Results tagged “panda”

The Post offered up a panda pregnancy update this morning that contained nary a scrap of news. Not that we can blame Michael Ruane for teasing us with vague reports that Mei Xiang has refused to allow zookeepers to perform an ultrasound on her of late. (She did the same thing when she was pregnant with Tai Shan! But that doesn't necessarily mean anything!). Panda Fever is practically a religion around these parts, and with young Tai Shan now almost fully grown, D.C. is starting to get desperate for a brand new bundle of joy. It's been nearly three years of false pregnancies for Mei Xiang in the interim (not to mention the 4+ years before her only successful pregnancy), and we should know either way in the next couple of days whether the latest attempt at artificial insemination has worked. Either a new little stick o' butter will shoot out of Mei's uterus, or we'll have to settle for just another false alarm. In the meantime, the zoo's Panda House remains closed until further notice.

As if an anteater pup, a baby gorilla, and fluffy leopard cubs weren't enough: the AP is reporting that the National Zoo is temporarily closing the panda house to determine whether or not Mei Xiang is having a cub. The most recent round of insemination from Tian Tian was in January -- Mei Xiang has been sprucing up the den and doing some cuddling recently, so who knows? Drink from the water fountains at the Zoo at your own risk, people.

Yesterday, NBCWashington.com got exclusive access into the operating room during Butterstick's colonoscopy -- and there's good news: the big guy's got a completely clean bill of health.

Nbcwashington.com alerts us to the fact that Tai Shan, D.C.'s favorite panda son, has to get a colonoscopy today at the National Zoo. Apparently the 'stick has a little case of colitis, which must be horribly embarrassing for him when it acts up while he's entertaining his many fans. Any DCist readers with colonoscopy experience care to offer some pearls of wisdom to the furball? All we can think is to suggest relaxing, lying back and thinking of England, but that doesn't seem quite right.

The fickle nature of the giant panda's reproductive system has foiled us once again. The National Zoo gave up the ghost this morning and announced that Mei Xiang's latest maybe-pregnancy won't result in an adorable panda cub for us to hug and squeeze and love forever.

It was three years ago today that the National Zoo welcomed Tai Shan into the world. We fell in love immediately with the little fella, whom we named after the first press release deemed him the "size of a stick of butter." The Zoo later officially gave him a different name (despite our best efforts otherwise).

According to a press release today from National Zoo Director John Barry, the earthquake that devastated some areas of China on May 12 put the Wolong Panda Reserve and the viability of its programs at risk.

The Associated Press has a shameful story this morning accusing the National Zoo's beloved panda cub, Tai Shan (aka Butterstick), of injuring a zookeeper. Pandas don't do anything wrong, AP! They are only adorable and cuddly and lovable and that's all. Didn't you get the memo?