TWO rare red panda cub twins have been born at West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley.
The birth came as a milestone moment as the species is listed as endangered.
Keepers suspected there may be more than one cute surprise after noticing how ‘round’ mum Mei Lin was during her pregnancy.
Then on the morning of June 16, they started to hear some squeaks coming from one of the nest boxes.
A few days later, Mei Lin was seen moving a cub to a different nest box and keepers were overjoyed when she went back to then collect a second cub.
The twin cubs are a first for the park in its history and second time mum, five-year-old Mei Lin, gave birth exactly two years to the day of her first cub in 2023.
Keepers thrilled
Head keeper of the Discovery Trail, Amy Sewell, said everyone was thrilled to welcome the two panda cubs, adding they were not incredibly special – not just for the team – but for the wider conservation effort of this endangered species.
“It is thought the wild population is less than 10,000 individuals,” she said.
“Every successful birth helps to secure a future for red pandas, whose numbers in the wild continue to decline.”
The two cubs are in the nest boxes, in the care of mum Mei Lin with little disturbance from the keepers.
For the next few weeks, keepers will continue to monitor the cubs and Mei Lin from a safe distance, allowing her the time she needs to adapt to becoming a mum of two.
Staff said the secret of the birth was hard to keep as some guests in the park’s Red Panda Cottages caught glimpses of the cubs, whilst Mei Lin was moving them.
One of the first guests to spot the cubs was Mari Mascarenhas, a GP from Perth, Western Australia, on holiday with her partner Ty and daughter Alice, visiting family in the UK.
Picture by Matthew Lissimore, West Midlands Safari Park. s
Mari, who booked the trip for 10-year-old Alice, who absolutely adores red pandas, said, “We planned this trip with the hope of giving Alice a chance to see them up close, and we were beyond thrilled with the experience.
“Not only did we get to see the red pandas, but we also caught the first glimpses of the new cubs, which was truly magical.
“It was such a rare moment and one that made our entire trip unforgettable.
“We feel so grateful for this memorable experience.”
Mei Lin arrived at the park in August 2021 and was joined by male, Sanka, in March 2022, as part of an EEP (Eaza Ex-Situ Programme) – a collaboration between European zoos to conserve endangered species.
Endangered species
Red pandas are endangered because of threats to their habitats due to humans and poaching and hunting of them is also on the rise.
The park supports the Red Panda Network (RPN), committed to the conservation of wild red pandas and their habitat through the education and empowerment of local communities.
The park sponsors a forest guardian who helps monitor and protect wild red pandas and their habitats.
The sex of the cubs will be known when they are around 16 weeks, when they start to venture out of the nest boxes on their own.
Their names will then be chosen – all baby animals born at the safari park this year will have names starting with the letter ‘N’.
This year, as well as the red pandas, West Midlands Safari Park has seen the birth of tiger cub triplets, an Indian rhino calf, lion cub triplets, barasingha fawn and blesbok calves.
Visit wmsp.co.uk for more on the safari park, including visiting times and ticket prices.
