A panda at the Wolong-based Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in southwest China's Sichuan province has given birth to twins in the early morning on Monday, China News Service reported.

The cub in this picture is one of the twins born by the giant panda Longxin at the Wolong-based Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in southwest China's Sichuan province on Monday, July 21, 2008. [2008.qq.com]

The mother named Longxin and her baby pandas are safe and sound according to the forestry bureau of Sichuan province.

Longxin was born in August 2000 and became pregnant on March 29 this year in Wolong. She has been transferred to Ya'an, a city in Sichuan, after the earthquake hit Wenchuan County where the giant panda center is located.

Another giant panda Guoguo was transferred together with Longxin, who herself gave birth to the first pair of panda twins this year on July 6.

So far this year, five pandas, including two pairs of twins, have been born at the Wolong-based Giant Panda Protection and Research Center.

(CRI July 22, 2008)