Giant pandas Yuanzai and Yuanbao at Taipei Zoo, Taipei in Taiwan island Photo: VCG

Two overweight young pandas at Taipei Zoo in Taiwan are set to lose some weight with a new exercise regime and special diets containing lower levels of fat, sugar and salt, according to Xinhua. 

The two female panda cubs nicknamed Yuanzai and Yuanbao are the daughters of giant pandas Tuantuan (male) and Yuanyuan (female) which were sent to the island from the Chinese mainland in December 2008. 

Yuanzai was born on July 6, 2013 and its younger sister Yuanbao was born on June 28, 2020 via artificial insemination. 

The giant panda family have become the star attraction at the century-old Taipei Zoo due to their adorable image. However, in recent years, obesity has become a potential health problem for the two young pandas. 

Adult female pandas usually weigh between 105 kilograms and 110 kilograms on average, but 8-year-old Yuanzai has reached 115 kilograms and her 20-month-old younger sister already weighs 70 kilograms. If they get too heavy, the panda siblings could have health problems such as hypertension and hyperglycemia, just as human beings do. 

According to a member of staff at the zoo, the animals live in quite a different environment from their native habitat. With more nutritious diets and less activity, they sometimes become overweight, which affects their heath.
 
So the zookeepers have designed a special balanced diet involving steamed bread and corn, with other ingredients such as soybeans. 

The zoo has also designed games for the overweight pandas to increase their activity.