China News Service, Chengdu, November 11 (Shan Peng Anyuan) China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center responded to netizens' concerns about the breeding and breeding of the American giant panda "Mei Xiang" on the 11th through its official WeChat platform.
According to reports, the Washington Zoo provides "Meixiang" with 60 to 100 pounds of yellow trough bamboo and arrow bamboo every day. It also provides supplementary foods such as bamboo shoots, cooked sweet potatoes, whole grain biscuits, carrots, apples, pears and sugar cane, as well as "fruit and vegetable popsicles" ( Frozen food made from diluted apple juice or grape juice with fruit slices in it) as an extra bonus food, food is distributed 4 to 6 times a day.
Giant panda eats.
Photo courtesy of China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center
The China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center revealed that indoor pacing of giant pandas is normal.
At around 7 in the morning, the breeder cleaned the outdoor exhibition area, placed food and prepared to open the gate to let the pandas go out.
The giant panda walking around indoors before going out is a sign of excitement.
According to behavioral observation and analysis, the tweets of "Mei Xiang" are mainly based on three situations: one is to be wary of outdoor bird calls, the other is to express excitement about the food they are about to get, and the third is to communicate between "Mei Xiang" and the baby.
In terms of breeding venues and staffing, the indoor exhibition area of the daily activities of "Meixiang" and "Tiantian" is about 250 square meters, and the outdoor exhibition area is about 2,700 square meters. The Washington Zoo has 4 full-time keepers who are dedicated to the giant panda "Mei Xiang" In addition to the daily life of "Tian Tian", the zoo also equips the giant panda with a professional animal nutrition team, which makes food ratio and production according to its physical condition and nutritional balance.
Giant panda eats.
Photo courtesy of China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center
The China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center stated that artificial insemination is an important technical means to save endangered wild animals.
The male giant panda "Tian Tian" at Washington Zoo has been unable to successfully mate with "Mei Xiang". Therefore, artificial insemination and insemination methods are used for breeding to help giant pandas "Mei Xiang" and "Tian Tian" breed their offspring.
In order to ensure the safety of giant pandas and their staff, artificial insemination under general anesthesia is the safest and most effective method.
The technology is very mature. The pandas are subjected to general anesthesia one to two times a year to carry out physical examinations or semen collection and insemination, which will not affect the health of the pandas.
After being awake from anesthesia, the giant panda can resume normal life and eating the next day.
After the panda "Meixiang" gave birth, in order to make "Meixiang" who nurture the cubs feel safer, the "birth room" imitated the panda's littering nest in the wild and chose a venue with smaller space and weaker light in the panda venue.
At present, the cubs of "Meixiang" are over 80 days old, and their body shape and coat are normal, and they can basically withstand environmental temperature changes. At present, "Meixiang" weighs 106 kilograms, and his physical health has recovered significantly. Washington Zoo is also equipped with a veterinary team responsible for the medical care of the giant pandas. They regularly monitor and inspect the health status of "Meixiang" and its cubs every week. The latest examination results of "Meixiang" and its cubs are normal. (Finish)