Results tagged “meisheng”

Gothamist's head is about to explode, because the San Diego Zoo has just confirmed that Bai Yun has given birth! Bai Yun has been the most productive panda mom in America, as she's given birth to Hua Mei (who later had twins after watching panda porn) and Mei Sheng (although zookeepers weren't sure which male was the father). Gothamist will now have to visit San Diego Zoo again, now that the new Panda Research Station can hold up to six pandas. Six! Gothamist must start our letter...no, email campaign to bring pandas to NYC now!

The National Zoo's veterinarians confirm that the baby panda born a scant three weeks ago is a boy! Today was the first day the zookeepers spent some time alone with the cub, who weighs 1.82 pounds and is 12 inches long, and is described as being "very solid and sturdy and extremely cute." We assume that in future visits, the world can expect adorable and extensive photographs of the baby (like this one of San Diego Zoo cub Mei Sheng). Baby Boy Panda won't be on exhibit until October, when he is three months old, and there will most likely be a 100 days naming ceremony around that time, too. So, this is as good as a time as any to mention that the Amtrak Acela has increased the number of trains that go to DC. We'll be there with our panda ears on.

HUZZAH! The National Zoo's 7 year-old panda, Mei Xiang, has given birth "a baby the size of a stick of butter"!!! (Panda babies are pale and pinkish; imagine a larger hamster... the black and white markings aren't evident till later...for examples, see this newborn photo of Mei Sheng from San Diego, and ones where he is older, 1 and 2.) DCist says the panda exhibit will be closed for three months while the zoo keepers keep on eye on the new mom and baby. And all signs point to Mei Xiang being a good panda mom - she's been tending to the baby. No word on what Tian Tian, the male panda, has been doing, as his job was done once Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated, but we imagine he's been sleeping and eating as usual.

Thanks to the nice people at the zoo's publicity department, Gothamist got a chance to speak with zoo keeper Kim Bacon, who has been at the San Diego Zoo working with the pandas since 1998. Some fun things we learned about adult pandas Bai Yun and Gao Gao and baby cub Mei Sheng:

San Diego's, and possibly the world's, cutest baby turns one today: Panda cub Mei Sheng celebrates his birthday with his first snow and some treats (probably a block of ice with carrots and apple slices frozen in it). Gothamist has been keenly interested in Mei Sheng ever since he appeared like a little bug last year. This photograph of Mei Sheng seen above was actually taken by Gothamist, on a historic first visit to the San Diego Zoo (more coverage, including an interview with a panda keeper, to come); he was just hanging out in a tree branch...and then fell asleep, while still up there. So, little Mei Sheng, Gothamist will be having a drink and a fiber-rich biscuit in your honor tonight.

Ed: It's been too long since a panda-related post, so this one's for you, TMFTML.

Though some may think the book's cover is catchy, we believe the book's success is because it's really telegraphing, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves and Is the Cutest Animal." If a book came out with a picture of San Diego baby panda cub Mei Sheng (below), it'd be an automatic bestseller.

In another move of making sure America is everywhere, the San Diego Zoo's panda was named Mei Sheng, which means "Born in the United States." You may or may not remember that the last baby panda, Hua Mei's name means "China U.S.A." Mei Sheng's name also can mean "beautiful life;" he could also be called "Made in the U.S.A." – with the help in the very best artificial panda insemination technology involved. In fact, it was only recently discovered which panda was his father, thanks to DNA testing. The intrigue!