After a reproductive dry spell, zoologists in China are now seeing a baby boom for giant pandas. In a span of four days, six giant panda cubs have been born in the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve in the southwest province of Sichuan. Researchers said that this recent rise in the birth rate may have something to do with artificial insemination. Even though the mothers were able to breed naturally, the procedures were performed to increase the likelihood of conception.
Captive pandas are notorious for their tenuous mating habits.
It has been said that they have low sex drives and that they are too lazy to mate. However, pandas can only procreate during a short mating season. That, coupled with low survival rates of cubs, even in the wild, is most likely the real cause of the pandas' previous procreation woes. This is her third litter. Three other mother pandas have also given birth in the last few days.