Photo: Zoo Atlanta
Every birthday is a blessing when you belong to a once endangered species.
Ya Lun and Xi Lun, the only set of giant panda twins in the United States, celebrated their 5th birthday on Friday, and everyone was invited. Footage of the celebration streamed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, from their festive habitat atZoo Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Conservation Center.
Earlier this week, the Panda Care Team decorated the habitat with a birthday banner, banana-topped ice “cakes” and colorful cardboard boxes filled with leaf eater biscuits. Ya Lun was “less enthused” about growing another year older, which meant more treats for Xi Lun.
“This is the first time we’ve had a 5th birthday since Xi Lan was here,“saidone zookeeper of the twins' older brother, who now resides at Chengdu Panda Base in China. “Most of our twins have gone back to China before they turn 5.”
Zoo Atlanta
Twins are not uncommon among giant pandas, but mothers typically only rear one cub. As the cubs are not born in an advanced state of development, it’s up to the zookeepers to ensure that twins born in the zoo receive adequate care and that the mother is swapping them throughout the day.
Zoo Atlanta has contributed more than $16 million to support wild giant pandas and their nature reserves in China. As part of the effort, they’ve supported reforestation projects, conservation education programs, giant panda nurseries and field research programs and supplies.
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Panda lovers all over the world can watch Ya Lun and Xi Lun on Zoo Atlanta’s livePanda Cam.
source: people.com
