Giant panda Shin Shin at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo delivers twins

Giant panda Shin Shin gives birth to a cub at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2021. Popular giant panda Shin Shin has given birth to twin cubs at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, her first delivery in four years, local media reported Wednesday. (Tokyo Zoological Park Society/Handout via Xinhua)

TOKYO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Popular giant panda Shin Shin has given birth to twin cubs at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, her first delivery in four years, local media reported Wednesday.

The Tokyo metropolitan government, the operator of the zoo, made the announcement on Wednesday.

"It's the first time that twin panda cubs were born at our zoo," Yutaka Fukuda, head of the zoo, said at a news conference. "Please watch over their growth warmly."

One of the twins was born at 1:03 a.m. on Wednesday local time and the other at 2:32 a.m. the same day, according to the metropolitan government.

The officials said one cub weighs 124 grams, while the weight of the other is unknown. Both the mother and the cubs are reportedly in good health.

The genders of the newborns remained unknown and will be examined by the zoo.

Shin Shin's previous delivery was June 2017, when Xiang Xiang was born.

Shin Shin and Ri Ri, on loan from China, who have been living at the zoo since 2011, mated in March for the first time in around four years.