Animals - Signs of pregnancy in panda lady Meng Meng
In Berlin Zoo, there might soon be a Panda offspring. Several indications point to a pregnancy of Panda female Meng Meng, the Berliner Zoo announced. "Since artificial insemination on March 26th, Panda female Meng Meng has gained over 15 kg in weight up until her current eleventh birthday, and her hormone values look promising," Zoo Director Andreas Knieriem shared.
In the past few months, ensuring optimal nutrition for Meng Meng has been a priority. Bears need to store sufficient energy reserves for a successful pregnancy. "Only those with enough fat reserves have enough milk to nourish the offspring. Here with Meng Meng, everything is going according to plan, and we hope for offspring from the Pandas still this summer," Knieriem said.
A mating between the Panda female and the male Jiao Qing - the only Panda pair in Germany - was unsuccessful. Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in the spring to increase the chances of offspring.
Difficulty recognizing pregnancy in Large Pandas
Unlike other mammals, the fertilized egg of Large Pandas does not immediately implant itself into the uterine wall. The so-called embryonic diapause is a unique feature in the reproduction of Large Pandas. "Due to the embryonic diapause, the signs of pregnancy in Large Pandas are difficult to discern. We only receive definitive proof of offspring shortly before birth, when a heartbeat is visible on the ultrasound."
The Panda pair has already been helped with artificial insemination once. In 2019, the first Panda birth in a German zoo was a sensation: The twins Pit and Paule are no longer in Berlin. They were flown to China at the end of the previous year. With the departure of the young Pandas, there is once again room for offspring in the Panda enclosure at the zoo, which cost ten million Euros initially.
Andreas Knieriem, the Berlin Zoo's Director, expressed optimism about Meng Meng's potential pregnancy, citing her significant weight gain and promising hormone levels post-artificial insemination. (Andreas Knieriem, Berlin Zoo, Meng Meng, Pregnancy)
To support Meng Meng during this critical period, Knieriem highlighted the importance of proper nutrition, as bears need to store adequate energy reserves for a successful pregnancy. (Andreas Knieriem, Meng Meng, Bears, Pregnancy)
Despite an unsuccessful mating with Jiao Qing, Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in the hopes of having an offspring in Berlin this summer. (Meng Meng, Jiao Qing, Berlin, Artificial insemination)
