National Zoo performs AI on Mei Xiang
The National Zoo’s giant panda mating season began early for the third consecutive year with female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian attempting to mate January 29. Mei Xiang continues her January ovulation pattern that started in 2009; historically her estrus occurred in March or April.
In accordance with the new Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement, reproductive experts from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong and experts from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute will collaborate on the breeding plan for Mei Xiang and Tian Tian for 2011 and 2012. Tang Chunxiang, the Chinese Center’s chief veterinarian, flew to Washington D.C. last week to work with the Zoo’s panda team.
On Jan. 29, Tang, alongside Zoo scientists and veterinarians, performed the first of two nonsurgical artificial inseminations on Mei Xiang after it was determined that competent natural breeding between the pair had not occurred. Due in part to the bears’ rigorous attempts at natural mating, efforts to retrieve semen from Tian Tian was not successful. The team decided to thaw high-quality semen of Tian Tian collected and frozen in 2005. Mei Xiang was then anesthetized for the procedure. A second artificial insemination was performed Jan. 30.
Source: National Zoo
