FILE: Washington Zoo's Panda Mei Xiang recovering after artificial insemination

Record ID: 402118

  • Title: FILE: Washington Zoo's Panda Mei Xiang recovering after artificial insemination
  • Date: 4th May 2012
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE- JANUARY 20, 2011) (REUTERS) WIDE OF GIANT PANDA TIAN TIAN WALKING AND THEN SITTING PANDA MEI XIANG EATING A POPSICLE VARIOUS OF TIAN TIAN PLAYING WITH A CARD BOARD, SITTING AND CHEWING ON BRANCH MEI XIANG EATING A POPSICLE MORE OF TIAN TIAN
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Environment,Science
  • Reuters ID: LVA6NBEGWV1MGC65XBYFPOXS7UA3
  • Story Text: Scientists at the National Zoo in Washington are hoping for a baby panda to add to their family -- trying twice in the past few days to artificially inseminate their star panda Mei Xiang.
    Scientists said they were taking no chances and had to seize the opportunity because female giant pandas are only fertile one or two days a year. They also determined that no competent natural breeding had occurred between Mei Xiang (May-sh-ONG) and the male giant panda, Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN), so veterinarians artificially inseminated the black-and-white female panda with up to 800 million sperm cells.
    Mei Xiang is reportedly recovering well after the procedure.
    Scientists first tried their luck with the 13-year-old panda on Sunday (April 29), when scientists determined the semen they had collected from the male Tian Tian was not high enough quality for artificial insemination.
    The two pandas have successfully bred before. In 2005, Mei Xiang gave birth to cub Tai Shan -- via via artificial insemination.
    For Monday's (April 30) artificial insemination, zookeepers used sperm from Tian Tian harvested back when Tai Shan was born in 2005.
    Mei Xiang, who weighs about 230 pounds, had to be carried into the surgery room on a tarp with handles by eight people.
    Zoo officials added on their website that they will continue to monitor Mei Xiang's hormone levels in the coming months and conduct ultrasounds to see if she is pregnant.
    Captive breeding programs serve as a chief part of scientists' efforts to study and conserve the species; giant pandas, native to southeastern China, northern Myanmar, and northern Vietnam, are now endangered with only 1,600 left in the wild.
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