Newborn panda is female

By: BangkokPost.com
Published: 28/05/2009 at 04:34 PM
Chinese experts who flew to Thailand on Thursday to examine the day-old panda cub born to Lin Hui at Chiang Mai zoo said the baby is female and is healthy.

The public will be allowed to see the baby panda in about one month.

Zoological Park Organisation director-general Sophon Damnui held the press conference with Chinese expert Wei Ning, who said the cub has pink skin and suffered no injuries when Lin Hui gave birth to her.

The cub was feeding well from its mother’s breasts.

The first week of its life would be the critical period, he said. Both Lin Hui and the cub must receive special care.

Chinese experts will stay in Chiang Mai until the two pandas are healthy and anty danger is past.

Earlier in the day, Prasertsak Boontrakulpoonthawee, who heads the zoo’s panda section, said the zoo had done all it could to care for the pandas. Staff would now like to hear from the experts about what else needs to be done.

Zoo staff articially inseminated seven-year-old Lin Hui on Feb 18 but did not know for sure she was pregnant until she surprised them by giving birth on Wednesday.