Good News: Washington zoo welcomes 'precious' giant panda cub; watch videos

The Smithsonian National Zoo has welcomed a new family member after the birth of a baby panda cub. Giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to adorable cub on August 21 around 6:35 p.m. ET. Zoo officials shared the happy news on Twitter. The 22-year-old panda became the oldest one to give birth in the United States.

The father of the newly welcomed cub is giant panda Tian Tian. Sharing the news of the panda welcoming her new bundle of joy, zoo officials stated that Mei Xiang is off to a good start, showing positive mothering behavious by nursing and cuddling her cub. Along with the update, the zoo officials also shared a link of a live camera to watch the progress of the giant panda with her new cub on their 24-hour panda cam.

Ecstatic with the news, many users took to the comments section and shared their happiness. Check out some of the reactions here:

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The Smithsonian National Zoo also shared videos on their Facebook page featuring the adorable panda with her offspring. Check out the videos here:

How Mei Xiang's pregnancy unfolded during COVID-19 pandemic

As per several reports, Mei Xiang became the second oldest panda in the world when she welcomed her offspring after more than three hours of labor. The oldest one in the world gave birth in China at the age of 23. Reportedly, a neonatal exam will take place when keepers are able to retrieve the baby panda, which might take a few days. The sex of the cub will take some time to be determined.

Mei Xiang’s pregnancy began during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has led to most of the countries imposing strict lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. Zoos were also temporarily shut during the pandemic. The Smithsonian National Zoo shut down on March 14 and has since reopened on a limited basis.

Reportedly, a team of experts performed an artificial insemination and have been supporting Mei Xiang through the birth process since March. Mei Xiang gave birth to her baby cub in a small den, where she created a tiny nest with the help of branches. Although the place looks small for a giant panda, the zoo staff said big pandas in wild give birth in small dens.

As per reports, giant pandas have a short window for breeding. Female pandas are only able to become pregnant for 24 to 72 hours each year. When Mei Xiang's behavior changed in mid-March the Zoo officials knew it was time. To ensure the safety of the mother panda in the COVID-19 pandemic, they took extra measures by minimizing in-person contact and reducing the number of those present during the insemination. Mei Xiang is also a proud mother to her three other cubs, who now live in China.

(Image credit: National Zoo's Twitter)

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