Panda News from around the world
  • National Zoo Pandas: Funded till 2015

    The Washington Post is reporting that the National Zoo in Washington DC has been promised $4.5 Million over the next 4 years so they can continue their Giant Panda reproduction program.
  • Spring is in the Air For Mei Xiang and Tian Tian of Washington DC Zoo

    The National Zoo in Washington DC have stated that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have been given the privacy of the panda pavilion, as Mei Xiang has come in to season.

    The pair did attempt natural mating but it seems that it was unsuccessful so specialists from China suggested that Mei Xiang should be Artificially Inseminated with previously frozen semen from Tian Tian. This procedure was applied twice.
  • 5 More Years

    The royal couple of pandas at the Smithsonian Zoo, Washington DC have been granted a leave of stay for another 5 years.

    Which means that the couple will stay until December 2015.

    It is hoped that the pair will breed again after their first son Tai Shan born in 2005 went to China in February 2010 under terms of the loan agreement between China and the zoo.
  • Tai Shan to Get Own Web Cam

    Pandas International has released a newsletter stating that everyone's favourite Giant Panda Tai Shan who went to China will get his own Panda Cam.

    Tanks to the generosity of Tai's friend and especially one lady who donated the cost of running a new Internet cable from Ya'an to the Bifengxia base.

    The equipment has been ordered and the staff are preparing Tai Shan's Home for the work involved.

    Once the cam is live I will of course update the "Panda Cams" page.
  • Mei Xiang is not Pregnant.

    Zoo scientists have confirmed with an ultrasound and hormone analysis that Mei Xiang is not Pregnant, but was experiencing an pseudo pregnancy.

    Over 40 members of staff and volunteers have been carefully watching Mei Xiang over the weekend, when her hormone levels went back to their normal levels which indicates that she will either give birth or stop the pseudo pregnancy.

    I wish to thank everyone involved with taking care and watching Mei Xiang for their efforts. Lets hope it's better news next year.
  • Mei Xiang is put on 24 Hour Panda Cub Watch

    The Smithsonian's National Zoo Washington DC, has said that it has begun 24 hour surveillance of Mei Xiang, to watch over her in case she is pregnant.

    More than 40 volunteers and staff will keep vigil to watch her, using 38 cameras set up inside the giant panda habitat.

    You can be part of the watch by viewing the online Panda Cam you might be lucky to see the birth if there is one.
  • Tai Shan Moved to New Home

    March 9th 2010 Tai Shan the darling from the National Zoo, Washington DC, America has left quarantine with a clean bill of health and moved in to his new home.
  • Tai Shan to go on Display March 9th

    The Wolong Panda Club, has said that Tai Shan will come out of isolation on March the 9th 2010, and will be on display in Leopard Mountain Villa Number 5.

    The villa has about 30 meters square of indoor bedroom and about 1,000 meter squared of outside enclosure.

    Staff said that Tai Shan is in very good physical and mental condition and has increased his weight whilst in isolation.

    I think there will be some kind of ceremony when he moves to his new home.
  • Mei Lan and Tai Shan Arrive Safely to Their New Homes

    Unless you've been hiding under a rock the news has been full of the departure of two giant pandas from America to China.
  • Special Farewell to Tai Shan Day

    The National Zoo will be holding a special farewell to Tai Shan Day, on the 30th January 2010 between 11 am and 3pm.

    There will be keeper talks, a display of Tai Shan photos and more.

    I'll post more when I have more information.
  • Tai Shan to Move to China

    Tai Shan the beloved panda cub of Washington DC's National Zoo will be heading to China.

    All cubs that are born in countries other than China have to be sent back to China usually when they reach two years old, though Tai Shan got an extension to stay longer.

    Parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are on a ten year loan to the zoo until 2010, Negotiations are under way to discuss whether they will stay in Washington DC.

    UPDATE
    Tai is expected to leave in January or February next year and will go to Bifengxia.
  • Mei Xiang not pregnant

    On May 19th staff of the National Zoo in Washington confirmed that Mei Xiang is not pregnant. Staff have been keeping a close eye on her and the indoor part of her enclosure has been closed so she could have some peace and quite to give birth.

    On April 20th Mei's urinary progesterone began to decline. When this levels out then either a cub is born or the end of the pseudopregnancy. Pandas are well known for having false or phantom pregnancies when they ovulate but do not conceive. This was Mei Xiang's 5th but she has had one cub Tai Shan in 2005.
  • Washington national zoo on panda pregnancy alter

    Mei Xiang's enclosure has been closed to the public as she starts to den, signifying that she may be pregnant and could be due soon. The process of denning involves the panda taking bamboo and food in to a small dark cave like structure.

    "Any (other) time I've seen Mei with a pear, she's eating it," said Baker-Masson.

    Just because Mei Xiang is denning does not mean that she is pregnant, many pandas go though the same process if they have a false pregnancy.

    Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated in January after she shown that she was in heat.
  • Could Washington be hearing the sounds of panda feet?

    The Washington Post has reported that Mei Xiang was heard emiting mating calls to Tian Tian. The keepers watched her hormone levels in Mei Xiang urine, when the levels suggested she had ovulated Tian Tian was allowed in to her enclosure. It appears that they did not manager to mate naturally so the vets anesthetized both pandas, collected semen from Tian Tian and placed it in Mei Xiand's uterus.
  • No patter of tiiny cub feet at Washington Zoo

    It's been reported that Mei Xiang is not expecting, she had a pseudopregnancy or the loss of a developing fetus.

    This is the second year that Mei Xiang has been artificially inseminated but has not developed in a full pregnancy.

    There is still a small chance that she could she give birth, as panda pregnancy is very difficult to predict.
  • PARTY!

    The National Zoo, holds a party for birthday boy Tai Shan. Including an ice cake full of his favourite fruit.
  • Tai Shan of the National Zoo turns 3

    Happy birthday to Tai Shan of the national zoo.

    The references talk more about Tai Shan and his keepers and volunteers. It also talks about his mother Mei Xiang and the possibility of her being pregnant.