The recent birth of a cub to panda Mei Xiang at Washington’s Smithsonian National Zoo has thrilled the nearly 1 million people who have tuned in to the National Zoo’s Panda Cam. If that’s not exciting enough, older sister Bao Bao also turned 2 on August 23. (Sadly, the new cub’s littermate died after four days.)
Scientists are also thrilled. Pandas are endangered and the subject of international efforts to breed more. Mei Xiang’s recent offspring brought to 16 the number of giant pandas successfully bred with the help of the Chengdu Panda Base, a collaborative research effort between China, Japan, the U.S., Spain and France.
The Washington Post reported that shortly after the birth, Copper Aitken-Palmer, chief veterinarian at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute, shared the good news with colleagues at a panda breeding center in Wolong, China, and sought to tap into their experience with panda cubs. China has had many successes in breeding giant pandas. By sharing this knowledge it has helped increase the panda population and the number of people enjoying panda exhibits around the world.
Watch the pandas as they grow fluffier at a zoo near you, or at the San Diego Zoo’s Panda Cam, and learn more about careers in conservation.
