Giant Pandas at the National Zoo

[Kris G.]

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50153703n

[Dumpsterkitty]

August 29

In the early morning hours, Mei Xiang gently placed her cub on the floor of her den. Vigilant panda cam observers were watching at 3:37 a.m., and we’re delighted to share the video! You’ll see the tiny cub has a round belly which indicates to the panda team that it is nursing well. Also, the cub has a great set of lungs. There is a lot of squawking until Mei carefully picks the cub up again and cradles it.

http://youtu.be/MVK3XZBajLw

Mei is much more aware of the keepers when they enter her den space to offer her food. Today Mei drank 56 ounces, which is a good sign that she is doing well. Keepers and veterinarians continue to monitor the mother and cub visually and, so as not to upset Mei or endanger the staff, will allow Mei Xiang's behaviors to direct how they access the cub. Inside the den, they are very close to the bears and all visual and audible indications tell us that both are doing well.

We invite you to keep watching them on the panda cam but due to the volume of viewers, we have set the viewing period to 15 minutes. If you’d like to watch for a longer amount of time, you simply refresh the panda cam or you can watch for an unlimited amount of time on the Zoo’s App. Keep watching!

[Dumpsterkitty]

http://youtu.be/FK4dvVCicuk

[Kris G.]

From FB:

Smithsonian's National Zoo

Last night at 6:15 p.m., Mei Xiang left her den. She climbed up the rockwork mountain in her adjoining exhibit, urinated, and returned to the den at 6:18. It's normal for bears not to eat, drink, urinate, or defecate much in the early days of raising a cub. This morning, she drank a little diluted apple juice the panda team offered her, though she wasn't interested in bamboo. The panda team got an excellent close-up of the cub while Mei was out! It looks good, and is within the normal size for a cub its age.

Thanks to Flickr user susan.schultheis

[Dumpsterkitty]

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics confirmed that our giant panda cub is female! A paternity analysis showed that the Zoo’s panda Tian Tian is the cub’s father. Scientists also confirmed the second, stillborn cub Mei Xiang delivered on August 24 was a female and also sired by Tian Tian. The cubs were fraternal twins.

Zoo scientists used two tests to confirm the sex of both cubs. The first test was developed by scientists in China and analyzes a fragment of the zinc finger protein gene. The second test, also using a shorter fragment of the same zinc finger protein gene, was developed by SCBI scientists and veterinarians. They used the second test to verify the results of the initial test.

    
Read more about the giant panda cub and the science behind the tests

[Dumpsterkitty]

http://youtu.be/35Qt8D-wTVo

[Kris G.]

Mei Xiang and her cub are still doing well! Keepers and veterinarians expect that Mei will begin leaving her den for longer periods of time soon. When she does leave the den for longer periods of time keepers and veterinarians hope to be able to perform another health check on the cub. In the meantime, keepers are continuing to do short training sessions with Mei in her den, and offer her small snack-sized treats for participating.

 http://youtu.be/SEZnI04ej4Y

[Dumpsterkitty]

http://youtu.be/d4jcoA7YQM0

 

[Dumpsterkitty]

September 17

The giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Aug. 23 received her first veterinary exam late yesterday afternoon and was given a clean bill of health. Mei Xiang, who has spent much of the past three and a half weeks cradling her cub, put her down and left her den at 4:11 p.m. The panda team, which has been preparing for an opportunity to perform a full veterinary exam, seized the opportunity and retrieved the cub from the den while Mei Xiang ate bamboo and drank some water in the adjacent enclosure. The exam was completed by 4:31 p.m.

"It’s amazing to see how much she has grown in less than one month," said Brandie Smith, senior curator of mammals and giant pandas. "Mei Xiang continues to be a great mom, as she was with Tai Shan, and it shows."

Since her preliminary health check Aug. 25 the cub has more than doubled her weight. She now weighs slightly less than two pounds and has the signature black markings of a giant panda. Veterinarians also listened to her heart and lungs. Her heart rate was 130 beats per minute, and her respiratory rate was 42. From nose to tail she is 10.6 inches long and 9.8 inches wide around her belly. Her eyes have not opened yet.

After the exam was completed Mei Xiang returned to her den and immediately picked up her cub and began grooming her.

[Kris G.]

September 17

The giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Aug. 23 received her first veterinary exam late yesterday afternoon and was given a clean bill of health. Mei Xiang, who has spent much of the past three and a half weeks cradling her cub, put her down and left her den at 4:11 p.m. The panda team, which has been preparing for an opportunity to perform a full veterinary exam, seized the opportunity and retrieved the cub from the den while Mei Xiang ate bamboo and drank some water in the adjacent enclosure. The exam was completed by 4:31 p.m.

"It’s amazing to see how much she has grown in less than one month," said Brandie Smith, senior curator of mammals and giant pandas. "Mei Xiang continues to be a great mom, as she was with Tai Shan, and it shows."

Since her preliminary health check Aug. 25 the cub has more than doubled her weight. She now weighs slightly less than two pounds and has the signature black markings of a giant panda. Veterinarians also listened to her heart and lungs. Her heart rate was 130 beats per minute, and her respiratory rate was 42. From nose to tail she is 10.6 inches long and 9.8 inches wide around her belly. Her eyes have not opened yet.

After the exam was completed Mei Xiang returned to her den and immediately picked up her cub and began grooming her.

I'm so happy for Mei Xiang that this baby is doing so well! A real cutie!

[Kris G.]

Baby update with new video!

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/default.cfm#update

[Dumpsterkitty]

Mei Xiang has started putting the cub down for longer periods of time! Over the weekend and this morning when the keepers entered her den to continue their den training routine, Mei placed the cub on the ground and focused on the keepers the entire time. She drank all the diluted apple juice keepers offered her in exchange for participating in the training session – and even seemed to want more after she had finished it. Mei also feels comfortable leaving the cub several times each day to eat and drink in her adjacent indoor enclosure.

[Kris G.]

Cute video of baby!

https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=888680734697

[Kris G.]

Sept. 26th Vet exam report with lots of pics!

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/default.cfm#update

[MAK]

  That's a lot of Panda pics!