Berlin Zoo was today celebrating the arrival of two panda cubs - the first time one of the rare mammals has given birth in Germany.
The zoo said mother Meng Meng gave birth to a hand-sized pink cub at 6.54pm on Saturday.
Mothering apparently came naturally to the six-year-old panda. “She placed the tiny creature gently on her belly and began to warm it lovingly with her big paws, warm breath, and the soft fur of her cheeks,” the zoo said in a statement.
An hour later, its twin was born.
Keepers only confirmed last week that Meng Meng was pregnant.
She had mated with nine-year-old partner Jiao Qing in April, and was also artificially inseminated to increase the likelihood of pregnancy.
Meng Meng and Jiao Qing arrived from China in June 2017.
