These Newborn Pandas Face 4 Big Threats to Survival
The blind, hairless babies born recently at Washington D.C.'s National Zoo are completely dependent on their mothers—who can sometimes accidentally crush them.
Now that Washignton, D.C.'s female panda has surprised the world with twin cubs, zoo staff are working 'round the clock to help the babies through the first fragile weeks of life.
But these tiny, blind newborns are notoriously challenging to keep alive, and their survival in at the National Zoo is far from assured.
The National Zoo is keeping the twins under 24/7 surveillance, explaining in a statement that "the newborn cubs are vulnerable and this first week is incredibly important and the risk remains high."
Four challenges that young pandas must overcome:
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