- Meng Meng is pregnant <unk> Another panda cub is expected at Berlin Zoo
At the Berlin Zoo, it's not just cuddles; panda lady Meng Meng is pregnant again. "The babies are about 2.5 centimeters big and need to grow quite a bit more until birth," said Thomas Hildebrandt, head of the reproduction management department at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, according to a press release.
A small celebration erupted in the Panda Garden on Sunday, the zoo reported. Meng Meng had been less cooperative recently. "Despite noticeable belly pinching, Meng Meng was persuaded to stand up and accept the cold ultrasound gel and the examination with the ultrasound probe," said the veterinarian, an international expert in the reproduction of giant pandas. "An upright examination finally brought the joyful news that Meng Meng is pregnant with two cubs."
Panda Offspring: Now It's Fingers Crossed
The team was thrilled, as there had been several unsuccessful ultrasound attempts before, said vet Franziska Sutter, who was also involved in the examination. "Despite all the excitement, we must be aware that this is a very early stage of pregnancy, and a so-called resorption - i.e., the death of the embryo - is still possible at this time," said Sutter. The gestation period for giant pandas is usually three to six months.
The development will be monitored with ultrasound examinations and hormone analysis. "We hope very much that everything goes as well as it did the last time in 2019." Back then, the first panda birth in a German zoo was a sensation: the twins and former crowd-pleasers Pit and Paule are no longer in Berlin.
The success of the recent ultrasound examination has brought anticipation within the European Union's zoo community, as Meng Meng is pregnant with two giant panda cubs in Berlin Zoo. If the pregnancy continues successfully, this could be a significant contribution to the European Union's giant panda breeding programs.
