China Daily Global Edition (USA)

Twin pandas given names

- ByWANGZHEN­GHUA in Shanghai wangzhengh­ua@chinadaily.com.cn

The male and female giant panda twins, delivered in October at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park, have been named Yueyue and Banban respective­ly.

The combinatio­n of the two words Yue and Ban means “chubby” in Chinese. The names were selected by the public from about 5,000 suggested names during an online campaign launched in December. Among the suggested names were Pudong and Puxi, Longlong and Fengfeng, and Youyi and Youyang.

Yueyue and Banban are the first brother and sister twins ever born in Shanghai. Breeders said that it would be easier to care for the pandas if they have names.

According to the park, experts at the China Conservati­on and Research Center for the Giant Panda gave the twins a physical examinatio­n before they were shown to the public and had their names announced on April 22.

The twins have been deemed to be in good health. The elder brother Yueyue weighs 14.7 kg and has a body length of 65 cm, while the younger sister Banban weighs 13.8 kg and measures 53 cm.

“We can tell from their spiritual state, activity levels and feces that they are in very good health,” said Wu Honglin, the head of a research team at China Conservati­on and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

Breeders also said that Yueyue is more outgoing, active, adventurou­s and is highly adaptable. In contrast, Banban is quiet, smart and loves trying out new things.

Both animals are being fed formula and breast milk by their mother Youyou.

Employees of the park, assisted by the experts, are taking care of the pair round the clock. A plan has also been put in place in the event of a medical emergency.

The twins have already been amusing netizens and tourists.

“Those are good names, and it is funny to describe them as chubby in a different way,” said a Sina Weibo user named Chiwen Clarma. “Those names help us visualize their appearance­s.”

Pandas mostly live in Southwest China’s Sichuan province. The State Forestry Administra­tion said breeding pandas in developed regions including Beijing and Shanghai can provide a safer environmen­t for the species and aid public education, while allowing them to take advantage of advanced research and technology in those regions. He Qi contribute­d story. to the

 ?? PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ?? Yueyue and Banban, the first male and female panda twins born in Shanghai, are shown to tourists at Shanghai Wild Animal Park on April 22.
PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Yueyue and Banban, the first male and female panda twins born in Shanghai, are shown to tourists at Shanghai Wild Animal Park on April 22.
 ?? PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY ?? About 358,000 visitors attend the 17th Shanghai Internatio­nal Automobile Industry Exhibition over the weekend of April 22 and 23. Organizers said that the exhibition hall for luxury cars was the most popular segment. The event, held at National...
PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY About 358,000 visitors attend the 17th Shanghai Internatio­nal Automobile Industry Exhibition over the weekend of April 22 and 23. Organizers said that the exhibition hall for luxury cars was the most popular segment. The event, held at National...

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