Hao Hao gives birth to Belgium's first panda cub
Pairi Daiza and the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda have the great pleasure to announce the birth a Giant Panda cub.
The birth
Hao Hao’s first signs of an impending birth were confirmed through the urine analysis of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University on Tuesday afternoon. The results of the tests and her changing behaviour convinced her keepers and the Chinese experts that it was time for her to go inside and prepare for labour.
She stayed there the whole day of Wednesday, relaxed and patient. Her contractions started around 11PM on Wednesday night, Hao Hao gave birth at 02:02 am on Thursday June 2nd 2016 under the watchful and proud eyes of her keepers and experts of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. Hao Hao and her baby are doing well.
The first moments
Hao Hao instantly showed strong signs of affection towards her first born. She took it into her mouth to protect it, cleaned it and held it close to her. After a few hours of bonding, the Chinese experts entered her box to make
contact with her. Once Hao Hao trusted them, they retrieved a sample of her breast milk and proceeded to a check-up of the baby, a gender control and a first weighing. Hao Hao’s first born is doing well and weighs 171 grams.
Source: Pairi Daiza
Photo Credit: Benoit Bouchez / Pairi Daiza
