Yuanyuan’s nursing efforts are highly effective — the energetic Yuanzai doubles her weight in return

Aside from demonstrating the results of Yuanyuan’s nursing through her weight gain, Yuanzai also “repays” her mother with feces that provide additional nutrition. Some undigested nutrients in Yuanzai’s droppings are consumed by Yuanyuan when she stimulates her bowel movements.

 

Giant pandas are among the animals where the fertilized egg undergoes delayed implantation. Newborn cubs are very underdeveloped, with their eyes closed, bodies pink, and covered in sparse white fetal fur. At half a month old, they are nursed about six times a day. The frequency of nursing decreases as the cub grows, dropping to once or twice daily between three to four months of age, when the cub becomes more active but still relies entirely on mother’s milk, reaching a weight of 6–7 kilograms. After birth, a cub’s digestive system is still developing, with a small stomach capacity. As the body rapidly grows, its ability to digest and absorb nutrients gradually improves.

 

Yuanzai’s current development is good, and she is gradually progressing from crawling to taking a few steps on her own. Her front limbs are now quite strong, but her hind legs still need more strength. As a result, even though she can try hard to push herself up and move, her steps are still unsteady, and she sometimes falls after a few steps or sits down to rest.

Nowadays, Yuanzai is becoming more lively and active. As her mobility improves, she gradually starts running around, wiggling her little bottom. When zookeepers clean the room she shares with her mother Yuanyuan, the cub — who is usually placed in the delivery room to practice walking — listens carefully to the rustling sounds of bamboo branches being collected or the broom sweeping the floor. Once she locates the source of the sound, she moves toward it. Like a little follower, Yuanzai will wiggle her body toward any moving object within her sight — be it the zookeeper, the broom, bamboo leaves, or a bucket — trying to get closer. If she is put back in the delivery room and told to stay put, she will grumble unhappily.

 

 

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