zooatl panda expecting
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/28/2019 ZooATL Panda Expecting
1/2
MEDIA ALERT
July 2, 2013
LUN LUN THE GIANT PANDA IS EXPECTING!Ultrasound and hormonal results reveal that the fourth cub to be born at Zoo Atlanta will arrive this month
WHAT: Lun Lun, a 15-year-old giant panda, has been confirmed to be expecting her fourth cub.Based on the size of the fetus observed in an ultrasound conducted on June 30, 2013,the Animal Management and Veterinary Teams estimate that a birth could take place intwo to three weeks. The cub would be the first giant panda born in the U.S. in 2013.
Veterinarians base their assessment of Lun Luns birth window on data from a similar
ultrasound performed when Lun Lun was expecting her third cub, Po, in 2010. The fetusis now 1.08 centimeters long, which is consistent with a delivery date approximately twoweeks from now.
Over the past several days, Lun Lun has been exhibiting behavioral signs indicative ofeither pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. Hormone assays conducted by Dr. Dave Kersey,an expert in giant panda endocrinology from Western University of Health Sciences, willcontinue to shed light on her condition.
Were thrilled about the possibility of a fourth cub for Lun Lun, but we remain cautiouslyoptimistic at this point. Giant panda cubs are extremely fragile, and the chance remainsthat the fetus does not go to term, said Raymond B. King, President and CEO. A birthwould be another success for our giant panda program, and we share our optimism withour fellow U.S. zoos housing this iconic species and with our colleagues at the ChengduResearch Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China.
Lun Lun was artificially inseminated in March 2013 with the assistance of Dr. CopperAitken-Palmer, an expert in giant panda reproductive physiology from SmithsoniansConservation Biology Institute. Lun Lun and 15-year-old male Yang Yang have threeprevious offspring: male Mei Lan, 6 and now a resident of the Chengdu Research Baseof Giant Panda Breeding; male Xi Lan, 4; and male Po, 2. All three were the products ofartificial insemination, and all three were the only giant pandas born in the U.S. in theirrespective birth years.
Stay tuned for updates.
WHERE: Zoo Atlanta800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E.
Atlanta, GA 30315
CONTACT: Keisha N. Hines, Director of Public Relations, Communications and Social Media404.624.5980 office
-
7/28/2019 ZooATL Panda Expecting
2/2
404.309.2238 [email protected]
ABOUT: About Zoo Atlanta
An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Zoo Atlanta inspires value andpreservation of wildlife through a unique mix of education and outdoor family fun. From well-known nativewildlife to critically endangered species on the brink of extinction, the Zoo offers memorable close encounterswith more than 1,500 animals from around the world. A slate of new up-close-and-personal experiencesopened in spring 2012: giraffe feeding, permitting guests to hand-feed Earths tallest living land mammals, andWild Encounters, three new behind-the-scenes adventures with African elephants, giant pandas and Komododragon. Other highlights include the nations largest collection of western lowland gorillas, the nations largestzoological collection of orangutans and a global center of excellence for the care and study of vanishingreptiles and amphibians. The Zoo is open daily with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.Keeper talks, interactive wildlife shows, education programs and special events run year-round. For moreinformation, call 404.624.WILD or visit zooatlanta.org.
##
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]