in the dark times like thisWe all need hope. And it looks like the giant panda Mei Xiang may soon be delivering something in the form of a jumping bundle of furry joy.
The 22-year-old pregnant panda at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington could give birth as early as this week.
"In the middle of a pandemic, this is a joyful moment that we can all be excited about," Don Neiffer, chief veterinarian at the National Zoo, said in a statement. "We are optimistic that she will soon give birth to one or more healthy young animals."
Neiffer performed an ultrasound on Mei Xiang on Monday that showed her fetus kicking and swimming in the amniotic fluid, as well as clearly visible spine and blood flow. If you've never seen a panda ultrasound, this is a remarkable sight.
"Keep your paws crossed," the zoo posted on YouTube. "We are watching them closely and we greet everyone who watches the panda cameras with us." And a lot of people tune in, with Panda cam viewers up 800%, the Associated Press reports. If you have a panda watch with a full tilt, you can also follow Mei Xiang's progress on Facebook. Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #PandaStory.
Mei Xiang, who has already given birth to three surviving boys, was artificially inseminated in March with frozen semen collected from her 22-year-old zoo friend, Tian Tian. The two pandas arrived in DC from China on December 6, 2000, and zoo professionals have studied them closely to better understand the biology and protection of giant pandas. Giant pandas are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Breeding programs for prisoners have focused on artificial insemination to increase panda numbers.
After closing because of the Coronavirus pandemicThe National Zoo partially reopened in July, with standard COVID-19 restrictions like social distancing and required masks. However, the panda house in the giant panda habitat of the David M. Rubenstein family remains closed so that Mei Xiang can rest in peace.
While there is a "significant" possibility that Mei Xiang could reabsorb the fetus or miscarry, the zoo says, hopefully the she-bear understands how much the world needs cubs right now.
Come through for us, Mei Xiang.
