This rare footage shows the first footage of an endangered red panda mother with her four baby pandas as they are nursing in their den.

The female red panda is living at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding where she successfully gave birth to quadruplets seen here for the first time in a video clip

It is only the second time that a red panda has given birth to quadruplets since the base started keeping the animals that are listed as endangered on the RUC and red list of endangered animals.

The keeper of the pandas noted that the female panda was becoming irritable, and seem to be preparing for the birth on June 18, 2021.

The centre’s professional team then started monitoring her more closely, and watched in amazement as the panda mum gave birth to not just one but four cubs from 8:31 am to 11:34 am. The weight of the four cubs is normal with each of them tipping the scales at around 100g.

Up to now, the mother and quadruplets cubs of the red panda are in good condition and remaining in the den. The quadruplet cubs appear to be successfully breastfeeding without any help.

Since records have been kept at the CD Panda Base, the only recorded birth of quadruplets was in 1996.

Due to the immature breeding technology and imperfect conditions at that time, all four newborn cubs died after three days.

The survival of the current quadruplets which appear to be doing well indicates that the base has also made great progress in scientific research, protection, breeding and raising of red pandas.

The footage is black-and-white because of the low lighting conditions inside the animal den.