Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/national-zoo-mourns-death-of-panda-cub Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Story “Every loss is hard. This one is especially difficult,” said Dennis Kelly, director of Smithsonian’s National Zoo. On Sunday morning zookeepers heard a distressed sound from Mei Xiang, their female panda. Her cub was not moving. After multiple resuscitation efforts the cub passed away. Zookeepers are investigating possible causes of death.