Scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo detected a
secondary rise in urinary progesterone levels in the Zoo’s
female giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG). This hormone rise
indicates that it should be 40 to 50 days before Mei Xiang
either gives birth to a cub or comes to the end of a
pseudopregnancy, or false pregnancy, which is common in giant
pandas. Image right: Mei Xiang “The hormonal dynamics of
pregnant and pseudopregnant pandas are extremely similar,” said
Janine Brown, reproductive biologist at the Zoo. “We study the
hormone levels, work from past data and monitor her behavior
closely, but all signs can indicate she may be pregnant even
though she is not. So we remain hopeful but cautious.” Similar
to last year’s unusually early estrus, Mei Xiang once again came
into heat in January. Zoo scientists, alongside Tang Chunxiang,
chief veterinarian from the China Conservation and Research
Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, China, artificially
inseminated Mei Xiang with semen from male giant panda Tian