Panda twins turn 1 month old

The giant panda twins are 1 month old
Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The giant panda twins born to Lun Lun on September 3, 2016, are 1 month old today. The duo has already surpassed a month of milestones, with many more to come.

Currently known as “Cub A” and “Cub B,” the twins remain on track developmentally, according to the Zoo’s Animal Management and Veterinary Teams, and each now weighs more than 2 pounds. The cubs’ sexes are not yet known.

Over the past few weeks, the twins have begun to exhibit their species’ trademark black-and-white coloration and now resemble tiny giant pandas. Anticipated milestones include opening ears, opening eyes, and walking.

As were their brothers and sisters before them, the cubs are expected to be named in accordance with the ancient Chinese “100 day” tradition. The twins’ 100th day will be December 12, 2016, and the cubs are expected to make their debut in December 2016 or January 2017.

In another highly-anticipated milestone in the life of an American-born giant panda, the cubs’ older sisters, Mei Lun and Mei Huan, the first pair of surviving giant panda twins born in the U.S., are expected to depart Zoo Atlanta for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China in November 2016.

Giant pandas represent Zoo Atlanta’s most significant financial investment in wildlife conservation. Fewer than 1,900 giant pandas are estimated to remain in the wild in China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Of these, more than 1,200 live inside nature reserves, eight of which are supported by Zoo Atlanta. In September 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the giant panda’s status from “endangered” to “vulnerable.” The species remains heavily reliant on conservation programs, and giant pandas face ongoing threats from habitat fragmentation and habitat loss as a result of deforestation and other human activities.

Follow the 1-month-old twins and their mother, Lun Lun, on PandaCam hosted by Animal Planet L!VE on zooatlanta.org/pandacam. Tune in to catch up with their sisters, the 3-year-old twins Mei Lun and Mei Huan, during Mei Days on PandaCam, Tuesdays and Thursdays from Noon to 2 p.m. EST.

Stay tuned for exciting updates on the twins and their siblings.