Cute baby pandas can be described as loved by everyone, but many people do not know that wild pandas often give birth to twins, but after the baby is born, most panda mothers will choose to abandon one because they do not have the energy to raise two. According to previous studies, there are almost no records of twins born to giant pandas in the wild.
But just today, Wolong's discovery broke that record.
Experts are shocked! Niutoushan found twins of 2-year-old sub-adult pandas
On December 17, Wolong announced the infrared camera shooting of a pair of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is the first time in the world that sub-adult wild giant panda twins have been photographed.
This is an image captured by infrared cameras in the Niutou Mountain area in July this year, showing two wild giant pandas about 2 years old and similar in size playing under the trees next to the cold arrow bamboo forest of Niutou Mountain at an altitude of 3,100 meters.
Sub-adult giant pandas refer to giant pandas over 2 years old who have left the juvenile stage but are not yet underage, "From the size of the wild giant panda's skull and the color of the coat color, we preliminarily determined that this pair of wild giant pandas is a pair of sub-adult giant pandas." Shi Xiaogang, director of the Mujiangping Protection Station in Wolong Conservation Area, said.
Wang Pengyan, a professor-level senior engineer at the Wolong Conservation Area Management Bureau, analyzed, "According to the preliminary judgment of the images, it is inclined to be a pair of sub-adult wild giant panda twins. From the perspective of behavior, the relationship between the two pandas in the video, the way the children's pandas play, is more like two sub-adults. From the appearance point of view, the snouts of the two pandas in the photo are relatively long, which is a typical feature of childhood pandas, and there is a clear difference between them and adult pandas. Estimated to be more than 2 years old, it should be a panda born in the summer of 2017. ”
How did they grow up? Expert: Mom has super maternal nature and objective conditions matters
Wild pandas usually give birth to twins, but almost only one survives, while the other is abandoned, how did this rare pair grow up?
In this regard, Wang Pengyan believes, "First of all, Wolong's rich resources have enough food for the mother panda to raise two cubs to grow up. Secondly, most panda mothers will abandon one because they do not have the energy to raise one more. In addition to having a strong motherhood, this panda that chooses to bring two pandas is another very important condition that its nest is suitable. In Wolong, the panda is the use of tree holes to breed cubs, if you happen to encounter a compact space cave, just enough to accommodate the next female panda, she can put two cubs on the belly, hold in her arms for a long time, because there is no gap, the cubs will not slip to the ground, both breastfeeding and warmth can also work hard for their defecation, so relatively easy and good conditions, prompting the twins to be rarely brought alive. ”
A new round of wild tuning has found a large number of wild cubs Wolong conservation has achieved remarkable results
Since last year, Wolong has launched a new round of giant panda surveys, and the staff of the reserve have conducted a comprehensive survey of the giant panda resources in the area through sample line monitoring and infrared trigger camera technology, and found the image in the latest recovery data. Infrared trigger cameras take active images of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is of great significance, not only showing that the natural resources conservation of Wolong in Sichuan is effective, but also that wild pandas have sufficient food; And the video records also provide valuable information for giant panda experts to further study the natural breeding of wild giant pandas in the Qionglai Mountains.
Wolong is the birthplace of giant panda scientific research, and Wolong is also an important part of the Giant Panda National Park. Since last year, the local organization of a new round of giant panda field investigation, in this process, whether it is researchers in the wild, or infrared camera records, have photographed a lot of giant panda cubs, which shows that the giant panda in the survival and reproduction of the situation is better, but also shows that the Wolong protection effect is more significant.
Duan Zhaogang, secretary of the party committee of the Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, said that the infrared camera recorded a pair of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is also an important result of Wolong's field investigation. In the next step, Wolong will further accelerate the field investigation of wild giant pandas, including the identification of DNA, and will further optimize the sample line survey route of wild giant pandas, and further do a good job in the protection of giant pandas and their habitats.