Panda gives birth

[Catherine]

We were all so happy when twin panda cubs were born. Sadly the weaker twin has died. We do still have one healthy twin so it is still a happy event.
http://cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle/2015...-dies.html

There are so few pandas in the world that every birth is a special event.

I found an interesting article that goes with this and explains why the female stopped caring for the smaller baby.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morni...ir-babies/

It is all about survival and that can be difficult.
I found that when one of my dwarf hamster females rejected a baby it died later even if I fed it. There was clearly something wrong that only the mother could sense.

[Cibach]

It is such a shame that one of the twins died, but as you say, the mother knew that it was not right. We see it so often at the rescue with the piggies. A seemingly healthy baby rejected by the Mum and despite skilled feeding and care the baby doesn't survive.
Nature is wonderful in that the Mum can tell and chooses not to prolong things.

[JasonW]

Yes I'm sure they have an unseen connection that allows them to sense things like this. Like a sixth sense maybe?

[Tobi]

From one angle it seems cruel that a mother could kill her own baby, or refuse to nurture it, But when we consider what a sickly animal would suffer in the wild, then being dispatched as quickly as possible by the one who loves you most is definitely the best option. There are no vets, rescue carers, or 'forever homes' in the wild. The blueprint inside these animals knows that.

One had to let go of life to let the other flourish. I hope the surviving twin will have a good life.

[Catherine]

Years ago I decided to save a baby dwarf hamster whose mother had pushed him away. He would have died very quickly. I hand fed him and nurtured him and got him going. At three months old something went seriously wrong and he died and it was a much nastier death.

The mother knew something was wrong with him right from the start. His intestines ruptured so they must have been faulty and she could sense it. I should have trusted her judgement.

Not everything that is born is able to survive. As babies they slip away very quickly. It is sad, but it is for the best.