Latest Panda News
Aug. 27, 2020
Big news! Last night, our Panda Team observed giant panda Mei Xiang approach the doorway of her den several times, “testing” her cub’s reaction to being placed on the floor. Then, early this morning,... read more
Aug. 26, 2020
Giant panda Mei Xiang continues to exhibit excellent maternal care and is attentive to her cub. Regular, loud cub vocalizations are signs of good health and music to the panda team’s ears! Last night... read more
Aug. 25, 2020
Giant panda Mei Xiang and her newborn cub continue to do well. As Mei Xiang shifts from a resting position (laying down) to a nursing position (sitting up) and vice-versa, she occasionally holds the c... read more
Aug. 24, 2020
Mei Xiang, our 22-year-old giant panda, continues to be a devoted mother. Our newborn cub has little fur and cannot regulate its own body temperature, so Mei Xiang cradles the cub to keep it warm. Int... read more
Aug. 23, 2020
Our panda team observed Mei Xiang and her cub overnight and were happy with the behaviors they saw. As expected, Mei Xiang is being an excellent and attentive mother. She has already established posit... read more
Aug. 21, 2020
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Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at Smithsonian’s National Zoo today, Aug. 21. Animal care staff witnessed the birth at 6:35 p.m. Mei Xiang pi... read more
Aug. 14, 2020
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Veterinarians at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo detected tissue consistent with fetal development during giant panda Mei Xiang’s (may-SHONG) ultrasound this morning, Aug. 14.... read more
Jul. 20, 2020
Summer is in full swing at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat, which means that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have transitioned from eating the stalk (or culm) of the bamboo to only eating t... read more
Jul. 02, 2020
A family meal among prairie dogs, the soothing sounds of a cheetah’s purr and a Pride cake fit for a giant panda. As summer kicks off at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institu... read more
Jun. 05, 2020
Behold a brunch between a sloth and a golden lion tamarin, catch a close-up of newborn black-footed ferret kits and get a glimpse of giant pandas gorging themselves on bamboo shoots. All of these even... read more
May. 15, 2020
This is the sound of a giant panda eating his favorite meal.
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Mar. 23, 2020
A team of reproductive scientists, veterinarians and panda keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute performed an artificial insemination on giant panda Mei Xiang (m... read more
Mar. 16, 2020
Happy national panda day! Here at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Asia Trail exhibit, we are celebrating with giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, as well as our red panda pair, Asa and Jackie. We l... read more
Mar. 10, 2020
You may not like needles or giving blood when you go to the doctor’s office, but did you know that blood is an important diagnostic tool for veterinarians? When an animal is feeling sick, one of the v... read more
Feb. 28, 2020
Add a little sunshine to a gray winter day with a trip to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. There’s still plenty to see from December through March. This guide will help you plan for a cold-weather visi... read more
Jan. 14, 2020
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have been having some adventures around the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat! Keepers have been utilizing the extra space in the giant panda habitats to switch ou... read more
Dec. 26, 2019
Saving species is what we strive to do every day here at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. As the year winds down, we’re reflecting on some of our biggest conservation... read more
Nov. 27, 2019
Bei Bei is settling in at his new home in China at the Bifengxia panda base. He did really well on the FedEx Panda Express and mostly ate and slept during the 16-hour trip. Laurie Thompson, assi... read more
Nov. 19, 2019
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Bei Bei (BAY-BAY), the 4-year-old giant panda, began his journey to China this morning. He departed the Smithsonian’s National Zoo at 9:30 a.m. for Dulles International Airport in northern Vi... read more
Nov. 08, 2019
Giant panda Bei Bei knows how to work his angles! Check out some of our favorite snaps of this remarkably photogenic bear from the past four years.
Nov. 07, 2019
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Giant panda Bei Bei (BAY-BAY) will leave the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and travel aboard the FedEx Panda Express for his new home in China. There will be two media opportunities:
Zoo:... read more
Oct. 18, 2019
Giant panda Bei Bei will depart the Smithsonian’s National Zoo for China Tuesday, Nov. 19. As part of the Zoo’s cooperative breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, all cub... read more
Oct. 18, 2019
Why is Bei Bei leaving the Smithsonian’s National Zoo?
As part of the cooperative breeding program with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) that the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Co... read more