TORONTO – At one month old, the Toronto Zoo baby panda twins are becoming more vocal and are “progressing very well.”
The zoo provided an update on their condition on Friday by releasing several new videos as they continue to grow.
“The larger of the two cubs now weighs over one kilogram, with the smaller cub not far behind at approximately 750 grams,” the zoo said in a media release.
READ MORE: Toronto Zoo welcomes birth of Canada’s first ever panda cubs
Er Shun, the cubs’ mother, continues to display her maternal instincts while spending time with her little ones in the den.
The zoo said the baby pandas will not be viewable to the public until they are at least five to six months old as they are still in the critical phase of their growth.
Er Shun, on loan from China until 2018 as part of a conservation breeding program, underwent two non-surgical artificial insemination procedures on May 14, 2015.
Staff used sperm collected from Da Mao, the other panda on loan, for the first procedure, and frozen sperm collected from two giant pandas in China for the second.
During regularly scheduled ultrasounds, staff found a fetal heartbeat on Sept. 25 and a second separate fetus was discovered on Sept. 29.
Zoo officials said the sex of the cubs will not be known for several more months.
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