(Photo credits: Reuters)
Chiang Mai zoo director Thanaphat Pongphamon said Lin Hui delivered a cub at 10:10 am. Prasertsak Boontrakulpoonthawee, head of the Panda section, said Lin Hui delivered her baby at 10:39 am. He also said he saw that Lin Hui shook, pushed and delivered the cub.
The sex and weight of the cub were still unknown as Lin Hui would not allow zoo officials near the baby, Mr Thanaphat said. Lin Hui had carried the baby for 93 days and the birth was without complications.
This is considered a big success for Chiang Mai zoo. Despite the best care and encouragement, Lin Hui's partner Xuang Xuang had failed to impregnate her. All efforts to arouse Xuang Xuang's interest in mating had failed, even after showing videos of other pandas mating. He just couldn't nail it - even after all the Panda porn he watched. The pandas' keepers finally resorted to artificial insemination.
The two animals arrived from China over five years ago as part of a panda research program. The loan agreement will see the two pandas and their offspring returned to China after 10 years.
