In the past four days, six giant panda cubs have been born in the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve in the south-west province of Sichuan. Researchers said although the mothers were able to breed naturally, they had also received artificial insemination to increase the likelihood of conceiving. Pandas in captivity are notorious for their feeble mating habits. They have been accused of having low sex drives and being too lazy to mate.
Pandas can only procreate during a short mating season.
Baixue gave birth to healthy twins - relatively rare among these mammals. This is the prolific bear's third litter. Three other mother pandas have given birth in the last few days. Conservationists believe only about 1,000 giant pandas remain in the wild. The animal is indigenous only to China and is the country's national symbol.