Double act: The month-old twin panda cubs, introduced to the media at a press conference yesterday, are the first of their species to be born in Spain since 1982 and only the third litter to be born in EuropeTwo rare panda cubs born at Spain's Madrid Zoo have had their first taste of the limelight.
The twins, both male, weighed just five ounces when born on September 7.
But after a month of constant nursing - with handlers helping out mum Hua Zui Ba by bottle-feeding the brothers - they now weigh more than a kilo and were ready to make their press debut yesterday.
Helping hand: A veterinarian feeds one of the panda cubs with a bottle of milk during the pandas' presentation to the media yesterdayThey are the first giant panda twins to be conceived using the artificial insemination method outside of China, and experts consider that their survival is now almost guaranteed.
The Madrid Zoo now has four of the endangered animals: the newborns and their parents, motherHua Zui Ba and father Bing Xing.
That couple was a goodwill gift from the Chinese government to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia during a visit to China in 2007.
Grin and bear it: The cubs will not be given names until they are three months old in keeping with Chinese custom
Strike a pose:The cubs are expected to be a star attraction for visitors to Madrid Zoo
An incubator installed in the area usually occupied by the pandas in the summer will allow zoo visitors to see how the playful pair are being fed and cared for.
The cubs belong to the Chinese Government, and will stay in Madrid for up to four years before being moved to another centre so they can reproduce.
Experts believe there are only an estimated 1,600 pandas left living in the wild in China, their numbers depleted by destruction of their habitat.
source :dailymail
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