Second Pair of Twin Pandas This Year Born at Chinese Chongqing Zoo

BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2021) Opposite-sex panda twins were born at the Chongqing Zoo in southwestern China, the city government reported on the microblogging website Sina Weibo.

"On September 13, 2021, a panda named Curious from the Chongqing Zoo gave birth to twins (a female and a male)," the report said.

It was also noted that currently both cubs are healthy and active.

"The older sister weighs 232 grams, and the younger brother weighs 306 grams," according to the statement.

This is the second birth of twin pandas at the Chongqing Zoo this year.

In June, twins were born to a panda named Mantsai.

In July 2021, the Chinese authorities announced that giant pandas were no longer an endangered species, as their wildlife populations have exceeded 1,800 individuals over the past decade.

The increase in the giant panda population shows that Chinese nature reserves have been successful in their duty of preserving the country's biodiversity. According to the laws of China, the killing of a panda is punishable by death or imprisonment for life; similar punishments are meted for panda trafficking.