Giant panda gives birth to world’s heaviest captive panda cub in SW China’s Sichuan

Photo shows the cub of giant panda Cuicui on the first day of its birth. (Photo/Wei Rongping)

Cuicui, a 16-year-old giant panda, recently gave birth to a female cub that weighed 270.4 grams upon birth, becoming the world’s heaviest captive panda newborn ever registered, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

The panda cub was born at the Wolong Shenshuping panda base at 9:39 p.m., Aug. 5, breaking the previous birth weight record of 249 grams held by a panda born in 2021.

Cuicui has a strong sense of motherhood and is very good at taking care of her cubs. The last time Cuicui gave birth was in 2018, and all her previous cubs weighed over 200 grams.

Since June, six pandas at the center have given birth to cubs. The center has welcomed 11 new cubs so far, with five pairs of twins. This birthing season is expected to last until the end of August.