Ying Ying, Hong Kong’s Oldest Panda Mom, Welcomes Twin Cubs

A giant panda named Ying Ying has become the oldest known first-time panda mother after giving birth to twins following more than a decade of unsuccessful mating attempts. The twins, born at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park just before Ying Ying’s 19th birthday, are the first giant pandas ever born in Hong Kong.

Ying Ying delivered a female cub weighing 122 grams (4.2 ounces) and a male cub weighing 112 grams (nearly 4 ounces) after a five-hour labor. Despite previous miscarriages and a challenging five-month pregnancy, Ying Ying successfully gave birth. 

However, the newborns are currently receiving intensive care, and their public debut will be delayed as they need time to stabilize, especially the female cub, who is more fragile.

The achievement is significant given that giant pandas are notoriously difficult to breed, particularly as they age. Giant pandas have only one brief fertile period each year, and their solitary nature in the wild complicates mating. 

Native to southwest China, giant pandas have been the focus of extensive conservation efforts, leading to a population increase in recent years. Today, around 1,800 pandas remain in the wild, and Beijing has loaned some of the 600 captive pandas to various countries.