The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda announced on Wednesday that the country's first captive giant panda cub of the year was born at its Wolong Shenshuping base in Sichuan province.

The cub was delivered on the morning of June 4 by six-year-old panda En En.

En En naturally mated with a male panda in mid-January and began showing signs of pregnancy in early May, including a reduced appetite. She went into labor in the early hours of June 4 and gave birth to her first cub at 10:31 am, according to the center.

Although En En is a first-time mother, she demonstrated strong maternal instincts. Staff members at the base said she has no issues performing essential parenting behaviors, such as carrying and guarding the cub.

Based on initial observations, the newborn cub is relatively large, with a loud cry and plenty of energy, the center said.

En En's successful delivery marks the start of the center's annual panda breeding season. The season typically runs from July to September each year.