Singapore's first giant panda baby is a healthy male cub

Though the cub has yet to undergo a full veterinary examination as the mother Jia Jia continues to be its primary caregiver, the attachment between Jia Jia and her carers has allowed them to observe the cub at close range that enabled them to confirm the presence of external male genitalia.

"Jia Jia continues in her role as a new mother and has exceeded all expectations in caring for her cub. As such, the panda care team has decided to allow this period of maternal care to continue for as long as possible for the duo to strengthen their bond," said Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Life Sciences Officer at Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), Dr Cheng Wen-Haur in a statement today.

According to WRS, the cub has started to develop prominent black markings around his eyes, ears, and body-transforming from a fur-less pink newborn to a miniature version of his parents.

His fur is expected to be fully formed within the next few weeks, and he will soon open his eyes to the world.

Meanwhile, members of the public will be able to play a part in the naming of the cub before it turns 100 days old on Nov 21, 2021.

Details on how to participate are available on www.wrs.com.sg/pandacub, and the public has until Sept 19, 2359 hours to enter their submissions.

River Safari is a home to giant pandas as part of a joint collaboration between China Wildlife Conservation Association and Wildlife Reserves Singapore to promote giant panda conservation.

The giant pandas are housed in a specially constructed climate-controlled exhibit along the Yangtze River zone.