Giant panda delivers twin cubs again in China's Shaanxi

Twin giant panda cubs are pictured at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center in Zhouzhi County of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 23, 2022. (Qinling Giant Panda Research Center/Handout via Xinhua)

XI'AN, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- An artificially-raised giant panda has given birth to a pigeon pair, or twins with one male and the other female, of cubs at a breeding base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The giant panda, named "Qinqin," gave birth on Tuesday at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center, the center said.

The male cub weighed 176.4 grams and the female one weighed 151.2 grams, and they are in good condition, according to the center.

This was Qinqin's second delivery. Born at the center in 2013, Qinqin, the first giant panda raised in a completely-artificial way in Shaanxi, gave birth to a pair of female cubs on Aug. 22, 2020.

It was also the second pair of twin cubs bred at the center this year. On Aug. 11, another giant panda, "Yongyong," gave birth to two male cubs weighing 150.4 grams and 134.5 grams, respectively.

The Qinling giant panda is a subspecies of giant panda first recognized in 2005. It has a smaller and rounder skull, shorter snout and less fur than the more familiar Sichuan subspecies.

Shaanxi began artificially raising Qinling giant pandas in the 1980s and has established a mature artificial breeding technology system. So far, a total of 36 giant panda cubs have been bred in the province. ■

Giant panda "Qinqin" and its baby are pictured at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center in Zhouzhi County of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 23, 2022. (Qinling Giant Panda Research Center/Handout via Xinhua)