The Hague, July 15 : The Ouwehands Zoo in the Dutch city of Rhenen on Monday announced the birth of the second giant panda cub born in the zoo in four years.

"Giant panda Wu Wen gave birth to another cub on Friday evening, July 12, 2024! Mother and her cub are staying in the maternity den and are doing well," said the zoo in a press release.

"Ouwehands Zoo is happy and proud that they can once again contribute to the preservation of this endangered species in a natural way," it said, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the press release, the mating took place at the end of February 2024 when Wu Wen and Xing Ya, the zoo's male panda, naturally mated.

For months, anticipation built as Wu Wen showed signs that hinted at pregnancy, such as retreating to the maternity den, eating less bamboo, and sleeping more. These behaviors, however, could also indicate a false pregnancy, adding to the suspense.

In the run-up to the weekend, Wu Wen became increasingly restless, the press release continued. "This turned out to be a harbinger of the birth of a very alive, screaming cub that immediately received the attention of its mother."

A little over an hour later, a second, significantly smaller cub was born, but unfortunately did not survive, it said.

For now, the gender of the surviving cub remains a mystery. Zookeepers are allowing Wu Wen and her cub the privacy they need to bond, and it will only be during the cub's first health check that its gender will be determined.

This new arrival followed the birth of Fan Xing in May 2020, the first panda cub born at Ouwehands Zoo since Wu Wen and Xing Ya's arrival in 2017. Fan Xing, a female, returned to China in September 2023 amid a festive farewell ceremony.

/IANS