A sad fact about the animal kingdom is that sometimes mothers will abandon their babies.

It seems so cruel, so harsh, and uncaring but unfortunately, it is the reality.

This can be especially difficult with baby pandas, who are reliant on their mothers for so much when they are young.

A baby panda is born almost completely helpless.

Baby pandas need their mothers

A newborn baby panda is born hairless, wrinkly, and pink.

Only someone familiar with newborn pandas would even be able to guess what animal these little babies will turn into.

They are also completely reliant on their mother.

Baby pandas are unable to even regulate their own body temperature. They are unable to hear, walk or crawl.

Baby pandas aren’t even able to hold themselves up when they have to go to the bathroom.

Mama pandas do everything for their little babies

In the early weeks after giving birth, a mama panda will not leave their cubs.

They will cradle them and keep them warm and rub their stomachs to initiate bowel movements. It’s a full-time job.

Unfortunately, when a mama panda gives birth to twins, they will often only be able to care for one of them because of how involved the process is.

This means the weaker of the two babies will be abandoned.

In the wild, the abandoned baby has no chance of survival.

Caretakers will help baby pandas born in captivity

For pandas born in captivity, however, caretakers will often step in to care for abandoned babies.

Sometimes they will switch out the weaker baby with the stronger one for a period so that both receive attention and feedings from the mother.

Sometimes baby pandas will be abandoned if they have a foreign smell to them.

This can be a problem for babies born in a zoo or other enclosure.

Babies that have been handled by humans may have an off-putting smell to the mother.

Min Min and her baby are separated

In this video from BBC Earth, a mama panda named Min Min was separated from her baby when human handlers came and put the newborn in an incubator.

Initially, Min Min rejected her baby when they were reunited, perhaps not recognizing them as hers due to the foreign smell they had acquired from humans.

Min Min rejects her baby

When the handlers placed Min Min’s baby in the same enclosure as her, Min Min at first wanted nothing to do with the little one.

For a few heartbreaking moments, Min Min simply ignores the baby’s cries.

Min Min’s baby kept crying and crying, needing her mother to be there.

It’s a hard thing to watch.

Caretakers don’t give up hope

Even though Min Min was rejecting the baby at first, the handlers didn’t give up hope.

They kept trying new things such as moving the baby closer and tidying up the enclosure.

Finally, Min Min’s maternal instincts kicked in and she picked her baby up and cradled her in her arms to keep her warm.

It was truly a beautiful moment, knowing that now this baby would get the warmth, love, and care they need.

Watch the heartwarming moment that Min Min accepts her newborn baby in the video below!

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Source: Washington Post, YouTube – BBC Earth