Indonesia welcomes birth of giant panda cub in conservation milestone

Indonesia has announced the birth of a giant panda cub at Taman Safari Indonesia (TSI)'s conservation facility in Bogor, West Java Province, marking a major milestone in the country's efforts to protect endangered species.

According to a TSI statement on Dec 8, the cub was born on Nov 27 to female panda Huchun, one of the two giant pandas sent to Indonesia in 2017 under a 10-year conservation cooperation program with China.

The TSI said the successful birth reflects the effectiveness of its science-based breeding program, supported by experts from China.

"Rio's birth for global giant panda conservation is a very big impact. Because, first it is contributing to the Asian ASEAN countries. So, Indonesia is eventually fulfilling the fourth country of Asia outside China that have a birth of a giant panda. And then, also because Hu Chun and Cai Tao are representing the new genetics. So, Rio is a new genetic (addition) to the giant panda bloodline as well," said Bongot Huaso Mulia, a veterinarian.

The cub is in stable condition and is being monitored around the clock. Early development indicators, including healthy vocalization, effective feeding and steady weight gain, have been observed.

With fewer than 2,000 pandas remaining in the wild and only about 300 in captivity worldwide, every successful birth marks a major victory for conservation efforts. Breeding pandas in captivity remains a formidable challenge and female pandas ovulate only once a year and are fertile for just 24 to 72 hours.

After multiple failed attempts since 2022, the breakthrough came on August 2025 when a team from China and Germany performed a successful artificial insemination.

"The collaborations are international and global collaborations, involving (an) Indonesian university, which is IPB University, and also we are also collaborating with the Institute IZW from Berlin, German, and of course our main counterpart is from CCRCGP panda base in Chengdu, China. So, this collaboration is very specific to all technical things, [including] nutrition and reproductive and hormone [aspects], etc. So, we worked in very different area, but it's collaborating. So, we decide when is the timing. So, our counterpart from China is preparing the animals in very fit situations, conditions, and the nutrition is very good," said the veterinarian.

The panda cub is not yet accessible to the public as health and welfare remain the top priority. Even so, visitors are already looking forward to that long-awaited day.

"I'm so excited. Finally, this is what we've been waiting for, a new panda in this habitat and one that can continue to educate visitors. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see baby Rio this time, but next time I come here, I'm excited to show my kids all three of the pandas," said Ana, a visitor.

On Dec 4, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto officially named the newborn Satrio, meaning "warrior" or "hero", expressing hopes for resilience and strong cooperation between Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species. The name Rio is short for Satrio.

The TSI said the birth strengthens Indonesia's standing in global conservation efforts and highlights the success of long-term international cooperation.

Indonesia welcomes birth of giant panda cub in conservation milestone

The airstrike conducted by Saudi-led coalition targeting the port of Mukalla in Yemen's oil-rich Hadramout province early Tuesday morning has caused severe damage to nearby residential buildings and left locals terrified.

According to the coalition, the strike targeted weapons and combat vehicles allegedly unloaded at the port from two unauthorized ships that arrived from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the weekend.

Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said the vessels had disabled their tracking systems and delivered a large cache of arms intended to bolster the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen's Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces, a move he described as a "clear violation" of the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 of 2015.

He said the operation was conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules, ensuring that no collateral damage occurred.

However, local residents offered a different account, describing scenes of chaos and destruction in the pre-dawn hours following the strike.

"As you can see, this is the severe damage that occurred to our home as a result of the airstrike that targeted the Mukalla port, specifically military vehicles that were next to the house, about 20 to 40 meters away. At exactly 04:30, the location was targeted with a surprise airstrike, and we were shocked by the sudden violent explosions," said Salem Ali Al-Haj Zaid, a local resident.

Another resident, Um Ali, described the psychological toll on children.

"The children kept crying from the time of the strike until morning. Poor things, they were shocked, scared and unable to sleep again," said Ali.

The strike hit especially hard for Um Mohammed, a widow living on the top floor of a residential building near the port.

"We were terrified. My mother is old. The most damage was to the floor of the building where I live, and I am a widow. Who will compensate us for this?" said Mohammed.

The reported attacks come amid heightened military escalation in Hadramout, where Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have warned of possible military action following the STC's refusal to withdraw its forces from the governorate.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition called on all civilians to immediately evacuate the port of Mukalla to ensure their safety, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.

Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout governorate, is a key port city on Yemen's southeastern coast, with strategic and economic value.

Saudi-led airstrike on Yemen's Mukalla port damages homes, sparking fear among locals