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News from the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat
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Giant pandas are black and white bears that live in temperate-zone bamboo forests in central China. Among the best recognized—but rarest—animals in the world, they have come to symbolize endangered species and conservation efforts. As few as 1,600 giant pandas survive in the mountain forests of central China. More than 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world; most of these pandas are in China.
Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are at the National Zoo under a Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement, signed in January 2011, between the Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This extends the Zoo’s giant panda program through 2015. Mei and Tian are the focus of an ambitious research, conservation, and breeding program designed to preserve this endangered species.
Smithsonian's National Zoo Performs Artificial Insemination on Its Female Giant Panda
Giant panda breeding season began this year at the Smithsonian's National Zoo when female giant panda, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), went into estrus over the weekend. 
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Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Publishes Two Significant Panda Studies
Two new research papers by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and partners will help conservation biologists make strides in saving the fewer than 1,600 giant pandas left in the mountain forests of central China. more
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Watching giant pandas: The panda cams provide a window into the world of the Zoo's giant pandas—female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian. There are only about 1,600 giant pandas living in the wild in China.
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Archived Giant Panda Videos
Tai Shan Exam, September 19, 2005 | Mei Xiang and Tai Shan, October 2, 2005 | Tai Shan Exam, October 31, 2005 | Mei and Tai, November 10, 2005 | Tai Shan’s First Year (Highlights)
April 30
Giant panda breeding season began this year when Mei Xiang, went into estrus over the weekend of April 28-29, 2012. Li Desheng from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, and National Zoo scientists and veterinarians performed an artificial insemination Sunday night after they determined no competent natural breeding had occurred between Mei Xiang and male giant panda, Tian Tian. Li and the National Zoo’s panda team will perform another artificial insemination this evening. The National Zoo’s twitter feed (@NationalZoo) will have live updates of the procedure with the hashtag #pandaAI.
Sunday, April 29, 2012, while under general anesthesia, Mei Xiang was inseminated with thawed semen collected in 2005 from Tian Tian. Scientists determined that semen collected from Tian Tian while he was under general anesthesia Sunday night was not high enough quality to use for an artificial insemination. Zoo staff will continue to monitor Mei Xiang’s hormone levels in the coming months and conduct ultrasounds to see if she is pregnant.
See photos of the artificial insemination procedure.
April 2
Spring is in the air at the Panda House—flowers are blooming, bamboo shoots are popping up everywhere (yum!), and there has been a flurry of animal activity. Young red panda Pili recently moved to her new home in California, where she will be paired with a genetically suitable male for breeding in the future. Her sister, Damini, will also be moving to another zoo within the next several weeks, and will also be paired for breeding. Meanwhile, their parents, Shama and Tate, were seen breeding several times in mid-February, and we are hopeful that they will have cubs again this summer.
Although Mei Xiang’s hormones are still at baseline, keepers have noticed some changes in the giant pandas’ behavior indicating that peak estrus may be near. Both pandas are spending a considerable amount of time scent-marking their exhibits, and investigating each other’s scent marks when we move them to a different yard. When we give Tian Tian the opportunity to explore an area where Mei Xiang has recently been, he has been softly bleating, a contact call that changes in intensity as breeding time approaches.
We are conducting mesh introductions daily, giving the pandas an opportunity to interact with each other while being physically separated by a chain link fence. During these intros, we are able to gauge the pandas’ responses to each other, and use that to predict their readiness to breed. In the last several days, we have noted that the bears are interested in each other, but also quite interested in food. When peak estrus occurs, both pandas will be too preoccupied with each other to spend much time eating.
While keepers closely monitor the giant pandas’ behavior, reproductive scientists carefully analyze the hormonal data contained in the daily urine samples and vaginal cytology slides. Taken individually, each of these measures could narrow down the time frame for peak estrus. Together, however, all of these factors can pinpoint with precise accuracy the optimum time for the pandas to breed. Using all of the tools that we have, we hope to help Mei Xiang and Tian Tian produce another cub this year.
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