Community Chat

[Marp]

The giant panda at the National Zoo gave birth Saturday afternoon.

The Zoo tweeted that Mei Xiang gave birth at 5:35 p.m. The panda's water broke around 4 p.m., officials said. It could be months, however,

At a press conference Saturday evening, officials said they do not know the sex or the paternity of the cub, but both will be determined.

Balance of article and links to live cam:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/22/national-zoo-giant-panda-believed-labor/3220186...

Mei Xiang, a giant female panda at the Smithsonian Zoo, has given birth to her third cub.

[tansy]

Congratulations to Mei Xiang! 🐼🐼🐼

[MyGirlsMom]

I saw this on the evening news 

[Adelina]

Thanks for this @Marp! 

[sunshine45]

i LIKE this thread marp!!!!! thanks for making it POSITIVE @Marp

i enjoyed the panda story.....

how amazing is this story and why cant we find a way to make it happen in the USA?

India establishes world’s first 100 percent solar-powered airport

In a move that’s expected to save 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 25 years, the state of Cochin on the southwest coast of India has transitioned its airport to 100 percent solar power. 

As of May 2016, the airport will run on 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres in a nearby cargo complex, and not only will the contribution to the environment be equivalent to planting 3 million trees, it will produce the power equivalent to run 10,000 homes each year.

http://www.sciencealert.com/india-establishes-world-s-first-100-percent-solar-powered-airport

[Adelina]

@sunshine45, the India story is amazing! I had not heard about it before your post. Thanks! You should start a separate thread on it because I am sure that would create much discussion. 

[hsawaknow]

IM so happy and hope they all surfive and live long full lives.

[sunshine45]

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@Adelina wrote:

@sunshine45, the India story is amazing! I had not heard about it before your post. Thanks! You should start a separate thread on it because I am sure that would create much discussion. 

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thanks @Adelina ......i love the idea of having a positive thread about great things going on around the world.....i was amazed that this news story has not gotten more press.

[sunshine45]

@Marp

even MORE exciting panda news.......a SECOND cub was born a little after 10pm this evening!

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/08/22/national-zoo-panda-mei-xiang-appears-to-be-in-labor/

[Marp]

National Zoo staff are helping giant panda Mei Xiang adjust to life with her newborn twins by occasionally switching out one cub and keeping it in an incubator, zoo officials said on Sunday.

Mei Xiang, a star tourist draw, took staff by surprise on Saturday by giving birth to twins about four-and-a-half hours apart. Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered species and she had been artificially inseminated.

Laurie Thompson, a giant panda biologist, said she and other staff had monitored Mei Xiang to see if she was strong enough to pick up the second cub on her own.

"She was really struggling. She was trying but she wasn't able to pick up both of the cubs ... At the right moment, we were able to go in and grab one of the cubs and take it out safely when Mei Xiang was not really close to it," Thompson told reporters.

One cub was placed in an incubator in line with protocol when twins are born.

Dr. Don Neiffer, the zoo's chief veterinarian, said the first few hours after birth were critical for the panda cubs, especially since they have almost no fur. 

"They are not able to thermo-regulate very well and they need to constantly be receiving some calories and fuel for the furnace," he said.

To track each cub's progress, officials are measuring and weighing each cub as they switch them out.

Balance of article and more photos:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/23/us-usa-panda-idUSKCN0QR0U420150823