By Rebecca Drew
ADORABLE photographs showing the unbreakable bond between mother and baby Giant panda within the first month since being born have been released.
The heart-melting images show mother, Huan Huan, carefully cradling her fluffy black and white baby in her arms, tenderly gripping him between her teeth and affectionately licking him clean.
One shot shows the charming young panda letting out a yawn whilst mum looks on, and another shows zoo staff passing the baby to Huan Huan and checking his weight.
The stunning photos were taken by wildlife photographer, Eric Baccega who had privileged access behind the scenes at Beauval Zoo, France. The baby panda is the first Giant panda to be born in France.
“Since his eighth day, the baby panda is exclusively fed with his mother’s milk. He spends about three-quarters of his time with her and she takes care of him very well,” said Eric.
“The Chinese caretakers intervene just to place the baby in a good position against the mother so that he can suckle.
“When the caretakers remove the baby from her mother, it’s just to weigh him and massage his stomach to make him defecate. Mother panda still lacks a bit of experience to properly massage him.
“Then, the Chinese caretakers lay him in an incubator, the time for Huan Huan, the mother, to feed and rest.”
The baby panda was born on August 4, 2017, three years after its parents, Huan Huan and Yuan Zi arrived at the zoo.
Then adorable panda has since been named Mini Yuan Zi.
