Giant panda gives birth at national zoo!

Transcript

The Smithsonian National zoo is excited to announce it has a new baby panda!

22-year-old mama bear named Mei Xiang gave birth late Friday evening.

The zoo says mother and child are nursing and cuddling and that’s a good sign.

Caregivers say they’ll retrieve the cub for an exam in a few days.

For now the sex of the baby is unclear.

External genitalia in bears don’t develop until the bear is several months old.

Zoo officials say they are overjoyed because pandas are only able to get pregnant a few days a year.

They are also being cautious and hopeful.

Mei Xiang has given birth to six other cubs but only three survived more than a few days.

Posted – 8.22.20