DOUBLE TROUBLE :
Panda-monium !
BY RACHAEL FREY
What ’ s black and white and cute all over ? The Calgary Zoo ’ s four new residents , of course ! The giant panda breeding pair Da Mao and Er Shun have arrived at the Zoo with their two little bundles of joy , twin cubs Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue .
Caretakers at the Zoo have already noticed some distinct personality traits among the panda family . Colleen Baird , the Zoo ’ s general curator , says Da Mao , the adult male , is confident and relaxed . When he first arrived in Calgary , he wasn ’ t nervous at all — in fact , his first priority was getting a bite to eat .
“ I think he is easy to understand ,” Baird says . “ If he is unhappy he shows you , and when he is content , you know . He is not afraid of anything .”
Er Shun , the adult female , was a bit more wary when she first investigated her new home , but who could blame her — she has not only herself but also two little rascals to worry about .
Baird says Er Shun is more than up to the task of mothering the twin cubs : “ Attentive and caring , but not over bearing — just right . She also likes to play with the cubs , she will often instigate play before the cubs do .”
As for the cubs themselves , Baird says Jia Panpan , the male cub , likes to hang out with his mom and steal her food or lay on her , and will go to her for reassurance if he feels unsure .
DOUBLE TROUBLE :
In captivity , giant pandas give birth to twins about 50 percent of the time . To help ensure the survival of both newborns , caretakers at the Toronto Zoo separated the twins and cared for one while Er Shun nursed the other . The cubs were switched frequently so both were able to bond with their mother and experience her care . When they grew larger and more robust , Er Shun took over care of both twins .
MEANINGFUL NAMES
Da Mao : “ first of Mao ” Er Shun : “ double smoothness ”
Ji Jia Panpan : “ Canadian hope ”
Jia Yueyue : “ Canadian joy ”
PHOTOGRAPHS : COURTESY TORONTO ZOO
20 where . ca MAY / JUNE 2018