https://www.scmp.com/rss/500204/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Twin panda cubs made their first public appearance on Wednesday before devoted fans in Tokyo, but they will be on display only briefly for now – over three days – following a spike in Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant. The twins, male cub Xiao Xiao and his sister Lei Lei, which were born at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo in June, took their first steps as beaming fans held up their smartphones to film the cuddly pair as they played together. In a video released by the zoo on Wednesday, the twin... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3163113/tokyo-zoos-twin-panda-cubs-make-exclusive-debut-omicron-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/3163113/tokyo-zoos-twin-panda-cubs-make-exclusive-debut-omicron-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:04:10 +0000 Four-month-old giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji appears to be on the up and up – albeit slowly. The cub, whose Chinese name translates to “Little Miracle,” was captured on video determinedly trying to climb a small rock wall at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC.  Watching on was his mother, Mei Xiang, who gave him an affectionate hug when he eventually conquers the task.          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Smithsonian's National Zoo... https://www.scmp.com/society/adorable-video-shows-panda-cub-attempting-climb-rocks/article/3116482?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/adorable-video-shows-panda-cub-attempting-climb-rocks/article/3116482?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jan 2021 09:01:37 +0000 Pandas and politics. We went to Chengdu’s Panda Research Base in China to see the bears for ourselves. And yes, they really are that cute and lazy, which explains why so many countries want a panda of their own. Giant pandas are native to China and can only be found in this one specific region of the Tibetan plateau. The bears have only recently gone from endangered to vulnerable after decades of conservation efforts and international support. But, beyond being cute, pandas have also functioned... https://www.scmp.com/videos/pandas-are-cute-friends-and-also-diplomatic-agents/article/2155410?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/videos/pandas-are-cute-friends-and-also-diplomatic-agents/article/2155410?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jul 2018 04:05:28 +0000