For the first time in the world, Sichuan Wolong photographed twins of sub-adult wild giant pandas

Cute baby pandas are 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.

Yesterday, Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve 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.

At an altitude of 3100 meters, next to the cold arrow bamboo forest

The snout is relatively long, characteristic of childhood pandas

On the 17th, Chengdu Business Daily- Red Star News reporter learned from the reserve that this is the image captured by the infrared camera in the Niutou Mountain area in July this year, and the picture shows that next to the cold arrow bamboo forest of Niutou Mountain at an altitude of 3100 meters, two wild giant pandas of about 2 years old and almost the same size are playing under the trees.

Sub-adult giant pandas refer to 2-5-year-old pandas that have left the cub stage but are not yet underage. "From the size of the wild giant panda's skull, as well as the color and size of the coat color, we preliminarily determined that this is a pair of sub-adult wild pandas." Shi Xiaogang, director of the Mujiangping Protection Station in Wolong Conservation Area, said.

Wang Pengyan, senior engineer of the Wolong Conservation Area Management Bureau, analyzed: "From the perspective of behavior, the relationship between the two pandas in the video and the way the children pandas play are more like two sub-adults. From the appearance point of view, the snout of the two giant pandas is relatively long, which is a typical feature of childhood pandas, and there is a clear difference between adult pandas 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?

Mom has super motherhood and the objective conditions are suitable

Giant pandas in the wild usually give birth to twins, but almost only one survives and the other is abandoned. How did this rare pair grow up?

Wang Pengyan believes, "First of all, Wolong has abundant resources, and there is 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 mother mother panda, another very important condition is that its nest is suitable. In Wolong, pandas use tree holes to breed cubs, and if they happen to encounter a tight cave that can accommodate the mother panda, she can put two cubs on her belly and hold them in her arms for a long time. Because there is no gap, the cub will not slip to the ground, can breastfeed and keep warm and can not work hard for their defecation, so the relatively easy and good conditions, prompting the twins to be rarely brought alive. ”

A new round of field surveys began last year

Spot a large number of wild cubs

Since last year, Wolong has carried out a new round of giant panda surveys, and the staff of the reserve has conducted a comprehensive mapping 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. The infrared trigger camera captures the moving images of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is of great significance, which not only shows that the natural resources conservation of Wolong in Sichuan is effective and the wild giant pandas have sufficient food; and the image 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 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 survival and reproduction of wild giant pandas is relatively good, Wolong protection effect is more significant.

Duan Zhaogang, secretary of the party committee of the Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, said that in the next step, Wolong will also speed up the field investigation of wild giant pandas, including the identification of DNA, and further optimize the sample line survey route of wild giant pandas, and do a good job in the protection of giant pandas and their habitats.

Chengdu Business Daily - Red Star News reporter Lin Cong Ye Yan

Editor-in-charge: Qin Lumin