Wednesday 2 May 2012

Female Panda Recovering After Artificial Insemination


The "black-and-white rock star" of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, female panda Mei Xiang, is recovering tonight (April 30) after being artificially inseminated with up to 800 million sperm.

This was the Washington, D.C.-based zoo's second try at inseminating the 13-year-old panda, after a first attempt on Sunday when scientists determined the semen they had collected from the male Tian Tian wasn't high enough quality for artificial insemination.

The scientists decided to try this technological intervention in the first place after a natural attempt fell flat.

"Veterinarians performed an artificial insemination Sunday night after they determined no competent natural breeding had occurred between Mei Xiang and male giant panda, Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN)," zoo officials wrote in a statement.

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