Panda Mom Crushes One of Her Twin Cubs

A new panda mother who gave birth to twins this week accidentally crushed one of her newborns in her sleep, Chinese state media said Friday.

Ya Ya, who lives in the south China’s Chongqing Zoo, delivered the twin cubs about an hour apart Tuesday. One was taken to the Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, also in Sichuan province, while the other cub stayed with Ya Ya.

After falling asleep late Thursday for the first time since her labor, Ya Ya apparently crushed her newborn, which weighed only about 3 ounces, while it was nursing, the New China News Agency said. The report said Ya Ya searched for her cub after waking up, then appeared depressed, lying listlessly in her zoo enclosure.