Pregnant panda? National Zoo detects possible fetus

Veterinarians detected what appears to be a fetus during an ultrasound examination of giant panda Mei Xiang at Smithsonian’s National Zoo Wednesday.

Since the developing fetus is about four centimeters, veterinarians think Mei could give birth early next week or in early September, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo said.

For weeks, officials at the National Zoo have been saying that giant panda Mei Xiang may be pregnant. The zoo did provide a caveat that the results of the ultrasound in no way guarantee a birth; giant pandas frequently have pseudo pregnancies that are unexplained.

The indoor panda exhibit will be closed until further notice to give Mei Xiang more privacy, zoo officials said.

“Today, we are cautiously optimistic”, Dennis Kelly, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, said in a statement.

If a panda cub is indeed in Mai Xiang’s cards, with there being a chance she could miscarry or reasorb the fetus, it would be the third for the endangered panda whose species, worldwide, number less than 2,000.

“We want a healthy cub for all the right conservation reasons”, he said.

But scientists also artificial inseminated her with fresh semen collected from the Zoo’s male giant panda, Tian Tian.

Mei Xiang has also typically been reluctant to participate in the ultrasound procedure at this stage in the reproductive cycle, the zoo said.

The other, Bao Bao, is a popular resident at the National Zoo. “Our expert team of keepers, scientists and veterinarians are going to do exactly what they are trained to do and I’ll just ask everyone to remain positive with us”.

Scientist confirmed a secondary rise in hormones in July, a signal that she’d either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 30 to 50 days.

Bao Bao was born August. 23, 2013 and is expected to go live in China when she turns 4.

Mei Xiang has given birth to two surviving cubs: Tai Shan (tie-SHON) and Bao Bao. She is scheduled to celebrate her birthday with a frozen treat at 10 a.m.in her outdoor yard.