National Zoo’s Giant Panda Cub Dies
PRESS CONFERENCE will be held at the National Zoo at 1 p.m.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo community mourns the loss of the giant panda cub born Sunday, Sept. 16. Panda keepers and volunteers heard a distress vocalization from the mother, Mei Xiang, at 9:17 a.m. and notified the veterinarian staff immediately. The panda cam was turned off and the staff were able to safely retrieve the cub for an evaluation at 10:22 a.m. Veterinarians immediately performed CPR and other life-saving measures but the cub did not respond.
Mei Xiang is under close observation.
Veterinarians’ first observations include -
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The cub was in good body condition and weighed just under 100g
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No outward sign of trauma
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No outward sign of infection
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