Officials at Zoo Atlanta were delighted when they learned that Lun Lun, a 15-year-old giant panda, is expecting, according to WSB-TV.
Veterinarians expect that the cub, which will be Lun Lun's fourth, should be born in roughly two weeks. In order to determine when the cub would be born veterinarians reviewed details from Lun Lun's previous pregnancy. When Po, a male, was two weeks from being born he was roughly 1 centimeter long; an ultrasound showed that the fetus is 1.08 centimeters long now, according to the Associated Press.
Zoo staff will be able to monitor Lun Lun's condition with the help of hormone tests performed by Dr. Dave Kersey, an expert in panda endocrinology from Western University of Health Sciences, according to the Associated Press.
The ultrasounds were taken because Lun Lun had been exhibiting behavior indicative of either pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy. The cub will be the first giant panda cub born within the U.S. this year, according to the Associated Press.
"We're thrilled about the possibility of a fourth cub for Lun Lun, but we remain cautiously optimistic at this point. Giant panda cubs are extremely fragile, and the chance remains that the fetus does not go to term," Raymond B. King, president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, said. "A birth would be another success for our giant panda program, and we share our optimism with our fellow U.S. zoos housing this iconic species and with our colleagues at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China."
Veterinarians artificially inseminated Lun Lun in March; pandas rarely reproduce in captivity without the assistance of artificial insemination. The expected cub will be the fourth that Lun Lun has had with her mate Yang Yang. All three of their cubs have been male; Mei Lan, Xi Lan and Po.
Newborn pandas are tiny, blind and completely hairless at birth. On average they weigh a mere 3-5 oz. and demand all of their mother's attention for close to 3 months, according to animalfactguide.com.
