TORONTO – The Toronto Zoo is welcoming two new additions to its panda exhibit with the birth of two cubs — the first ever to be born in Canada, officials announced Tuesday morning.
Female giant panda Er Shun delivered the first newborn at 3:31 a.m. followed by the second three minutes later.
The first cub weighed 187.7 grams at birth and the second weighed 115 grams.
“We are so proud to be contributing to the ongoing survival of this endangered species,” said John Tracogna, Toronto Zoo chief executive officer, in a media release.
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.
READ MORE: Toronto Zoo panda Er Shun pregnant with twins
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 and the paternity of the cubs will not be known for several months.
Meanwhile, both will remain in the maternity area of the panda enclosure and won’t be available for public visits.
“These historical births are a testament to the commitment and passion of the professional staff who work tirelessly every day to ensure the ongoing survival of so many species,” said Tracogna.
Er Shun and Da Mao are scheduled to relocate to the Calgary Zoo in 2018 and it’s unclear at this point if the cubs will go with them, Toronto Zoo spokesperson Jennifer Tracey said.
The zoo said pandas only have one chance per year when they can breed and an attempt to impregnate Er Shun last year was unsuccessful.
Giant panda cubs are born blind and weigh only 0.08 to 0.2 kilograms and are 1/900th the size of their mother at birth.
WATCH BELOW: Newly-born Panda cubs at Toronto Zoo get coverage from Chinese media
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