News Archive

This morning, our giant panda cub received his name: Bei Bei or 贝贝 (BAY-BAY)! Bei Bei means "precious, treasure" in Mandarin Chinese and is complementary to his sister's name, Bao Bao. In celebration of the state visit and as a special honor for the cub, the name was selected by First Lady of the...

When Mei Xiang left her den to eat on Sept. 21, keepers took the opportunity to get the latest weight on our not-so-little-anymore giant panda cub. At 4.5 weeks old, the cub weighs 2.95 pounds (1,139 grams). He has now surpassed both of his older siblings in size when they were the same age: Bao Bao...

Our panda cub scrapbook is growing as quickly as he is—and that's saying something. This is one of our favorite adorable moments from the panda cams this week. This snapshot was added to the #PandaStory Flickr group by user gkoo19681. Our panda cub scrapbook is growing as quickly as he is?and that's...

David M. Rubenstein has pledged a second $4.5 million gift to support our giant panda conservation and research program through the end of 2020. As a result, our scientists will be able to continue all the research they do related to giant pandas and the other species that share their habitat....

Our cub is starting to look like a little giant panda! His black markings have come in, and his back saddle looks just like his dad's, Tian Tian. Keepers have also seen him sleeping with his paw over his eye—which is something both Tian Tian and his big sister Bao Bao do—even though his eyes won't...

Obsessed with the panda cams? Put your totally healthy fascination to good use and help write the newest chapter of our #PandaStory. Thanks to the panda cams sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund, we're able to share a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of a panda cub's life in the den with...

Mei Xiang left her den Saturday afternoon to eat and drink. She ate more bamboo than during her previous excursions away from the den, which is normal. Keepers expect Mei Xiang to gradually spend more time away from the den eating and drinking as the cub grows. While Mei Xiang was eating...

Mei Xiang left her den for a few minutes Wednesday afternoon giving our veterinarians an opportunity to do a quick cub health check to ensure that he is growing and healthy. They listened to his heart and lungs, palpated his abdomen and checked that he was able to move his forelimbs and hindlimbs...

Mei Xiang decided to eat some sugarcane and drink dilute apple juice the keepers left for her yesterday evening around 6 p.m. Two hours later, she left the den to urinate and defecate—only the second time she's done that since giving birth. She put the cub down when she left the den and he was very...

Our panda cub has been visible on the panda cams several times since yesterday. Keepers left some sugarcane for Mei Xiang in her den yesterday afternoon, and around 1 p.m. she decided to eat some! That is the first time she has eaten since giving birth. She put her cub down for a few minutes while...

Mei Xiang and her cub did well overnight! The cub is nursing, and Mei is taking excellent care of him. She did not leave the den last night, but keepers are offering her water and juice to keep her hydrated. She has not shown any interest in eating yet, but that is normal for a new panda mom.

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics confirmed that the giant panda cub born Aug. 22 at the National Zoo is male. A paternity analysis showed that Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN) is the cub's father. Scientists also confirmed the...

Overnight it was evident to panda keepers and veterinarians that our healthy panda cub was active and nursing appropriately throughout the night. Mei is showing proper maternal care which includes short sleep cycles, adjusting the tiny cub in her arms for better positioning and grooming. The staff...

The smaller of the two giant panda cubs born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Aug. 22, died shortly after 2 p.m. today, Aug. 26. The panda team rotated both cubs in the past 24 hours allowing each to benefit from spending time with their mother, Mei Xiang. The smaller cub was with Mei Xiang from...

Mei Xiang has not been a willing participant in the panda team's efforts to switch the cubs since 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. She has the larger cub in her possession. The panda team is caring for the smaller cub and will continue efforts to swap the cubs about every four hours. However, because the...

Our panda cubs are doing well but the panda team had a challenging night. When they tried to swap the cubs at 11p.m., Mei Xiang would not set down the cub she had in her possession. Consequently, the panda team cared for the smaller cub throughout the night until 7:05 a.m. when they successfully...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute confirms one giant panda cub born at 5:35 p.m. and a second giant panda cub was born at 10:07 p.m., Aug, 22. ( See a video of the second cub's first moments.) Shortly after the second birth, a panda team of three keepers retrieved one...

For the first time at the National Zoo, veterinarians detected something new during an ultrasound procedure this morning on giant panda Mei Xiang. They believe it is a developing giant panda fetus. Based on the size of the fetus, which is about four centimeters, veterinarians estimate that Mei Xiang...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists have confirmed a secondary rise in giant panda Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) urinary progesterone levels. The slow rise started July 20 and indicates that she will either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 30 to 50 days...

Last month Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute chief veterinarian, Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer and veterinarians from the San Diego Zoo and Hong Kong Zoo led a first-of-its-kind veterinary workshop at the Dujiangyan Panda Base to diagnose and elevate the level of medicine provided to giant...

This panda update was written by keeper Nicole MacCorkle. We still don't know if Mei Xiang is pregnant or pseudopregnant. (Remember her hormones and behavior will mimic a pregnancy even if she is pseudopregnant!) If you have been regularly watching the panda cams, you may have noticed that Mei Xiang...