One of the US capital's resident giant pandas may be pregnant, officers on the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo stated on Monday, however warned lovers of the wooly black-and-white mammals not to get child fever just but.
Mei Xiang, who used to be artificially inseminated on March 1, is appearing the indicators an enormous panda would show if she had been pregnant, however the ones indicators also are identical with the hormonal and behavioral adjustments of a false pregnancy, a zoo spokeswoman stated on Monday.
"Probably within the next month we should know if she is pregnant or if she is pseudopregnant," spokeswoman Devin Murphy stated in a phone interview. "The only way to definitely tell is to see a fetus on an ultrasound."
Mei Xiang, whose title manner "beautiful fragrance," has had a minimum of five pseudo-pregnancies all over her 18 years on the Washington zoo, where pandas are a best draw for guests.
Giant pandas are a prone species, with the World Wildlife Fund estimating their numbers in the wild at only one,864. A few hundred pandas are in captivity, mostly in China.
The zoo stated on Sunday that it used to be closing the indoor part of its David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat to give Mei Xiang a quieter surroundings after she began appearing indicators that she might be pregnant.
"She is building a nest in her den, has a decreased appetite, is sleeping more and is reacting to loud noises," the zoo stated, adding: "Paws crossed!"
Zoo guests can nonetheless see the zoo's male giant pandas, Tian Tian and Bei Bei, one in every of Mei Xiang's 3 surviving cubs, on the showcase's outside viewing area, the zoo stated.
Mei Xiang, who is almost 20 and nearing the end of her reproductive lifestyles cycle, used to be additionally artificially inseminated remaining 12 months, however did not give start. Female pandas can transform pregnant for most effective 24 to 72 hours every 12 months, the zoo stated.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived on the zoo from China in December 2000.
Mei Xiang, who used to be artificially inseminated on March 1, is appearing the indicators an enormous panda would show if she had been pregnant, however the ones indicators also are identical with the hormonal and behavioral adjustments of a false pregnancy, a zoo spokeswoman stated on Monday.
"Probably within the next month we should know if she is pregnant or if she is pseudopregnant," spokeswoman Devin Murphy stated in a phone interview. "The only way to definitely tell is to see a fetus on an ultrasound."
Mei Xiang, whose title manner "beautiful fragrance," has had a minimum of five pseudo-pregnancies all over her 18 years on the Washington zoo, where pandas are a best draw for guests.
Giant pandas are a prone species, with the World Wildlife Fund estimating their numbers in the wild at only one,864. A few hundred pandas are in captivity, mostly in China.
The zoo stated on Sunday that it used to be closing the indoor part of its David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat to give Mei Xiang a quieter surroundings after she began appearing indicators that she might be pregnant.
"She is building a nest in her den, has a decreased appetite, is sleeping more and is reacting to loud noises," the zoo stated, adding: "Paws crossed!"
Zoo guests can nonetheless see the zoo's male giant pandas, Tian Tian and Bei Bei, one in every of Mei Xiang's 3 surviving cubs, on the showcase's outside viewing area, the zoo stated.
Mei Xiang, who is almost 20 and nearing the end of her reproductive lifestyles cycle, used to be additionally artificially inseminated remaining 12 months, however did not give start. Female pandas can transform pregnant for most effective 24 to 72 hours every 12 months, the zoo stated.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived on the zoo from China in December 2000.
Giant panda may be pregnant at Washington zoo
![Giant panda may be pregnant at Washington zoo]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 26, 2018
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