Offspring
Mei Xiang has given birth to two cubs, both while at the National Zoo and both fathered by Tian Tian. Tai Shan, a male, was born July 9, 2005. He was the first panda cub to be born at the zoo and live for more than a few days. He lived at the zoo until February 4, 2010, when he moved to China, as per an agreement between the United States and China.
Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice in April 2012 with Tian Tian's sperm. Zoo officials estimated her chances of pregnancy at 10% after she had previously had five false pregnancies, in which she acted pregnant but was not. Another cub was born on the night of September 16, 2012, and was a surprise to zookeepers. As of September 17, Zoo officials do not know the sex of the cub. The cub, whom officials now believe to have been a female, was found deceased on September 23, 2012 after Mei Xiang expressed distressed, honking-like sounds. Initial findings from the necropsy ruled out the possibility that it could have been crushed by Mei Xiang. However, it showed fluid in the giant panda cub's abdomen (which is usually always abnormal), and some discoloration of some of the liver tissue (the reason for the discoloration and the tissue changes is not yet known). Full, definitive results will likely be available in about two weeks, and Zoo officials are working closely with their Chinese colleagues during the inquiry into the death. While understandably upset, they hope to use this occurrence so they and the public can learn more about giant panda breeding, reproduction, and pathology. It is too early to speculate about what will happen to the two adults at the Zoo as a result.
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