- Title: Panda Bei Bei undergoes emergency surgery
- Date: 26th November 2016
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BEI BEI AND FAMILY OF PANDAS AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO
- Embargoed: 11th December 2016 00:39
- Keywords: Zookeepers emergency surgery Smithsonian National Zoo intestine
- Location: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Environment,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015A2XB2X
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Zoo officials say Giant Panda Bei Bei, seen here at a party to mark his first birthday, first became ill on Thursday (November 24).
Zookeepers noticed he wasn't eating and gave him some anti-nausea medicine. When he hadn't improved by Friday morning, they took him to a veterinary hospital. An ultra-sound revealed the problem: a lemon-sized mass of bamboo blocking his intestine.
Veterinarians performed emergency surgery and say Bei Bei is now awake and recovering.
Bei Bei is one of three Giant Pandas born at the zoo that have survived more than a few days. His older sister, Bao Bao still lives at the zoo. The oldest sibling, Tai Shan, was eventually sent to China, as required by an agreement with Chinese officials.
Zoo officials say people around the world have been following Bei Bei's growth on the zoo's panda cam. But they say he'll be in seclusion and off the panda cam for the next few days. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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