BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s new panda twins now have names — or rather, two names each.
The two female cubs, born at the Berlin Zoo on August 22, were introduced on Friday as Meng Hao and Meng Tian (“good dream” and “sweet dream”). Alternatively, they also answer to the Berlin names Leni and Lotti.
The pair, who lay on their stomachs on a mattress and peered at photographers as the Chinese ambassador to Germany and the mayor of Berlin revealed their names, are the second pair of giant pandas born in Germany.
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The first were their older brothers Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, who became much better known under the German names Pit and Paule. The cubs were born in August 2019 and were a top attraction in Berlin until they were flown to China almost a year ago – a trip that was contractually agreed from the start but postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
All are descendants of mother Meng Meng and father Jiao Qing, who arrived in Berlin in 2017.
Zoo director Andreas Knieriem said the cubs are growing quickly, gaining almost 100 grams a day and now weigh almost 6 kilos.
Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcome. There are about 1,800 pandas in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity worldwide.
Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in March. Female pandas are fertile for a maximum of a few days per year.
China gifted friendly nations with their unofficial mascot for decades as part of a “panda diplomacy” policy. The country now lends pandas to zoos on commercial terms.
