BREAKING: Giant Panda Cub Born At The Smithsonain's National Zoo

Ann Batdorf, NZP photographer

Washington, D.C - Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo today, Aug. 22. The panda team witnessed the birth at 5:35 pm. Mei Xiang reacted to the cub by picking it up. The panda team began preparing for a birth when they saw Mei Xiang's water break at 4:32 pm and she was already having contractions. The sex of the cub won't be determined until a later date.

The Zoo's panda team is monitoring Mei Xiang and the cub via the Zoo's panda cams. The panda team will perform a neonatal exam on the cub when they are able to retrieve it. That may take a few days.

All of us are thrilled that Mei Xiang has given birth. The cub is vulnerable at this tiny size but we know Mei is an excellent mother,” said Zoo director Dennis Kelly. Thank you to all of our excellent keepers, veterinarians, researchers and Chinese colleagues who contributed and therefore deserve credit for this conservation success.

Veterinarians first detected evidence of a fetus on an ultrasound Aug. 19. It was the first time they

HER NAME IS BAO BAO!

GIANT PANDA CUB RECEIVED HER NAME DURING CEREMONY MARKING FIRST 100 DAYS
Washington D.C - After 100 days and 123,039 votes the giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo received her name Bao Bao on Sunday, Dec. 1. Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough, Ambassador Cui Tiankai from the People's Republic of China and Assistant Secretary Kerri-Ann Jones from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs revealed her name at a ceremony celebrating the cub's first 100 days of life. Bao Bao translates as precious or treasure in English. It was one of five Mandarin Chinese names that were offered for a public online vote from Nov. 5 to Nov. 22. The names were contributed by People's Republic of China ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, U.S. ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Gary Locke and his family, giant panda keepers at the China Conservation and Research Center in Wolong, Sichuan, China, where the cub will live after she turns 4 years old, giant panda keepers at the National Zoo, and Friends of the National Zoo.

"When this cub was born last summer, I was thrilled," said Dennis Kelly, director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo. "It was a great moment for the National Zoo. Bao Bao symbolizes 41 years of research and collaboration both at the National Zoo and in China. We're grateful to everyone around the world who voted to name her and help us celebrate today."

The ceremony also included special video messages from First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and First Lady of the People's Republic of China, Peng Liyuan. Both congratulated the National Zoo on the successful birth of the cub and reflected on 41 years of giant panda conservation success as a result of excellent collaboration between the United States and China. The National Zoo received a state gift of two pandas in 1972 following the seminal state visit by President Richard M. Nixon and Mrs. Nixon.

The day's festivities concluded at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat. Chinese lion dancers led guests to the giant panda yards where Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN), the cub's father, received a frozen treat.

Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to Bao Bao Aug. 23, 2013. Her birth was broadcast live on the panda cams, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund. She will make her public debut in early 2014.

Photos: Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Zoo Aquarium de Madrid Presents Two Months Old Giant Panda

Madrid, Spain - Zoo Aquarium of Madrid presents Giant Panda of two months old at Zoo Aquarium of
Madrid on November 8, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. With the birth of the last panda at the Madrid Zoo, its population expands in Europe where only 10 specimens exist in zoos Vienna, Beauval, Edinburgh and Madrid. This is the fourth birth of this species in danger of extinction in Madrid Zoo Aquarium, after delivery of Chuln (September 4, 1982) and twins Po and De De ( September 7th, 2010). Today, there are fewer than 2,000 giant pandas in the world, about 1,600 forests of central China and about 300 in zoos and breeding centers.

About Giant Pandas:
The panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, lit. "black and white cat-foot"), also known as the giant panda to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda, is a bear native to south central China. It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.

The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result of farming, deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.

The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of pandas in the wild is on the rise. However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.


While the dragon has often served as China's national emblem, internationally the panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics.

Photos Credit: Getty

Giant Panda at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Gives Birth to Cub

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.

