My heart goes out to poor Ya-Ya, a Chinese panda that accidentally smothered one of her twin newborn cubs last week.
Guo Wei, the panda department chief at Chongqing city zoo in the southwestern region of Chongqing, reports that 7 year-old Ya-Ya “appeared tired” while nursing and the baby dropped to the ground.
“The panda then rolled on to her side and crushed her baby beneath her.The tragedy occurred because she hadnt slept or eaten properly since giving birth, Guo said, adding that Ya Ya lacked motherhood experience.”
Worse yet, National Geographic reports that zoo handlers had already removed the other sibling from Ya-Ya since pandas are typically unable to raise twins, and it’s unknown whether her second cub will be reunited with its mother.
What sleep-deprived mother hasn’t dozed off in the glider while nursing, only to wake with a terrfied start that the baby has slipped through the slats?
I don’t know what kind of prayer one would send out to a panda with no religion, but I can’t help but want to say one. All us mammal mothers need to stick together.