All photos and article courtesy Wolong Panda Club ©2008
Guo Guo Gives Birth to the First Twin Cubs since Wenchuan Earthquake
At 7:52am and 8:36am of July 6th, 2008, the giant panda Guo Guo from Wolong gives birth to a pair of twin cubs after 119 days' hybridization. They are the first pair born at China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda Bifengxia Base since Wenchuan earthquake on May 12th. They are also the first twin cubs born in 2008 in the world.
Guo Guo was born on September 14th, 1996 at Wolong China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. Her father is Xin Xing and mother is Jia Jia who was presented to the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by Central Government in 1997 and now is living in Ocean Park Hong Kong. She has given birth twice before.
From March 8th to 9th, 2008, Guo Guo oestrused and mated successfully. The great earthquake on May 12th brought a severe damage to her enclosure and she was seriously scared. But she was lucky enough to escape from the enclosure. The staff of the center went through innumerable hardships to find her and bring her back in the afternoon. However, she was in high tension and appetite was not good. Her keeper undertook active mental rehabilitation, love feeding and communication with her for many times and she recovered quickly.
On June 13th, her keeper found for the first time that she had gestation reaction, such as reducing diet, fidget. On June 20th, the veterinary of the center found gestational sac in her uterus when making B-ultra sound examination for her and assured that she was pregnant.
Because of severe security hidden trouble at Hetaopin Base, the giant pandas were evacuated in emergency with the high attention from the State Forestry Bureau and Sichuan Forestry Department. On June 24th, as one of the pandas that oestrued and mated in 2008, Guo Guo was transferred to Ya'an Bifengxia Base, passing by Bala Mountain and Jiajian Mountain with the altitude of over 4500m. With her keeper's good care, she recovered well. On June 27th, the keeper found she had the behaviors of repetitive cunnilingus, breast lick, cleaning abdomen with tongue and so on. On the morning of July 6th, she appears the obvious gestation action. Till 7:52, the first cub was born with a crowing. And at 8:36, the second one was produced smoothly. At present, both the mother and the cubs are safe.