- Title: THAILAND: New born baby panda in Thai zoo is under special care
- Date: 28th May 2009
- Summary: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (MAY 28, 2009) (REUTERS) FEMALE PANDA LIN HUI HOLDING HER BABY SHOWN ON PROJECTOR VARIOUS OF CHINESE SPECIALIST CHECKING ON BABY PANDA CHINESE SPECIALIST CHECKING ON BABY PANDA FECES (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHINESE SPECIALIST, VEI MING SAYING: "After we did rough examination, we separated baby panda to thoroughly health examination again. The most interesting was that baby panda was breast fed by its mother and then we checked from its feces, the green small feces showed that baby panda was healthy and the mother panda can take care of her baby well." LIN HUI HOLDING HER BABY IN MOUTH AFTER RETURN FROM HEALTH EXAMINATION
- Embargoed: 12th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Environment / Natural World,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA8N3UPDEUOXTKKHHY4T8OQY0AU
- Story Text: A 230-gram female panda cub and its mother were healthy in a healthy condition in their Thai zoo, a Chinese veterinarian said on Thursday (May 28). Chinese panda specialist Vei Ming made the comments following a health examination the new born.
The cub, identified later as female, was put in incubator for first health check-up after the specialist arrived at Chiang Mai zoo, 700 kilometres north of Bangkok.
A close-circuit television (CCTV) showing a new born cub being examined by Chinese expert to find its gender and checking on the health.
At first Thai veterinarians couldn't confirm the sex of the newborn because her mother was fiercely guarding her and wouldn't allow zoo staff close.
"After we did rough examination, we separated baby panda to thoroughly health examination again. The most interesting thing was that baby panda was breast fed by its mother and then we checked from its feces, the green small feces showed that baby panda was healthy and the mother panda could take care of her baby well," Vei Ming said.
The veterinarian added that there was a chance that the mother panda would deliver another cub within 50 hours of the first.
On Wednesday the mother, Lin Hui, a giant female panda on loan from China, gave birth to her first cub after being artificially inseminated with her partners sperm for a second time.
The seven-year-old looked exhausted after giving birth to her first baby. The zoo official said Lin Hui did not get a good rest as she immediately breast fed and bonded with her infant.
The birth was a big surprise for zookeepers as the animal had shown no sign of pregnancy after her insemination in February.
The panda cub will be kept in a special room for at least six months to separate her from her father and excited zoo crowds that might cause her distress.
Lin Hui had been artificially inseminated for the second time after a first attempt in 2007 failed and her male partner, Chuang Chuang, failed to perform.
Thailand had been using several different techniques to facilitate the pandas breeding, which included showing the bears an instructional "panda porn video" to teach them how to mate, but the couple showed no sign of affection.
The couple, on loan from China since 2003, are a major draw at the Chiang Mai Zoo. They were "married" in November 2005, to mark the zoo's 28th birthday, at a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony overseen by a Chinese diplomat.
According to the agreement with Beijing, Thailand must return the baby to China after raising it for the first two years.
Thai officials said they would seek to negotiate a new agreement that would allow the infant panda to stay longer in Thailand. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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