Rare panda triplet celebrates 2nd birthday in style

The world's only surviving panda triplet celebrated their second birthday in style at China's southern city of Guangzhou.
The pandas, a female and two males, feasted on a special cake made of bamboo, apples and carrots at a party watched by more than 4,000 visitors at Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou.
Meng Meng, Shuai Shuai and Ku Ku were born on July 29, 2014 in Guangzhou to Juxiao from China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Panda in Sichuan. Juxiao still lives with the young pandas.
"They are now learning independence, and they are able to find food and protect themselves," said Chen Shuqing, an attendant at the zoo.

They are the fourth set of panda triplets ever recorded in the world.
In the past, at least one of the triplets died from physical defects or low body weight, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Statistics from the State Forestry Administration show about 1,600 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan, while about 300 live in captivity worldwide.
Most giant pandas in captivity struggle to breed.
Only 24 per cent of females in captivity give birth, posing a serious threat to the survival of the species.