First Visitors in Berlin Greet Baby Panda Twins
Zoo Berlin's latest additions, a pair of panda sisters born in late August, were finally introduced to the press on Tuesday and will be open to the public beginning Wednesday.
TroibNews 
Zoo Berlin's latest additions, a pair of panda sisters born in late August, were introduced to the press on Tuesday and will be open to the public starting Wednesday.
Andreas Knieriem, the zoo and Tierpark director, noted that only the panda cubs will be on display, with their mother, Meng Meng, remaining behind the scenes. The cubs will occupy a specially designed glass enclosure featuring an advanced air filtration system to protect them from external hazards.
Florian Sicks, a biologist and panda curator, mentioned that one cub will be visible for one hour each day, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the zoo's "Panda Garden," while the other stays with their mother. "We will observe closely how the little pandas react to their new environment and adjust the time window, if necessary," he added.
Sicks remarked that the two cubs are "developing wonderfully," having grown from a mere 150 grams each at birth to 2.5 kilograms at 55 days old, which is 15 times their original weight. "They're growing so quickly that if you don't see them for just a day, it feels like they've grown even more."
He also mentioned that two colleagues from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, where the 11-year-old Meng Meng originated, are currently in Berlin to assist with cub care and breeding efforts.
"They've done an outstanding job, and we are extremely grateful for their support," Sicks said, highlighting the strong collaboration. "Our collaboration is incredibly good, and we look forward to even deeper partnerships in the future."
The twin cubs were born following an artificial insemination procedure performed on March 26, after extensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts. Their names will be determined after their first 100 days of life, as is customary.
Zoo Berlin is committed to raising public awareness about nature conservation through these "adorable, beady-eyed" bears, emphasizing the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats, according to Knieriem.
Meng Meng, who arrived from China in 2017, made history in August 2019 by giving birth to Germany's first-ever twin panda cubs, named Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
Andreas Knieriem, the zoo and Tierpark director, noted that only the panda cubs will be on display, with their mother, Meng Meng, remaining behind the scenes. The cubs will occupy a specially designed glass enclosure featuring an advanced air filtration system to protect them from external hazards.
Florian Sicks, a biologist and panda curator, mentioned that one cub will be visible for one hour each day, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the zoo's "Panda Garden," while the other stays with their mother. "We will observe closely how the little pandas react to their new environment and adjust the time window, if necessary," he added.
Sicks remarked that the two cubs are "developing wonderfully," having grown from a mere 150 grams each at birth to 2.5 kilograms at 55 days old, which is 15 times their original weight. "They're growing so quickly that if you don't see them for just a day, it feels like they've grown even more."
He also mentioned that two colleagues from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, where the 11-year-old Meng Meng originated, are currently in Berlin to assist with cub care and breeding efforts.
"They've done an outstanding job, and we are extremely grateful for their support," Sicks said, highlighting the strong collaboration. "Our collaboration is incredibly good, and we look forward to even deeper partnerships in the future."
The twin cubs were born following an artificial insemination procedure performed on March 26, after extensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts. Their names will be determined after their first 100 days of life, as is customary.
Zoo Berlin is committed to raising public awareness about nature conservation through these "adorable, beady-eyed" bears, emphasizing the importance of protecting endangered species and their habitats, according to Knieriem.
Meng Meng, who arrived from China in 2017, made history in August 2019 by giving birth to Germany's first-ever twin panda cubs, named Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
