. It is the first time twin pandas, which are globally endangered species, have been born in Korea.

Mother Ai Bao with the twin baby pandas right after delivery.

The twin baby panda sisters undergoing health examination. Provided by Everland

Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, run by Samsung C&T Resort, announced on the 11th that twin panda sisters, both females, were born between mother Ai Bao (aged 9), and father Le Bao (aged 10), who came from China's Panda Protection Research Center in 2016. With this, Fu Bao, who was born as the first baby panda in Korea in July 2020 and made many people fall into 'Fu Bao fever', has become the eldest sister of the three sisters.

Pandas 1) have only one estrous cycle per year, 2) this period lasts only 1~3 days in spring, making pregnancy very difficult. 3) Considering the panda's ecological habit of living alone, the chances of successfully mating only during the breeding season when they meet each other after living apart are even lower. Usually, after about four months of gestation following successful mating, they give birth mostly in July and August, which is why all pandas in the world have birthdays during this period. All pandas in Panda World at Everland were also born in July.

Everland Zoo prepared for the birth of new life this year, carefully watching the movements of Ai Bao and Le Bao based on the breeding know-how gained when Fu Bao was born in 2020. In particular, by comparing and scientifically analyzing the hormone change data of pandas through blood and urine tests with the time of Fu Bao, they determined the period with a high probability of successful mating, and the panda couple succeeded in natural breeding in mid-February.

Due to the panda's characteristics of being born as a premature baby, which is only about 0.1% of the adult weight, it was difficult to tell by just looking at them, and the possibility of pseudo-pregnancy was high, so they could not confirm whether they were pregnant until the birth was almost due. After confirming the state of Ai Bao, who started to show behavioral changes similar to when Fu Bao gave birth, Everland Zoo set up a dedicated care team consisting of keepers and veterinarians and took care of Ai Bao at the same level as actual pregnancy. From mid-June, they made Ai Bao live in a dedicated delivery room prepared for childbirth instead of an outdoor enclosure and operated a 24-hour monitoring system.

On the day of delivery (7th), mother Ai Bao started labor and gave birth to the first at 4:52 a.m. about an hour later, and the second at 6:39 a.m. The weights of the baby panda sisters are 180g and 140g each. Fu Bao, who is currently about 98 kg, was only 197g when she was born.

Ai Bao had shown signs of potential pregnancy, such as sleeping a lot and losing appetite recently, so she stayed in an indoor space in Panda World and received intensive care from keepers, veterinarians, and panda experts from China's Panda Protection Research Center.

Going forward, Everland will observe the health status and growth process of the twin baby pandas and review the timing of public disclosure. Fu Bao met the fans about six months after she was born, when she started walking on four feet and eating bamboo and adapted to the outside environment.

An official from Everland said, "Both the mother and the twin pandas are maintaining a healthy condition. Ai Bao is skillfully caring for the babies using the experience from Fu Bao's time, and the keepers plan to help Ai Bao with postnatal care and parenting."