Everland releases first photos of 3-week-old giant panda cub

A 21-day-old giant panda cub born to mother Ai Bao and father Le Bao at Everland's Panda World / Courtesy of Everland

She began life just three weeks ago as a hairless, pink scrap of a mammal, weighing a mere 171 grams. But on Wednesday, Korea’s newest celebrity resident offered the world a glimpse of her rapidly changing form, debuting the bold, charcoal-colored patches that define her species.

Everland, the sprawling resort and theme park south of Seoul, released the latest images of the 3-week-old giant panda cub. Captured during a routine health assessment the previous day, the photos reveal a noticeably plumper cub whose ears, eyes, shoulders and limbs have clearly darkened into the unmistakable silhouette of a giant panda.

The female cub, who arrived on the morning of June 3 at 10:53 a.m., represents the fourth giant panda born naturally in Korea. Her lineage is local royalty: She is the offspring of Ai Bao and Le Bao, the beloved resident pair at Everland’s Panda World, making her the younger sibling to the nation's darling Fu Bao, born in 2020, and the celebrated twins, Rui Bao and Hui Bao, born in 2023.

Park veterinarians and keepers reported that during her 21-day health check, the cub weighed in at 670 grams — a nearly fourfold increase in mass since her birth. Experts credit her rapid development to seasoned maternal care.

“Thanks to the proficient nursing and parenting skills of her mother, Ai Bao, who raised Fu Bao, Rui Bao, and Hui Bao so excellently, this newborn is actually growing faster than her older sisters did,” said Kang Cheol-won, a veteran zookeeper at Everland.

To ensure her continued survival, a round-the-clock medical team consisting of Everland veterinarians, zookeepers and a giant panda expert dispatched from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda is monitoring the mother’s postpartum recovery and assisting with the cub. For now, the newborn remains behind closed doors, although her milestones are being broadcast digitally to millions of eager fans across social media platforms.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.