Gender of Russia’s first-ever newborn panda cub revealed

The first-ever giant panda cub that was born at the Moscow Zoo last month is a female, the Moscow Zoo confirmed Sunday.

The cub was born late last month to a young pair of giant pandas, Ruyi (male) and Dingding (female), which arrived in Moscow in April 2019 from China’s southwestern province of Sichuan.

The baby panda has recently turned one month, and zoologists have carried out tests confirming that the cub is female. Moscow zoo employees and specialists from China are watching over mother Dingding and her baby, according to the zoo.

At the start, Dingding always hid her baby, protected it, and slept very little to stay alert. She appears more rested and calmer now, as the baby is quickly growing fur allowing the cub to thermoregulate well enough, the zoo said, adding that both the mother and baby are feeling great.

The cub is being inspected by experts in a special incubator, where the temperature and humidity are comfortable for the baby. The incubator has everything necessary for the cub including diapers, blankets and pillows with cassia seeds (Chinese cinnamon).

The baby girl currently weighs 1,288 grams and is 36.8 cm tall, according to the Moscow Zoo. Specialists from China have confirmed that the cub is growing and developing well.

(If you have specific expertise and want to contribute, or if you have a topic of interest that you’d like to share with us, please email us at nature@cgtn.com.)