News and Travel Editor

I am so excited about this week’s new video because I think it might be my favourite one yet. It feels extra special to me because we get to celebrate the birthday of not one, not two but THREE incredibly cute pandas. The Triplets of Chimelong are the oldest (and only!) surviving triplets EVER!

Why is this a big deal? Firstly, there are only 1800 Pandas left in the world. Secondly, in the wild, a mother can only raise one cub, meaning that in the wild only 2/3 cubs would have survived to adulthood! Thanks to the researchers at Chimelong, the three Pandas are now celebrating their second birthday. It’s great to watch them grow up over the space of this video from being pale, pink and the size of an orange to the recognizable Panda we know and love.

I loved learning more about the Pandas’ personalities as they grow up! Meng Meng, the oldest and only female, is the quiet one, and the chubbiest as she is the least active! Next comes Shuai Shuai who’s a lot more mischievous and loves to wrestle with his siblings. Ku Ku is more chilled, but him and Shuai Shuai keep each other trim through lots of play fighting!

I spend quite a lot of time using my job as an excuse to look at Panda photos (evidence: my favourite past blog) but I was really surprised to come across facts that I hadn’t discovered before. My favourite being that the Mama Pandas carries the newborn cubs in her mouth to keep them safe and warm.

It is so lovely seeing the Pandas’ affection for each other and for the researchers who work so hard to help the species survive in the future. I wish there was a Panda who wanted to follow me every time I try to leave work!





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