Overview

• The zoo marked the first birthday with ice marbles made from beetroot and carrot juice, a bamboo candle and a playful tussle for the curious twins.
• Since birth at under 200 grams, each cub now weighs about 21 kilograms, explores the enclosure confidently and nibbles bamboo, though nursing continues.
• Keepers report clear differences in temperament, with Lotti described as the bolder, more dominant sibling and Leni as calmer and more responsive to handlers.
• Their early survival involved incubator support and alternating time with mother Meng Meng, a human-assisted approach not feasible in the wild for twins.
• Under China’s loan arrangements, the bears remain Chinese property, the zoo sends monthly updates to Chengdu and plans call for separation from the mother and transfer to China at about 2.5 years old.