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National Zoo's Giant Panda Might be Pregnant

Smithsonian National Zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang's hormones may mean she's pregnant.

By Patch Editor Shaun Courtney

Mei Xiang, the Smithsonian National Zoo's female giant panda, may be pregnant, zoo scientists reported Friday

The panda's progesterone levels could either be due to a pseudopregnancy or she might give birth to a cub in 40 to 55 days, according to a press release from the zoo. 

Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice on March 30 after unsuccessful natural breeding with Tian Tian, the Zoo's male panda.

The zoo's panda team is monitoring both her hormones and her behavior for signs of pregnancy.

According to a press release:

"Veterinarians are conducting ultrasounds regularly as Mei Xiang chooses to participate in them, to monitor changes in her reproductive tract and evaluate for evidence of a fetus. Giant panda fetuses do not start developing until the final weeks of gestation, making it difficult to definitively determine if there is a pregnancy. It may be too early to detect a fetus."

Additionally, Mei Xiang has been building a nest, which the zoo says is typical behavior for her hormone levels.

She has given birth to two cubs, only one of which lived. Her surviving cub, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and now lives in the Bifengxia Panda Base in China. Last fall she gave birth to a second cub that died a short week later. 

You can watch Mei Xiang on the upgraded panda cams, thanks to sponsor the Ford Motor Company Fund.


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