Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC receive a happy surprisal on Saturday when an endangered giant panda bear successfully give giving birth to two cubs .
Although the lesser panda , named Mei Xiang , had been unnaturally inseminated on two late occasions and had display some sign of gestation , such as sleeping more and build a nest , keepers at the menagerie only find she was meaning at the last minute – during an ultrasound scan last workweek .
Our red panda squad believe Mei Xiang is in Department of Labor ! We ’re hoping for a healthy cub.#PandaStoryhttp://t.co / S7WWws1JTypic.twitter.com / Hs7sp6N5rW
— National Zoo ( @NationalZoo)August 22 , 2015
keeper were delighted at the newsworthiness , but Mei continued to surprise and delight her carers by " popping out " a second young carnivore a few minute after the first .
VIDEO : elephantine panda Mei Xiang give giving birth to a sonny boy at 5:35 p.m. Aug. 22 , 2015http://t.co/FQDg4GtidN#WeSaveSpecies#PandaStory
" I looked over at the camera and out popped a greenhorn , " exclaimed the zoo ’s chief veterinarian , Don Neiffer .
" So we immediately jump-start into , ' Okay , what do we do now . ' We watched to see how Mei Xiang would treat two . We gave her a little bit of time to really see if she would pick both greenhorn up , but she was really struggling .
" She was assay , but she was n’t able to pick up both of the cubs . So we did go in and at the right moment and pick up one of the cubs when Mei Xiang was not really close to it . "
First born giant bear cat laddie vet exam . This cub is vocalizing well & appears strong.#PandaStory#WeSaveSpeciespic.twitter.com / Vc89FJp517
— National Zoo ( @NationalZoo)August 23 , 2015
The midget , hairless cubs are totally reliant on their mother for food , heat and protection . However , due to business concern that Mei would n’t be able-bodied to successfully nurture both greenhorn out to independence one has been transfer and direct in an incubator . The team hopes to regularly switch the laddie in Holy Order to allow Mei quality clock time with both babies .
Weighing just under five ounces , both cubs appear to be doing well . snap by Pamela Baker - Masson , Smithsonian ’s National Zoo
The cub are yet to be sexed and probably wo n’t be forat least 3 or 4 weeks , the Museum has stated , but both cub appear to be doing well so far and are being monitored close by the team of expert .
agree to theWWF , giant pandas are one of the uncommon and most endangered bear in the world . Previously inhabiting China , northerly Vietnam and northern Burma , the bears can now only be obtain in the natural state in six isolated batch range of a function in south - fundamental China .
Huge telephone number of the elephantine bears were mislay between the former 1970s and late 1990s due to poaching and habitat loss . Three quarter of all wild panda now hold out in nature reserves in an attempt to keep current numbers and provide a safe environment for panda to cover and raise young .
Although a high part of coon bear birth in captivityinvolve twins , due to the temperamental nature of panda procreation ( female ovulate only once a year ) , for just three to four days in springiness ) , the number of successful pregnancy and laddie turn over maturity is low , so the news show of a salubrious bent of panda rookie has spiked a fresh moving ridge of confidence in boosting lesser panda numeral in captivity .
[ H / T : AFP ]
