This handout photo provided by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, taken Aug. 29, 2013, shows teh zoo’s Panda mother Mei Xiang with her cub at the zoo in Washington. The zoo said Thursday its 2-week-old giant panda cub is female. The Washington zoo also revealed Thursday that the cub’s father is National Zoo panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Smithsonian’s National Zoo)WASHINGTON – It’s a girl!
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo announced Thursday that its 2-week-old giant panda cub is female and her father is National Zoo panda Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN).
Panda mother Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) was artificially inseminated with sperm from Tian Tian, as well as a panda named Gao Gao at the San Diego Zoo. It takes time to determine a cub’s gender, and a DNA sample was collected to determine the paternity of the cub born Aug. 23.
The second stillborn cub delivered a day later was also female and also sired by Tian Tian, officials said. The cubs were fraternal twins.
Keepers performed a den check Thursday morning and all the signs show that the mother and cub continue to be healthy, Senior Curator Brandie Smith said. The cub is also starting to develop dark markings in her fur around the eyes, ears and back.