Proud panda ‘displays motherly love’ as she takes care of her newborn twins – the first ever born in South Korea

• Ai Bao, 9, and Le Bao, 10, were brought to South Korea from China for research
• China has been sending pandas abroad as a goodwill gesture since the 1950s

A South Korean zoo said today it had recently welcomed the first giant panda twins to be born in the country.

The cubs, both female, were born at the Everland theme park near Seoul on Friday, the zoo announced online.

Mother Ai Bao – who gave birth to South Korea’s first giant panda in 2020 – birthed two healthy cubs within two hours, weighing 180g (6.35oz) and 140g (4.93oz).

The proud parent and her partner Le Bao, 10, were brought from China in March 2016 as part of a mutual research project on the endangered species.

Donghee Chung, head of the zoo, said: ‘This feels like a great opportunity to call for better protection and preservation of pandas, which have become a symbol for endangered species.’

Ai Bao watching the second of two giant pandas, both female, that were born to her and her partner, 10-year-old Le Bao, at the amusement park in Yongin, South Korea, on 7 July 2023

Giant panda Ai Bao and its cubs are pictured at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea, July 7

Around half of all panda births result in twins – but there are only around 1,864 left in the wild.

The bears – found in southwest China – prefer naturally to live in lowland habitats, but have been pushed out by human development over the years.

READ MORE: The world’s ONLY all-white panda is caught on camera: Albino is seen trying to interact with its black-and-white brethren

Now, they are mostly found in the mountains and mixed forests of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces – but habitat loss remains a pressing threat.

Conservation efforts are slowly boosting the species’ numbers; in 2016, the giant panda was downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable by the IUCN. 

The bears are highly selective in finding a mate and females have a very short fertility window – of up to only about three days each year.

Conservation is also an expensive endeavour, but has not deterred researchers worldwide from trying to find ways to protect and breed the species.

The birth of the twins near Seoul comes three years after the birth of Fu Bao, the first panda to be born in South Korea.

Fu Bao was also born to Ai Bao and Le Bao.

Speaking on the birth of the twins, zookeeper Cherwon Kang said: ‘I think [the parents] must be twice as happy.’

The mother Ai Bao’s labour has been smoother than during her first pregnancy, Kang said.

They said they felt moved by the way she handled the delivery and on the display of motherly love.

Fu Bao is due to be returned to China by July 2024 at the latest, the zoo said. 

The first (L) and second (R) of two giant pandas, born in Yongin, South Korea, 7 July 2023

Giant Panda Ai Bao holds her baby panda with mouth after giving birth to twin at Everland amusement park in Yongin, South Korea, July 11, 2023

9-year-old giant panda Ai Bao and two giant pandas, both female, that were born to her and her partner, 10-year-old Le Bao, at the amusement park in Yongin, South Korea, 7 July 2023

Negotiations over the return of Fu Bao are reportedly to kick off in August, the Global Times said last week. 

According to the leasing agreement, South Korea should return the animal for breeding before she turns four years old – when they reach sexual maturity.

Ai Bao and Le Bao still have some time left on their contract, leased for 15 years from March 2016.

Their names respectively mean lovely and pleasant treasures.

Edinburgh Zoo also houses a pair of giant pandas, expected to return to China this year after 12 years in Scotland. 

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