A new life has been born at Panda World in Everland. According to Everland on the 11th, a female panda was born on June 3 to mother panda Aibao and father panda Lebao. It is the third successful natural birth after Fu Bao in 2020 and the twin pandas Rui Bao and Hui Bao in 2023.
The newly born panda was delivered at around 10:53 a.m. on the 3rd and weighed 171 grams. That is a very healthy weight compared with the birth weights of Fu Bao (197 grams), Rui Bao (180 grams), and Hui Bao (140 grams). Both the cub and the mother are currently in good health, and zookeepers and veterinarians are providing round-the-clock care.
The newborn panda is especially notable because it is the only one in Everland's panda family with a different birth month. All members of the Bao family were born in July. By age order, Lebao was born on July 28, Aibao on July 13, Fu Bao on July 20, and Rui Bao and Hui Bao on July 7.
The fertile period for giant pandas lasts for about one month in March, and the gestation period is roughly four months. That is why most giant panda births are concentrated in July. While pandas born in months other than July have occasionally been seen overseas, this is the first such case in South Korea.
The special nature of the newborn cub is expected to have a positive impact on Everland as well. With naming events and the pandas' birthdays recurring every year, the arrival of a panda with an earlier birthday could be used in a variety of content to draw greater public interest.
Everland plans to closely monitor the cub's progress as it learns to walk on its own, develops immunity, and adapts to the outside environment before deciding when to open it to the public.
Kang Cheol-won, a zookeeper at Everland, said, "I am very happy and grateful to meet new life once again after Fu Bao and Rui Bao and Hui Bao," adding, "We will care for it with devotion so it can grow into a healthy panda family that brings warmth and happiness to many people."
Kim Se-hyung, Sportschosun fax123@sportschosun.com
