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Zoo: Panda Cubs Doing Well, Challenging Night For Caretakers

WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- The National Zoo celebrated the arrival of twin panda cubs! Panda Mei Xiang gave birth Saturday. The still-unnamed pair is just the third set of panda cubs born in the US.

Linh Bui explains how keepers are giving the cubs special care.

Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated in April. Zoo officials say right now, Mom and her cubs are all doing well.

Weighing about three ounces, the first panda cub arrived with a high-pitched shriek---a sign of good health.

Zookeepers did not know Mei Xiang was pregnant with twins, so when the second cub arrived nearly five hours later, they jumped into action to help the mother.

"She was really struggling. She was trying but she wasn't able to pick up both of the cubs," said giant panda biologist Laurie Thompson.

To ease the burden, handlers removed the second cub. It was hand-fed a special formula and given a serum of Mei Xiang's antibodies to boost its immune system. At four and a half ounces, it weighs about as much as an iPhone.

The cub was returned early Sunday morning, while its sibling was removed. This swapping will continue every few hours---so long as Mei Xiang allows it.

"Mei Xiang is doing a great job with the cubs, one at a time. She's nursing the cubs and taking care of them as she always does, because she's the perfect mom," she said.

This is the second time a giant panda has given birth to twins at the National Zoo. The first set, born to Ling-Ling back in 1987, lived only a few days.

"It's a lot for one female to take care of. There have been two females internationally under human care who have successfully raised two cubs at the same time," said SCBI Chief Veterinarian Copper Aitken-Palmer. "It was a pretty intensive process for both individuals."

Born blind and with just a light coating of hair, they need food and warmth around the clock.

"This is a real critical period. Honestly, until the cubs are both out, walking around, acting normal, being a panda---that's probably when we'll exhale," said National Zoo Chief Veterinarian Don Neiffer.

Mei Xiang has two surviving cubs: Tai Shan, born a decade ago and living in China, and Bao Bao, who is two and still lives at the National Zoo.

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