Germany's newest panda twins are thriving at the Berlin Zoo. Born to mother Meng Meng, 11, the cubs are showing positive signs of growth and health during their critical early days of life. The zoo is cautiously optimistic, as panda cub mortality is highest within the first two weeks of birth due to their undeveloped immune systems.
The twins, born on Thursday, have been taking turns cuddling and nursing from their mother every hour. Without human intervention, one of the cubs may not have survived, as giant pandas typically only raise one cub when giving birth to twins. To ensure the twins' well-being, a team of experts from China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is assisting the zoo.
