At the center of the Bifengxia panda base is the highly popular kindergarten. Here, you will find pens for young cubs and the nursery, where the vet staff is kept busy with newborns. The 2016 cub season was very active, and according to Jerome Pouille’s website- www.panda.fr, there were 26 births with 22 cubs surviving. As the nursery is locked down like Fort Knox, we have no idea of who is in there.

However, the outdoor pens are occupied by two sets of active twins. Xi Dou (#654) and Qiao Qiao (#860) both gave birth to twins in August of 2016. Xi Dou’s twins are in the NE pen and can be seen from the road and near the large square. Qiao Qiao’s twins can be seen in the NW pen after you walk around the nursery. With a multitude of playthings such as slides, rockers, water features, and trees, there are ample chances to capture a playful photo.

It will be exciting to see these youngsters grow up and follow them on their journey to becoming adults. I, of course, am already interested in their behaviors and find myself observing them for hours, wondering if we will soon be observing their stereotypes and personalities. Enjoy the pictures!