Ocean Park in Hong Kong is celebrating the birth of twin giant pandas, marking a historic milestone for the park.

Ying Ying, a 19-year-old panda and the oldest first-time giant panda mother ever, delivered a male and female cub after over five hours of labor.

In a social media post, Ocean Park expressed its excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome the birth of the first-ever giant panda twins in Hong Kong!”

The park has dedicated efforts to panda breeding over the years, making the birth of these twins even more significant. Giant panda females ovulate only once a year, emphasizing the rarity of this event.

The cubs arrived on Aug. 15, just a day before Ying Ying’s 19th birthday.

“This birth is a true rarity, especially considering Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time,” the park noted in a social media post. 

“As a first-time mother, Ying Ying was understandably nervous throughout the process. She spent much of her time lying on the ground and twisting.”

The twins were born over an hour apart, with Ocean Park adding, “the Park’s team and CCRCGP experts provided comfort, allowing Ying Ying to safely deliver the twin cubs at 2:05am and 3:27am respectively.”

The cubs are “very fragile” as newborns, especially the female. The twins are under 24-hour care and supervision by Ocean Park’s and veterinary team.

The unnamed female panda cub “has a lower body temperature, weaker cries, and lower food intake” than her brother.

The post concluded, “We are all looking forward to meeting the giant panda cubs. Please wait a few months patiently to make their debut and officially meet everyone!”