Singapore's first Giant Panda cub: Jia Jia and Kai Kai finally have a child of their own after years of mating

SINGAPORE - The nation's first panda cub was born on Saturday (Aug 14) at the River Safari.

In a statement on Sunday, Wildlife Reserves Singapore called the birth "a joyful boost to the ongoing National Day celebrations this year", adding that the panda cub's gender is yet to be determined and will be announced later.

Meanwhile, the baby and its mother, Jia Jia, are in an off-exhibit den to give them time to nurse and bond, it said.

In April this year, 13-year-old Kai Kai and 12-year-old Jia Jia displayed signs of being in heat, officially entering their seventh breeding season.

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Working closely with the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Panda, WRS' animal care team initiated the breeding plan for 2021, emphasising natural mating with assisted reproductive technology as back up if required.

There was optimism that the pandas would naturally breed this year, after the pair had shown improvements in their mating techniques the year before, said WRS.

WRS said the animal care team had confirmed the pregnancy via ultrasound scan.

"In July, ultrasound scans showed a thickening of Jia Jia's cervix and some fluid in the uterine horns. We stayed hopeful for Jia Jia, while maintaining her ultrasound checks to monitor developments," said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, WRS' deputy chief executive and chief life sciences officer.

Dr Cheng added: "Jia Jia's first pregnancy and birth of a cub is a significant milestone for us in the care of this threatened species in Singapore... The work continues now with supporting the first-time mother to raise her newborn cub."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.