Germany‘s first giant panda cubs have been born and their mother, Meng Meng, is doing a wonderful job looking after the pink twins who bear no resemblance to their black and white furry parents, Berlin Zoo announced on Monday.

Immediately after the first birth, the mother placed the creature on her belly and warmed it with her large paws and soft fur, said the zoo. Within an hour, a second cub had been born.

“On Saturday evening, Berlin’s panda population doubled as Germany welcomed its first-ever panda offspring – two of them!” said the Zoo, adding that mother and cubs were all in good health. The zoo is also home to the cubs’ father, Jiao Ching.

As pandas with twins usually raise only one of the cubs, the zoo is actively supporting Meng Meng, 6, in the rearing process and has enlisted experts from China‘s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Zoo to help.

It is notoriously difficult to get giant pandas to mate and with only 1,864 adults living in their natural habitat, every new cub is an important contribution to the conservation of the species, said Berlin Zoo director and vet Andreas Knieriem.

First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Show all 30 1 /30 First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo The first pictures have been released of a polar bear cub that was born in Berlin's Tierpark Zoo on December 1. AP First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo The pictures were taken after the cub's first veterinary examination which revealed that the 11-week old is a female. AP First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo She is yet to be named and the zoo says that a name will not be announced until the cub and her mother Tonja are ready to make their first public appearance. AP First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo In recent years Tonja has given birth to two other cubs, though both died in infancy. Tierpark director Dr. Andreas Knieriem says that "infant mortality in polar bears is extremely high, especially within the first ten days of life. However we are all staying positive and keeping our fingers crossed for Tonja." AP First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo The pair have been living together in a birthing den where Tonja can raise her cub in privacy for the first few months. AP First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut, a polar bear at the nearby Zoo Berlin became hugely famous in 2006 when he was rejected by his mother at birth. He was able to survive by artificial incubation and developed a close relationship with his keeper. Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays at the Berlin Zoo in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays at the Berlin Zoo in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays at the Berlin Zoo in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut rests in his den at the Berlin Zoo in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays with his minder during his first public outing on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Photographers struggle to get a view of Knut at his first public appearance on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut on his first public outing on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut on his first public outing on March 23 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays with his minder during his first public outing on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut nuzzles with his minder during his first public outing on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays with his minder during his first public outing on March 23 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut in March 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut in March 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut at six months old plays with his keeper on June 22 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut at 11 months old in November 2007 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut on his first birthday on December 5 2007 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut bathes, January 2008 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut plays in hay in January 2008 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut at two years old in September 2009 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Polar bear Giovanna joins Knut in his enclosure in September 2009 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut and Giovanna, on loan from the Munich Zoo, play together in January 2010 AFP/Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut and Giovanna nuzzle in January 2010 Getty First pictures of the polar bear cub born in Berlin Zoo Knut Knut and Giovanna nuzzle in January 2010 Getty

After weeks of speculation which made headlines in Berlin and national newspapers, experts at the zoo confirmed just over a week ago that Meng Meng was pregnant.

The cubs weigh 186 and 136 grams and their gender has not yet been determined.

China has long engaged in “panda diplomacy”.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who heads to China on a pre-planned visit this week, and Xi Jinping, China’s president, welcomed Meng Meng and Jiao Qing to Berlin Zoo at a ceremony in 2017 as part of a loan agreement.

Under that deal, any cubs will be returned to China once they no longer need their mother. But for now, Berlin is celebrating.

“What fantastic news! The whole of Berlin is delighted about the new arrivals!” Berlin’s mayor Michael Mueller said.