Germany’s Berlin Zoo has revealed the names of the two newborn panda twins in a special naming ceremony held last week.
The twin sisters were officially named Meng Hao (“Beautiful Dreams”) and Meng Tian (“Sweet Dreams”) on 6th December, honouring the Chinese tradition of incorporating their mother Meng Meng’s name.
Respectively, they go by the Berlin-inspired names Leni, a nod to German-American actress and singer Marlene Dietrich, and Lotti, referencing the nearby district of Charlottenburg.
Zoo director Dr Andreas Knierim said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “The twins’ names symbolise how joint conservation efforts can build bridges between two cultures, showing that our panda twins have roots in both Chengdu and Berlin.”
The naming ceremony, held at the zoo’s Panda Garden, was attended by Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner and China’s ambassador to Germany, H.E. Deng Hongbo.
Both were named honourary godparents to the panda cubs.
Wegner said: “The panda twins, Leni and Lotti, are not only symbols of endangered wildlife but also represent Berlin’s unique charm and cultural diversity.
“I am deeply honoured to be the godfather of Panda Leni, celebrating this special connection between Berlin and the world.”
Hongbo added: “The panda twins in Berlin are a living testament to the close and friendly relationship between China and Germany.
“These wonderful animals uniquely unite our cultures and nations. I am delighted to celebrate their naming today with the Governing Mayor here at the Panda Garden.
“And, of course, I warmly invite everyone to visit their siblings in Chengdu as well.”
Visitors can see Leni and Lotti grow at Zoo Berlin, where one twin is on display daily from 1:30pm to 2:30pm in the Panda Garden.
The cubs take turns, with one staying behind the scenes with their mother, Meng Meng, while the other rests in the indoor exhibit.
Starting in late January 2025, both cubs will appear together in front of visitors alongside their 11-year-old mother.
Leni and Lotti were born on 22nd August 2024.
They are Meng Meng’s second pair of twins after she gave birth to her first cubs, Pit (Meng Xiang) and Paulie (Meng Yuan) on 31st August 2019.
Pit and Paule left Zoo Berlin in December 2023, and now live at the Chengdu Panda Base in China.
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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