English Story

柏林动物园将有熊猫幼仔降生

Zoo Berlin, dubbed the most species-rich zoo worldwide, is getting ready to welcome one or two newborn panda cubs.
 
柏林动物园,号称世界上物种最丰富的动物园,正准备迎接一或两只熊猫幼仔的降生。
 
 
The panda couple, Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, sent by China in 2017, mated in April and later artificial insemination was also performed on Meng Meng to boost the likelihood of pregnancy, the Zoo announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
 
Meng Meng's altered behavior hinted a pregnancy, and ultrasound images and hormone tests have also provided extra reasons to expect a panda cub in a few weeks' time, said Zoo Berlin, known as Germany's oldest zoological garden, home to almost 20,200 animals of around 1,380 species.
 
Germany's Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) is conducting regular examinations on Meng Meng. Thomas Hildebrandt, head of the reproduction management department at IZW, said the most recent test on Wednesday showed that Meng Meng's ovaries are activated, her uterus becomes much larger, and a small bulge is visible that could be one or two embryos.
 
"Although phantom pregnancies are relatively common in giant pandas, at the moment we are around 85 percent sure that Meng Meng is actually expecting," said Hildebrandt.
 
Moreover, experts say that Meng Meng's recent lethargy, lack of appetite and shunning contact with humans are all signs of her being pregnant.