By Aamir Latif
ANKARA / KARACHI (AA) - The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) on Wednesday announced the birth of the first giant panda cub in captivity this year, state media reported.
The cub was born in CCRCGP's Shenshuping Base in China's southwestern Sichuan province, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported.
The cub was delivered on June 21 to Linglang, a first-time mother, following a successful natural mating with male panda Yaxing in early March.
"Seven-year-old Linglang demonstrated strong maternal instincts," said Wu Honglin, deputy director of the base.
The pair is in good health as veterinary teams continue to monitor them.
Since the 1980s, the CCRCGP has seen a steady growth in the population from just 6 pandas in 1983 to over 380 today.