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Happy Birth Day to Mei?
Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice over two days two months ago. The truth of her condition could emerge in 30 to 50 days.
(By Gerald Martineau -- The Washington Post)
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Tian Tian and Mei Xiang have adjoining yards along the zoo's Asia Trail and continue to spend time together. But interaction will cease as Mei Xiang's apparent or actual pregnancy progresses.
When Mei Xiang "starts to exhibit nesting behavior, she will stay inside, and [Tian Tian] will not have contact," Gibbons said. "Obviously if she has a cub, then he's not going to be with her at all."
News that Mei Xiang could be pregnant came as no surprise to panda fan Jeri Brechner and others in Pandas Unlimited, a 1,700-member fan club that chronicles every bit of panda info from the zoo.
"We've had a pregnancy watch going on for two months," Brechner said. "We watch the hormone levels every morning."
If there is a cub on the way, he or she will have a lot to live up to: Older brother Tai Shan's birth generated TV specials, merchandise and much oohing and aahing, Brechner said.
"He's just gorgeous," she said. "He's absolutely gorgeous."
Pandas Unlimited members are already collecting for Tai Shan's second birthday present and planning a birthday dinner at the zoo. The group's head, Frances Nguyen, said that all 100 tickets for the party have sold out, at $45 a pop, with people coming from around the world.
Tai Shan originally was expected to be shipped back to China this summer, but the zoo recently negotiated a deal to extend his stay until 2009.
Any future cubs would stay at the zoo for at least two years, Gibbons said.
Staff writer Omar Fekeiki contributed to this report.