Behavior watchers have been monitoring her 24 hours a day since Aug. 7 via the panda cams. The panda team began preparing for a birth when they saw her water break around 3:36 p.m. and she began having contractions. Mei Xiang started spending extended amounts of time body licking and cradling her toys Aug. 11, all signs that she could give birth.

For the first time this year scientists used another test developed by the Memphis Zoo which analyzed Mei Xiang’s levels of prostaglandin metabolite (a fatty acid) to narrow the window when she would give birth or experience a pseudopregnancy. Scientists at the Memphis Zoo performed the analysis and determined that if Mei Xiang were pregnant she would likely give birth during the last week of August. If she were not, her pseudopregnancy would have likely ended in early September.

“I’m glued to the new panda cams and thrilled to hear the squeals, which appear healthy, of our newborn cub,” said Dennis Kelly, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. “Our expansive panda team has worked tirelessly analyzing hormones and behavior since March, and as a result of their expertise and our collaboration with scientists from around the world we are celebrating this birth.”

Keepers and veterinarians will perform a preliminary health exam on the cub within the next 48 hours. Li Guo, lead giant panda keeper at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, is at the National Zoo supporting the giant panda keepers. Li and the Zoo’s panda team will perform health checks every few days during the next week. The panda cams will be briefly turned off when the team performs the health checks.


National Zoo scientists detected a secondary rise in Mei Xiang’s urinary progesterone July 10. The rise indicated that she would either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 40 to 55 days. In the weeks since, keepers and veterinarians have monitored Mei Xiang closely. She has exhibited behavior consistent with a pregnancy or pseudopregnancy since the end of July. Her appetite has been steadily decreasing, and during the past few weeks she has spent significantly more time in her den. Veterinarians had been attempting regular ultrasounds to monitor changes in her reproductive tract and look for evidence of a fetus since late June, but Mei Xiang chose to stop participating in them several weeks ago. The only definitive way to determine if a female is pregnant before she gives birth to a cub is to detect a fetus on an ultrasound. Mei Xiang’s last ultrasound was Aug. 5, during which veterinarians saw no evidence of a fetus.

Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice March 30 after natural breeding attempts with the Zoo’s male giant panda, Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN), were unsuccessful. A team of Zoo scientists and veterinarians, including Tang Chunxiang, the assistant director and chief veterinarian of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at Wolong, performed the artificial inseminations. During the first procedure she was artificially inseminated with a combination of fresh semen collected from Tian Tian and frozen semen collected from Tian Tian in 2003. The second procedure was performed with frozen semen collected from Tian Tian in 2003 and frozen semen collected from the San Diego Zoo’s male giant panda, Gao Gao, in 2003. National Zoo scientists will perform a paternity analysis in the coming weeks to determine which male sired the cub. This is Mei Xiang’s third cub born as the result of an artificial insemination.

The panda team expects Mei Xiang to spend almost all of her time in her den for the next two weeks with her newborn cub. The David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat has been closed to the public since Aug. 2, and will remain closed until further notice to provide quiet for Mei Xiang and her cub. Both will be visible on the panda cam. Visitors can see Tian Tian in his outdoor habitat and on the panda cam.

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Giant Panda Climbs Cake During First Birthday

Giant Panda Climbs Cake During First Birthday at San Diego Zoo

     Giant panda cub Xiao Liwu reached for treats at the top of his birthday cake this morning at the San Diego Zoo. The panda received the three-tiered ice cake in honor of his first birthday. The exhibit queue was filled with guests looking to get a glimpse of mom and cub moments after the Zoo opened to the public.

     The cub, whose name means “little gift”, now weighs 41 pounds and measures 3 feet, 4 inches tall. Xiao Liwu is still nursing and not eating solids but was very interested in the sweet treats that were placed in and around his cake.

     Staff from the Zoo began creating the cub’s cake three weeks ago and finished it off with bows made out of bamboo leaves, colored pieces of ice, and a “1″ on top. The cake design included a bowl in the bottom tier that was filled with the giant pandas’ favorite fruits and vegetables  – yams, carrots and apples.

