- Title: Hopes rise for safe birth by Japan's probably pregnant panda
- Date: 19th May 2017
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MAY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FEMALE PANDA, SHIN SHIN, EATING BAMBOO IN UENO ZOO MEDIA FILMING SHIN SHIN VARIOUS OF SHIN SHIN EATING BAMBOO MEDIA FILMING SHIN SHIN VARIOUS OF SHIN SHIN DEPUTY HEAD OF UENO ZOO, HIROFUMI WATABE STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) DEPUTY HEAD OF UENO ZOO, HIROFUMI WATABE, SAYING: "Giant pandas do have pseudo pregnancy - the 2013 case was actually a pesudo-pregnancy - so we'd like to thoroughly check whether it's a pregnancy, which we hope it is, and then we will prepare for the delivery." PANDA MOSAIC ON WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) DEPUTY HEAD OF UENO ZOO, HIROFUMI WATABE, SAYING: "The previous cub died after six days. Raising them at the early stage is very difficult, so we want to properly prepare this time for the delivery and nurture." PANDA POSTER VARIOUS OF MALE PANDA, RI RI, EATING BAMBOO VARIOUS OF VISITORS ENTERING UENO ZOO VISITORS ENTERING GIANT PANDA ENCLOSURE SIGN READING (Japanese and English): "GIANT PANDA" VARIOUS OF VISITORS AT PANDA ENCLOUSURE CHILDREN VISITING THE PANDA'S (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 4-YEAR-OLD BOY, RYUSE IKEDA, SAYING: "I want to see a baby panda." PEOPLE VISITING PANDAS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 40-YEAR-OLD TOKYO RESIDENT AND MOTHER OF 3-YEAR-OLD KOHARU, RIE NISHIMURA, SAYING: "We have high hopes for her and we're all betting on her safe delivery. We believe it will be ok this time." VARIOUS OF SHIN SHIN EATING BAMBOO
- Embargoed: 2nd June 2017 05:50
- Keywords: Tokyo Ueno Zoo Cub Pregnant Ri Ri Shin Shin Panda
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HI761L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A female panda at Tokyo's Ueno zoo appears to be pregnant, zoo officials said on Friday (May 19), raising hopes for a safe birth.
Ueno Zoo's 11-year-old panda, Shin Shin, has shown signs of being pregnant.
Shin Shin, might be experiencing pseudo-pregnancy, the deputy head of the zoo, Hirofumi Watabe, told reporters. They aren't actually pregnant but exhibit the same behaviors as pregnant pandas - such as decreased appetite, sluggishness and even similar changes in hormones. Scientists say it's almost impossible to distinguish between the two, because recently implanted fetuses are often too tiny to be spotted on an ultrasound.
Shin Shin and her partner, Ri Ri, arrived from China in February 2011 and went on view to the public soon after a devastating earthquake and tsunami the next month, providing Japan with some welcome news. The cub born the next year was the first panda born at Ueno Zoo in 24 years. But the tiny cub was found motionless and without a heartbeat on his mother's belly and although moved to an incubator, efforts to revive the baby panda failed.
If Shin Shin is really pregnant, she is likely to give birth in early June or a bit later, a zoo official said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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