China Welcomes World's 1st Living Panda Triplets

'Miracle' trio born 2 weeks ago is still in the danger zone
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 12, 2014 9:11 AM CDT
China Welcomes World's 1st Living Panda Triplets
Triplet panda cubs rest in an incubator at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong province on Aug. 12, 2014.   (AP Photo)

In what it's describing as a "new wonder of the world," a Chinese zoo has announced the birth (and, so far, survival) of triplet panda cubs, a rare occurrence among procreation-shy pandas. Chimelong Safari Park kept the July 29 birth under wraps until now because of the "extremely high" death rate for newborn pandas, reports the Guardian. In fact, one of China's top panda experts says the unnamed cubs won't officially be considered "surviving" until they're 6 months old. Although the panda babies spent their first few days in an incubator so mom Juxiao could rest up after the birth, they've been reunited and are now nursing, notes the Guardian. There are only 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund (More panda triplets stories.)

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