Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/national-zoo-mourns-the-death-of-week-old-panda-cub Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter National Zoo Mourns the Death of Week-Old Panda Cub Science Sep 23, 2012 9:18 PM EDT Mei Xiang on Sept. 17 with her cub. The cub died unexpectedly on the morning of Sept. 23. Image by Smithsonian’s National Zoo. On Sunday, at 9:17 a.m. ET, panda keepers at Smithonian’s National Zoo heard distressed noises coming from Mei Xiang, the female giant panda. On the Panda Cam, zookeepers saw that her week-old cub was no longer moving. A team of zookeepers retrieved the cub from the den and found the baby was not breathing and did not have a heart beat. They performed CPR, but veterinarians were unable to revive the cub. Pamela Baker-Masson, associate director of communications for the zoo, said the cub, which did not yet have a name, showed no apparent signs of trauma or disease. It weighed just under 4 ounces. A necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. The NewsHour will have more on this story later this week as more details are released. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now
Mei Xiang on Sept. 17 with her cub. The cub died unexpectedly on the morning of Sept. 23. Image by Smithsonian’s National Zoo. On Sunday, at 9:17 a.m. ET, panda keepers at Smithonian’s National Zoo heard distressed noises coming from Mei Xiang, the female giant panda. On the Panda Cam, zookeepers saw that her week-old cub was no longer moving. A team of zookeepers retrieved the cub from the den and found the baby was not breathing and did not have a heart beat. They performed CPR, but veterinarians were unable to revive the cub. Pamela Baker-Masson, associate director of communications for the zoo, said the cub, which did not yet have a name, showed no apparent signs of trauma or disease. It weighed just under 4 ounces. A necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. The NewsHour will have more on this story later this week as more details are released. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now