15-year-old giant panda Shin Shin gave birth to twins at Japan’s oldest zoo on Wednesday, and the mother and two babies are said to be in good health. “I was relieved when Shin Shin carried his baby,” said Yutaka Fukuda, director of the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, adding that he was “really surprised and happy when the second was born.”
Since it is rare for a panda to breastfeed two cubs at the same time, one of the twins was placed in an incubator. The zoo has not yet revealed the gender of the twins. The twins have another brother. Shin Chen and his partner of the same age, Ri Ri, are the parents of 4-year-old Xiang Xiang. Panda breeding is incredibly complex and pregnancy is difficult.
A giant panda in Tokyo gave birth to a baby in July 2012, but died of pneumonia just six days later. Shin Shin and Ri Ri have been on loan from China since 2011. Pandas are loved in Japan. The zoo, along with shops and restaurants, is anticipating an influx of much-needed visitors. Even the Japanese government was delighted, and a spokesperson described the news of the birth as “extremely positive.”
EL (dpa, NYT)
Bears are in danger
Bears see colors too
Bears can walk upright, and see colors, unlike most other, mostly carnivorous mammals, just like us. Bears and humans shared a common ancestor about 100 million years ago. The American black bear, pictured, stretches across North America and is an excellent tree climber. It can also be brown or silver in color.
Bears are in danger
grizzly
Brown bears are the most common bear in the world. They spread across Eurasia and North America. These bears tend to be solitary, but sometimes congregate to feed on fish. Before hibernation, grizzly bears feed on fat in preparation for winter. Also known as “Grizzly,” an iconic symbol of American nature.
Bears are in danger
wakeup early
Although brown bears have been hunted to extinction in parts of their native habitat, they continue to survive in Europe in isolated areas, such as here in Finland. Bears must eat a lot of fat to survive the winter months. But a warm climate also changes hibernation patterns.
Bears are in danger
Show me your hand and I’ll tell you who you are
In addition to their ability to walk upright, brown bears can also run very fast on all fours, up to 40 miles per hour. The anatomy of the legs of bears is very similar to that of human hands and feet. A brown bear is receiving dental treatment here in Germany.
Bears are in danger
Andean Bear
South America has its “own” bear: the Andean or spectacled bear. This species often sports a light-colored fur around its eyes. This bear has lost its wooded habitat on the slopes of the Andes, due in large part to deforestation to grow crops and livestock.
Bears are in danger
laziness
And the sloth bear is also “vulnerable”, as its lowland forests are disappearing in the Indian subcontinent. They survive insect attacks and have particularly hairy fur: they are victims of poaching and the pet trade. Pictured is ‘Bodu’, a sloth bear adopted by a family in India, after he roamed the village following a herd of goats.
Bears are in danger
dearest bear
Like many other bears, the panda is primarily threatened by the loss of the bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China. Since bamboo contains very few nutrients, bears have to eat up to 38 kilograms per day and spend most of the day eating and napping.
Bears are in danger
polar bone
Polar bears are classified as marine mammals, and they are carnivores. To hunt marine animals, they rely on glaciers that are melting due to climate change. The plight of the polar bear has become synonymous with fighting global warming. As the planet warms, the bears’ time is shortened. Author: Sonia Angelica Dehn (jov/vt)
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