Mei Xiang

The National Zoo’s giant panda mating season began earlier than expected again this year. Female Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and male Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) attempted to mate Saturday, Jan. 9. It appears a new January ovulation pattern is emerging for Mei Xiang; excluding 2009, typical ovulation for her has historically occurred in March or April. 

Scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo detected a secondary rise in urinary progestogen levels in the Zoo’s female giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) March 29.

Following a final ultrasound and hormone analysis, staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo confirmed late yesterday (Tuesday, April 27) that female giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) is not pregnant but was experiencing a pseudo, or false, pregnancy during the past several months.

A 24-hour pregnancy watch of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s female giant panda, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), is slated to begin today at 4 p.m.

Two red panda cubs were born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and two additional cubs were born at the Zoo’s facility in Front Royal, Va., bringing the total to four in 2011. Unfortunately, female giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) is not pregnant but was experiencing a pseudo, or false, pregnancy during the past several months.

National Zoo scientists have detected a secondary rise in urinary progesterone in its female giant panda, Mei Xiang. This means that she will either give birth to a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy in 40 to 50 days. Mei Xiang has had five consecutive pseudopregnancies since 2007.

Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), the National Zoo’s female giant panda, gave birth to a cub Sunday, Sept. 16, at 10:46 p.m. National Zoo staff can hear the cub but have not yet seen it as Mei Xiang has built a substantial nest in her den. This is the second cub born to Mei Xiang and male panda Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) as the result of artificial insemination.

Scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo confirmed a secondary rise in urinary progesterone in its female giant panda Mei Xiang. The slow rise, which started around mid-July, indicates that she will experience the end of a pseudopregnancy or give birth to a cub in 40 to 55 days.

Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo 5:32 p.m. The panda team heard the cub vocalize and glimpsed the cub for the first time briefly immediately after the birth. Mei Xiang picked the cub up immediately and began cradling and caring for it.