TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A pangolin lent by Taiwan to the Prague Zoo has given birth to a second baby, marking the second pangolin born in Europe. 

On July 1, the female pangolin Run Hou Tang (潤喉糖, “cough drop”) gave birth to a female pangopup, reported AP. The Prague Zoo said it weighed 141 grams, but was gaining about 10 g every day and could reach 250 g this week. An adult pangolin can weigh up to 6.8 kg.  

In 2022, the Taipei Zoo sent Run Hou Tang and her mate Guo Bao (果寶, “precious fruit”) as part of a pangolin loan program that started after the two capitals became sister cities in 2020. Last year, they gave birth to a female named Siska (Pinecone), representing the first Taiwanese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla) born in European captivity. 

Prague is the second European zoo after Leipzig Zoo in Germany to have Taiwanese pangolins. Zoo director Miroslav Bobek said Wednesday (July 10) that since receiving Gun Bao and Run Hou Tang in 2022, the primary goal has been to ensure their health and well-being.

He added, "We certainly hoped that we’ll have a baby born one day in the future but absolutely nobody expected that we’ll have two in a year and a half."

According to AP, pangolins are difficult to breed in captivity because they require special diets that include bee larvae. The enclosure also needs to maintain specific humidity and temperature levels.