How A Panda Mother Gives Birth To A Cute & Tiny Panda Cub | Animal Docs | A Mother Panda’s Love

Here at Adventure World Zoo, we're all celebrating the arrival of spring. There are 140 species of animals living here. Which one do you think is the most popular? If you'll forgive me for saying so, it's my family, the giant pandas. Hello, I'm Eimei. I was born in China and came to Shirahama in 1994. I'm the fifth oldest male panda in the world. Of all those elderly guys, I'm the only one who's still going strong. I may be getting on a bit in age, but I'm still a big hit with the young girls. This is my wife, Raohin. In human years, she'd be in her 40s. I love her with all my heart. She presented me with my 14th baby last fall. We began following the panda breeding program in Shirahama three years ago. We filmed this rare footage of pandas mating. The breeding season for giant pandas is brief, only around three days a year. Zookeepers watch over the couple with bated breath. They carefully determine the timing of the mating. They separate the animals when they get themselves into an awkward position. There are about 2,000 pandas living around the world today. Coming up with ways to increase the population is a big challenge. Pandas are native to China. For the past 30 years, the country has been cooperating with zoos across the world to breed the animals. When the cubs born at these zoos grow up, they're sent to China to help produce the next generation. When it comes to producing cubs, the center in Shirahama is the most successful one. Four months after the pandas mated, Raohin seems on the verge of giving birth. She won't even eat bamboo, her favorite food. Things could change at any moment. The staff goes without sleep or rest to monitor Raohin. Tomoko Endo heads the 15-member team. This is her first time to oversee a delivery as team leader. On September 17th, Raohin seemed restless. Raohin suddenly let out a shrill cry, a sure sign that she's about to deliver. For pandas, giving birth is an extremely risky business. The mother can crush the tiny baby if it's not given adequate attention the moment it's born. Raohin's water has broken. Baby pandas are usually born immediately after the mother's water breaks. But there's no sign of the baby appearing any time soon. If this situation continues, the lives of both the mother and the child will be at risk. Three hours after her water broke, Raohin's strength was reaching its limit. She started to push. It's a healthy female. Yet another new life is born in Shirahama. Panda cubs weigh only 200 grams at birth. 20% are said to die even if they receive human care. Any delay in the first breastfeeding means the baby won't get enough nutrients, further increasing the risk. But Raohin is so exhausted from the delivery that she won't pick up the baby. The zookeepers continue waiting. This is in line with Shirahama's philosophy.