Germany’s favourite panda twins have grown their first set of teeth three months after they were born.
Zookeepers at Berlin Zoo in Germany made the exciting discovery when they observed the first visible tips of the young pair’s teeth while they were yawning on 26th November.
The zoo reported that the twins, both female, now weigh more than five kilogrammes (11 lbs) each and spend most of their days cuddling and sleeping.
Recently, however, they have started becoming more curious, increasingly perceiving their surroundings and exploring their environment with greater awareness.
Zoo Director Dr Andreass Knierim said in a statement obtained by newsX: “It’s simply enchanting to accompany the two of them as they discover their world bit by bit.
“The first teeth are an important sign that the panda girls are growing up healthy and happy and that everything is going according to plan.”
The two are still exclusively feeding on 11-year-old mum Meng Meng’s milk.
Zoo vet Dr Franziska Sutter said: “As a rule, panda cubs get their first teeth at around three months. By the time they reach one year old, their baby teeth, 24 in total, will be fully developed.”
Sutter added that while it will be some time before the twins are able to crack thick bamboo poles with their teeth, the emergence of their little milk teeth is an important step in their development.
She emphasised that teething in pandas, unlike in humans, does not result in bad moods or disturbances from lack of sleep.
Endemic to China, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.
There are only 1,864 pandas left in the wild, with habitat destruction caused by roads, railways, and agriculture being the biggest threats to their survival.
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Story By: Georgina Jedikovska, Sub-Editor: Georgina Jedikovska, Agency: Newsflash
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