As we previously reported in this article, Shin Shin, Giant Panda at Ueno Zoo who gave birth on June 12, 2017, is diligently taking care of her cub.
June 15, 2017, Shinshin taking care of her child.
After confirming that the mother and baby were nursing multiple times, their condition appears stable. Therefore, instead of using the fixed camera on the monitor, a staff member filmed a video in the birthing room (↑video). Shin Shin is holding her baby with her right front leg and caring for it. The birthing room has the lights on slightly, but the brightness is kept to a minimum to ensure that Shin Shin can feel safe and secure.
In the wild, it is said that female geese will not eat or drink for about 10 days after giving birth while caring for their offspring, but the staff has been continuously providing her with fluids while carefully observing Shin Shin's condition. On June 14th, she was given fluids around 2:30 PM and 11:50 PM, which she drank down immediately.
On June 15, 2017, at around 2 PM, Shinshin ended up letting go of the bamboo shoot she had picked up. The scene without bamboo shoots was filmed around 3:30 AM on June 16th. Shinshin reacts to the baby's movements.
On June 15th, we provided fluids around 3:30 PM and 11:00 PM. The cat quickly drank a liter of oral rehydration solution. We also offered it bamboo shoots a little after 2 PM on June 15th. It initially held them with its front paws, but ultimately did not eat them (please see the second video, although the timing is different).
Shin Shin was seen holding her cub with her left front leg and then loosening her grip, suggesting that she had gotten the hang of handling her offspring. At around 10:30 a.m. on June 16th, we observed Shin Shin urinating for the first time since giving birth.
Staff members are continuing to provide 24-hour childcare services. We will continue to observe the situation carefully.
*The "bamboo shoots" mentioned in the text are not the kind of bamboo shoots that are soft enough for human consumption, but rather Madake bamboo that has not yet produced leaves and is in an immature growth stage.
