Junie Posted August 22, 2015 Share Posted August 22, 2015 A baby panda was born at the Smithsonian zoo in Washington, D.C. https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo?fref=nf :) One article I read said that baby pandas weigh about 1/900th of the mother's weight. Oh, if only that were true in humans. Labor and delivery would have been much more pleasant. :) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Twins! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Yay!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 A baby panda was born at the Smithsonian zoo in Washington, D.C. https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo?fref=nf :) One article I read said that baby pandas weigh about 1/900th of the mother's weight. Oh, if only that were true in humans. Labor and delivery would have been much more pleasant. :) Not to mention 90-150 day gestation😄 I do hope these little cubs survive. It is tricky business with twins and they will have to rotate them in and out to get her to feed and bond with them. Very exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Twins! Hooray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wonder how long until the public will be allowed to see them??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I heard on the radio that a baby panda is about the size of a stick of butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I am confused by the baby switching plan. When Bao Bao and Tai Shan were born they said they couldn't find out the sex of the baby because any interaction would be so stressful as to be life threatening. But now they're going in there 10 times a day to rotate cubs, and assuming that Mei Xiang just won't notice? I also want to know the exit plan. Will there come a point when she will accept two, without freaking out, or will they be rotating for years, or is it just until the need for Panda Breastmilk is less pressing, and then one will be raised by humans from that point on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wonder how long until the public will be allowed to see them??? Bao Bao was almost 5 months old when she was introduced to the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In Altanta, when the twin pandas were born, it was a couple of months before Lun Lun would take care of both simultaneously. I read in the wild, if twins are born, generally only one survives because the mother ignores the other one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 In Altanta, when the twin pandas were born, it was a couple of months before Lun Lun would take care of both simultaneously. I read in the wild, if twins are born, generally only one survives because the mother ignores the other one. Can you imagine her shock when she discovered there were 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I am confused by the baby switching plan. When Bao Bao and Tai Shan were born they said they couldn't find out the sex of the baby because any interaction would be so stressful as to be life threatening. But now they're going in there 10 times a day to rotate cubs, and assuming that Mei Xiang just won't notice? I also want to know the exit plan. Will there come a point when she will accept two, without freaking out, or will they be rotating for years, or is it just until the need for Panda Breastmilk is less pressing, and then one will be raised by humans from that point on? There is a fantastic National Geographic documentary about the Wolong Perserve in China and Giant Pandas that outlines these very questions. The babies are so small and helpless, and it is difficult for the mother to position them properly for feeding. Sometimes one just fails, but more often the mother will simply devote her resources to one to increase chances of survival. Panda mothers often don't eat or drink much while nursing and ration their resources as well:( At least in the documentary it did not seem to stress mother to have the babies rotated...and the keepers went to elaborate steps, even dressing as Giant Pandas for some of the interactions! Highly recommend watching the documentary. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 There is a fantastic National Geographic documentary about the Wolong Perserve in China and Giant Pandas that outlines these very questions. The babies are so small and helpless, and it is difficult for the mother to position them properly for feeding. Sometimes one just fails, but more often the mother will simply devote her resources to one to increase chances of survival. Panda mothers often don't eat or drink much while nursing and ration their resources as well:( At least in the documentary it did not seem to stress mother to have the babies rotated...and the keepers went to elaborate steps, even dressing as Giant Pandas for some of the interactions! Highly recommend watching the documentary. Thanks! I will definitely check that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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