     Animal care staff also stuffed boxes with alfalfa and biscuits and hung them from the trees in the exhibit he shares with his mom, Bai Yun. The cub was able to show off his agility when he climbed and balanced on limbs while opening the boxes.

     Xiao Liwu is the son of Gao Gao, a wild-born male giant panda who arrived at the San Diego Zoo on Jan. 15, 2003. His mother, Bai Yun, a 21-year-old captive-born female giant panda, arrived at the San Diego Zoo in September 1996.

Panda Files: "Look Into My Eyes"

   SAN DIEGO – As Xiao Liwu gains strength in his legs, the curious 18-week-old giant panda cub is exploring more, even getting near the camera for an up-close view of his black and white markings. As the cub, whose name means “little gift,” develops, mother Bai Yun will take him into other rooms for the cub to explore in their off-exhibit area. Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu can be seen in action daily online at www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam. Only 1,600 giant pandas are believed to exist in the wild, and the species is primarily threatened by habitat loss. San Diego Zoo Global, in conjunction with giant panda experts from the People’s Republic of China, continues to work on science-based panda conservation programs at the Zoo and in China.Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2012, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

The Panda Files: "Barking Up a Tree"

Panda Cub Xiao Liwu, Barking Up a Tree
SAN DIEGO- San Diego Zoo keepers placed a small section of a tree branch and some fresh bamboo on the ground for the panda cub’s 17thexam this morning. Xiao Liwu was eager to explore and climbed over the branch while practicing his coordinated climbing skills for keepers. The 19-week-old panda weighed 14 pounds this morning when he was brought in for his weekly veterinary exam and continues to grow. Only 1,600 giant pandas are believed to exist in the wild, and the species is primarily threatened by habitat loss. San Diego Zoo Global, in conjunction with giant panda experts from the People’s Republic of China, continues to work on science-based panda conservation programs at the Zoo and in China.Photo taken on Dec. 13, 2012, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

The Panda Files: San Diego Zoo's Panda Cub Naming

San Diego Zoo Panda Cub Is a “Little Gift” Named Xiao Liwu

Name Selected by Public in Online Vote

     The San Diego Zoo unveiled the name of the sixth giant panda born at the Zoo during a public ceremony on Tuesday. Rick Gulley (left) president of the San Diego Zoo Global Board of Trustees and Ron Swaisgood, Ph.D. (right), co-head of the Giant Panda Team for San Diego Zoo Global, revealed a photo of the cub showing his name - Xiao Liwu. The name means “little gift.”  [Pronunciation is sshyaoww (falling then rising tone) lee (falling then rising tone) woo (falling tone)]

     The San Diego Zoo follows the Chinese cultural tradition of naming the giant panda after it is 100 days old. The Zoo gave the public the opportunity to select the cub’s name in a two-part process. The Zoo took open suggestions for names and received more than 7,000 submissions. Those submissions were narrowed down to six names and the public voted online on a name for the cub. Nearly 35,000 votes were cast for the cub’s name. The winning name, Xiao Liwu, was submitted with the explanation  “this cub is such a precious, little gift to our world.”

Photo taken on Nov. 13, 2012, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

SMITHSONIAN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE PUBLISHES TWO SIGNIFICANT PANDA STUDIES

Photo by Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo

Two new research papers by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and partners will help conservation biologists make strides in saving the fewer than 1,600 giant pandas left in the mountain forests of central China. Over the years SCBI has worked to conserve giant pandas by studying every aspect of their lives—their natural history, reproductive physiology and optimal habitat.

Male Reproduction Surprises Scientists

The first paper, set to be published in the Biology of Reproduction's Papers-in-Press April 4, finds that male pandas, like female pandas, experience reproductive seasonality, but the time frame of reproductive viability differs greatly between the two sexes. Researchers have thoroughly studied female panda reproduction and found that a female panda's estrus cycle occurs only once a year for only 24 to 72 hours. Until now, no one has extensively studied the male giant panda's reproductive capacity over time. This study finds that males are reproductively viable for six or more months out of the year, which is significantly longer than females, indicating that the two sexes have evolved very different reproductive strategies.

Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN)
 have resided at the Smithsonian’s National
Zoological Park since Dec. 6, 2000. They
are the second pair of pandas to live at the Zoo.

"The giant panda is perhaps the most high-profile endangered species on Earth, and it is also one of the most well studied," said Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer, lead author of the paper and SCBI's head veterinarian. "As such, it is amazing that we did not previously understand the basic physiological changes occurring in the male giant panda during the breeding season and outside of it. With this information, we now have a complete picture of what is occurring physiologically for both males and females during reproduction."

For three years, the paper's authors evaluated the interrelated seasonal changes in male panda testosterone levels, sperm concentration, testes size and reproductive behavior in eight male giant pandas with their colleagues at the Chengdu Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. They found that unlike females, reproductive fitness in the male giant panda changes over time with sperm production already beginning three to five months before females enter estrus. According to Aitken-Palmer, these results show that male pandas have developed the ability to produce sperm over a long period of time to ensure they have sperm when the brief and unpredictable female panda estrus occurs.

Climate Change Claiming Panda Habitat

The second study, published in the International Journal of Ecology in March, used two different global climate models to find that more than 16,000 kilometers2 of giant panda habitat will likely be lost by 2080 as climate change causes giant panda habitat systems to shift to higher elevations and latitudes. That means that less than half of their already significantly decreased habitat is projected to be suitable in about 70 years. The two models take into account remaining habitat, lost habitat, potential new habitat and current protected areas for giant pandas. The study also finds that habitat fragmentation will likely increase, leading to smaller areas that can support fewer pandas farther away from each other, increasing the risks of inbreeding and population collapse.

1972: Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing (Shing-Shing), the
National Zoo’s first pair of giant pandas, arrived from
China in 1972 as a gift to the American people to
commemorate President Nixon’s historic visit to China

"Our research predicts that climate change will substantially decrease the amount of suitable giant panda habitat within the species' current distribution, but also that we may see new areas becoming suitable for giant pandas," said Melissa Songer, lead author of the paper and an SCBI wildlife ecology. "The question remains as to whether giant pandas will have the capacity and opportunity to shift to new areas should they become viable. Our work is an important step in developing climate adaptation strategies and in identifying critical areas that will most likely be suitable and accessible for giant pandas in the face of climate change."

In addition to calling for the development of more protected areas that are aligned with climate predictions, the paper emphasizes the importance of creating corridors to reduce fragmentation. The study also has land-use implications, as agricultural land and land near human settlements are unsuitable for pandas.

Visitors can visit two giant pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Although the two pandas have bred early in the year for the last few years, so far Mei Xiang has not gone into estrus this year. SCBI scientists, veterinarians and animal care staff continue to monitor both pandas' behavior and Mei Xiang's hormones in preparation for breeding season.

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 Xianghas built a substantial nest in her den. This is the
 secondcub born to Mei Xiang and male panda Tian Tian
 (tee-YEN tee-YEN) as the result of artificial insemination.

In addition to Aitken-Palmer, the authors of the panda reproduction study from SCBI are Caitlin Burrell, Dave Wildt and the late Dr. JoGayle Howard. Partnering authors are Dr. Rong Hou, Zhihe Zhang and Chengdong Wang at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; Rebecca Spindler at Toronto Zoo; and Mary Ann Ottinger at the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland.

In addition to Songer, the authors of the panda ecology study from SCBI are Melanie Delion and Alex Biggs. The partnering author is Qiongyu Huang in the geography department at the University of Maryland. Friends of the National Zoo helped fund this research.

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute plays a key role in the Smithsonian's global efforts to understand and conserve species and train future generations of conservationists. Headquartered at a Smithsonian facility in Front Royal, Va., SCBI facilitates and promotes research programs based at Front Royal, the
 National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and at field research stations and training sites worldwide.