UPDATE 9:00 a.m. 8/28/2015: It’s a boy.
The surviving baby panda at the National Zoo is male, and was fathered by the zoo’s giant panda, Tian Tian, the zoo announced Friday. The cub who died Wednesday was also a male fathered by Tian Tian.
EARLIER:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The panda team at the National Zoo plans to reveal the gender of the giant panda cubs born recently, as well as which panda fathered the cubs.
The zoo says its scientists and veterinarians will announce the genders and paternities of the cubs on Friday. The cubs were born Saturday.
The smaller of the twin cubs died Wednesday. The cause of death has not been determined. Animal keepers say the larger cub continues to be healthy, active and nursing. Panda mother Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) is caring for the cub.
The zoo’s male panda Tian Tian is the father of Mei Xiang’s previous cubs. During this year’s panda breeding, Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated with semen from Tian Tian and another panda in China that was deemed a good genetic match.
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