Third giant panda cub born in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - Liang Liang, the female giant panda on loan from China to Malaysia, has given birth to a third baby giant panda, the country's wildlife department said on Tuesday.

The cub was born late on Monday at the Giant Panda Conservation Center at Malaysia's National Zoo near Kuala Lumpur, the department said in a statement.

The gender of the cub has yet to be determined as it is being held under the care of its mother and cannot be approached, according to the statement, adding that the keepers at the National Zoo are closely monitoring them over the next 24 hours.

The department said the birth of the third giant panda cub is another success of the giant panda conservation effort under the Giant Panda conservation cooperation program inked between the governments of Malaysia and China in 2012, it said.

The parents, Xing Xing and Liang Liang, arrived in Malaysia in 2014, marking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China. Coincidently, the third baby panda was born on Monday, May 31, which marked the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The first Malaysian-born giant panda Nuan Nuan, was born on Aug. 18, 2015, while a second, Yi Yi was born on Jan. 14, 2018. Nuan Nuan returned to China in November 2017 after turning two years old.