A captive giant panda gave birth to a pair of twins at Tiantai Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday, becoming the second giant panda to successfully deliver cubs after mating in the wild.

Qiao Qiao, a 10-year-old female panda, was rescued from the wild by China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas. In March this year, she was released back to the wild in Tiantai Mountain and mated with a wild male panda in early April.

Staff at the Shenshuping protection base is currently taking care of the older cub, while the younger one is being looked after by Qiao Qiao.

The birth of the two baby pandas has been hailed as a great achievement in panda conservation.

"Panda Cao Cao successfully mated and gave birth in the wild, and now Qiao Qiao, too. It's a great scientific achievement in panda conservation and research, showing that we have overcome difficulties in panda's oestrus, mating and cub breeding," said Zhang Zhizhong, director of the Wildlife Conservation Department at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Born in the wild, Qiao Qiao was found having trouble walking and treated medically in China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in 2013.

"This success proves that the project of letting pandas mate in the wild worked. It plays a decisive role in improving the genetic diversity conservation and survival of captive pandas," said Zhang Hemin, deputy head of the center.

(Cover image a still from the video)

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