Germany's Berlin Zoo recently announced the names of its new panda twins, born on August 22. The two female cubs have been named Meng Hao and Meng Tian, which translate to 'beautiful dreams' and 'sweet dreams.' Alternatively, they can also be called Leni and Lotti, paying homage to Berlin native Marlene Dietrich and the city's Charlottenburg district.
The cubs, the second pair of giant pandas born in Germany, were unveiled by the Chinese ambassador to Germany and Berlin's mayor. Their elder brothers, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, were previously known as Pit and Paule. Born in August 2019, the elder cubs were sent back to China almost a year ago due to contractual agreements.
The twins are the offspring of Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, who arrived in Berlin in 2017. Zoo director Andreas Knieriem mentioned that the cubs are growing rapidly, gaining nearly 100 grams per day and currently weighing almost 6 kilos each.
Giant pandas face challenges in breeding, making each birth a significant event. With only about 1,800 pandas in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity globally, the birth of panda cubs is always celebrated.
Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in March, as female pandas are fertile for only a short period each year. China's 'panda diplomacy' policy has historically involved gifting pandas to friendly nations, but now pandas are loaned to zoos under commercial terms.
Visitors to the Berlin Zoo can currently see one of the cubs for an hour daily. By late January, both cubs will be on display with their mother, providing a delightful experience for zoo visitors.
