Newborn twin panda cubs doing well at Madrid zoo

Madrid’s panda family grew Monday with the birth of twin cubs, a boost to the popular species that is considered China's national treasure.

The twins were born to their mother, Hua Zuiba, and father, Bing Xing, a pair of giant pandas on loan from China, the Madrid Zoo announced in a statement.The births took place with a four-hour difference on Monday morning. Veterinarians were waiting to determine the pair’s sex, weight and vital signs. 

Conservation efforts, including panda breeding in captivity, have brought the giant pandas from the brink of extinction.  The species is now listed by the IUCN conservation group as “vulnerable.”

There are about 1,800 pandas living in the wild in China and about 500 in captivity worldwide, where twin births are not uncommon. The Beauval Zoo, south of Paris, saw a twin panda birth in August.