Jelajahi Ocean Park.
Ocean Park Hong Kong is thrilled to welcome the birth of the first-ever giant panda twins in Hong Kong. The city's beloved giant panda, Ying Ying, gave birth to one female and one male offspring at Ocean Park on 15 August 2024, just one day before her 19th birthday.
"The babies' arrival adding to the new giant pandas soon to arrive in Hong Kong are thrilling news for Ocean Park and all of Hong Kong. We would like to express our gratitude for the continued support and generosity of the Central Government, whose unwavering commitment to Hong Kong has made this possible. The HKSAR Government's decision to entrust the pandas to Ocean Park also allows us to play an active role in the conservation of this precious species," said Paulo Pong, Chairman of Ocean Park Corporation.
"This birth is a true rarity, especially considering Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time. I would like to express my gratitude to the Park's animal care and veterinary team for their tireless dedication to Ying Ying and Le Le. Thanks also to the experts from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) for their long-standing partnership and professional assistance over the years, allowing Ying Ying and Le Le to become parents," added Pong.
Overcoming the challenges
Giant pandas have a notoriously difficult time reproducing, especially as they age. However, Ying Ying's perseverance and expert care from the Ocean Park team have resulted in the arrival of the twin cubs.
Ying Ying started showing pregnancy or pseudopregnancy symptoms including decreased appetite, increased rest time and changes in hormonal levels in the end of July. Panda pregnancy is not readily detectable. The Park's veterinarians and CCRCGP experts confirmed her pregnancy via ultrasound scanning on 11 August. On 14 August, Ying Ying displayed labour symptoms such as increased activity and irritability. Her amniotic fluid broke around 10pm on the same day.
As a first-time mother, Ying Ying was understandably nervous throughout the process. She spent much of her time lying on the ground and twisting. The Park's team and CCRCGP experts provided comfort, allowing Ying Ying to safely deliver the twin cubs at 2:05am and 3:27am respectively on 15 August following over five hours of labour. The female giant panda cub weighs 122g, and the male giant panda cub weighs 112g, in order of birth.
Both cubs are currently very fragile and need time to stabilise, especially the female cub who has a lower body temperature, weaker cries, and lower food intake after birth. Currently, both babies are under 24-hour intensive care by the Park's animal care and veterinary team, as well as experts from CCRCGP.
Visitors will have to patiently wait a few months for the giant panda cubs to make their debut and officially meet everyone.
