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Yuan Zai's Journal
Giant pandas, Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan, came to Taiwan in 2008.
The pair became instant celebrities upon their arrival.
After waiting for more than four years,
the Taipei Zoo welcomed Yuan Yuan's first cub, Yuan Zai, on July 6, 2013 at 8:05 pm.
Yuan Zai weighed merely 183.4 grams at birth.
As soon as Yuan Yuan held Yuan Zai close,
Yuan Zai stopped "crying".
Shortly after the birth,
the panda keepers noticed a minor tear around the cub's groin area.
So the decided to move Yuan Zai to the incubator temporarily for the cut to heal.
The team began working around the clock to care for Yuan Zai.
They nursed,
stimulated defecation,
and cleaned Yuan Zai.
The keepers also provided Yuan Yuan excellent postpartum care,
including feeding, hot press,
massage,
and breast milk pumping.
With the thorough care from the keepers,
Yuan Zai was growing up healthy and quickly.
She can soon return to her mom's side!
This day, the keepers had planned having Yuan Zai "meet" Yuan Yuan for the first time since her birth.
Yuan Yuan immediately recognized her cub and reached out to her.
Yuan Zai also sensed her mother by vocalizing loudly.
Yuan Yuan started making a low pitch sound to call out to her cub.
The keepers was very relieved to learn that Yuan Yuan was anxious to care for her cub.
Finally the day of the big reunion between Yuan Yuan and Yuan Zai came!
Yuan Zai finally back to Yuan Yuan's side!
After a day of caring for her cub for the first time,
Yuan Yuan fell sound asleep next to Yuan Zai.
Yuan Zai is getting bigger and stronger every day under Yuan Yuan's great care.
At 41 days old, Yuan Zai finally opened her eyes!
At 75 days old, Yuan Zai can hear sounds!
At 79 days old, Yuan Zai's first teeth popped up!
At 99 days old, Yuan Zai took her very first step!
These days Yuan Yuan enjoys cuddling with Yuan Zai.
Yuan Zai loves copying everything her mom does, such as eating bamboos.
Yuan Zai is scheduled to meet the public for the first time on January 6, 2014.
It was the extremely dedicated Taipei Zoo staff that made everything possible.
Please give a big round of applause to our panda caretaker team!
2014 is our 100th anniversary at the Taipei Zoo.
Please be sure to visit Yuan Zai and our many other baby animals at the zoo.
See you soon!