Giant Panda Mei Xiang is pregnant and could deliver the baby in a few days!
According to the results of an ultrasound carried out by veterinarians at Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Giant Panda Mei Xian could be expecting a new cub!
“The ultrasound detected tissues that indicate a baby panda could be growing,” reads a statement by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. “Veterinarians first detected fetal tissue last week, and have seen other encouraging signs, including developing skeletal structures and strong blood flow within Mei Xiang’s uterus.”
Since late July, Mei Xiang has been sleeping more, eating less, nest-building and body-licking—all signs that she is preparing for a newborn. @NationalZoo https://t.co/F7qVVCPJty
— Smithsonian Magazine (@SmithsonianMag) August 14, 2020
Since July, Mei Xiang has also shown clear signs of pregnancy, like nest-building and body licking. The 22-year-old Giant Panda first arrived in DC back in 2000 and has already given birth to three healthy cubs, Tai Shan aka Butterstick, Bao Bao, and Bei Bei, all of whom have already been repatriated to China.
If her pregnancy comes to term, Mei Xiang could be the oldest panda in the US to give birth, but zoo authorities caution there’s still a chance of her resorbing or miscarrying.
We just hope Mei Xiang’s pregnancy will come to term well and that we’ll soon have a new furry friend running around the National Zoo. If you want to keep up with her and the other Pandas, the National Zoo has a Giant Panda cam on which you can watch the bears play live all day long!
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[Featured image: @smithsonianzoo, Instagram]