A 171-gram female cub was born June 3; the birth marks South Korea's third successful natural panda breeding, with updates to be shared on social media

The newborn panda cub with her mother, Aibao, born June 3 [Everland]
The newborn panda cub with her mother, Aibao, born June 3 [Everland]

Everland's giant pandas Ruibao and Huibao have a new little sister — South Korea's third giant panda born through natural breeding.

Everland announced Wednesday that a female cub was born June 3 to mother Aibao, 12, and father Lebao, 13.

The birth follows those of Fubao in 2020 and twins Ruibao and Huibao in 2023, making it South Korea's third recorded case of natural panda breeding. The cub weighed 171 grams at birth, a figure within a healthy range compared with Fubao (197 grams), Ruibao (180 grams) and Huibao (140 grams). Both the cub and her mother are in good health, with keepers and veterinarians providing around-the-clock care.

The panda cub during her first health checkup, two days after birth [Everland]
The panda cub during her first health checkup, two days after birth [Everland]

Aibao gave birth at 10:53 a.m. June 3 after roughly two hours of labor. "Aibao is drawing on her past experience and caring for the cub with great skill," an Everland official said. "The Panda World keepers, veterinarians and specialist handlers dispatched from China's Panda Protection and Research Center are all working together to support Aibao's postpartum recovery and assist with cub care."

Giant pandas are notoriously difficult to breed: their annual fertile window lasts only one to three days, and the hormonal changes of a real pregnancy closely mirror those of a false one. Drawing on experience from the births of Fubao and the twins, Everland applied the same management protocols from the earliest stages of potential conception through delivery, achieving successful natural mating in February.

The newborn panda cub with her mother, Aibao, born June 3 [Everland]
The newborn panda cub with her mother, Aibao, born June 3 [Everland]

The birth carries added significance as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of Panda World's opening. Since the facility opened in 2016, Everland has conducted joint research with China's Panda Protection and Research Center, using hormone analysis from blood and urine tests to identify the optimal breeding window — work that led to the successful natural mating in February.

"I am overjoyed and deeply grateful to welcome yet another new life, following Fubao and the twins Ruibao and Huibao," said head keeper Kang Cheol-won. "We will care for them with all our hearts so they can grow into a healthy panda family that brings warmth and happiness to people across the country."

The cub will remain in an indoor enclosure with Aibao for now. Everland said it will set a public debut date after confirming key developmental milestones such as walking and immune system formation. Fubao and the twins were each first shown to the public at around five to six months of age.

The panda cub during her first health checkup, two days after birth [Everland]
The panda cub during her first health checkup, two days after birth [Everland]

Everland plans to document the cub's growth through its official channels, including the YouTube channels "Everland" and "Talking Zoo Ppuppa TV," as well as the Naver cafe "Zootopia."

"This birth is another meaningful achievement in the decade-long Korea-China panda conservation partnership," zoo director Jeong Dong-hee said. "We will continue to strengthen the zoo's role and expertise in species conservation and research expansion for endangered animals."

Giant pandas live an average of 20 to 25 years. An estimated 1,900 remain in the wild, and the species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.


terry@heraldcorp.com