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9 things you never wanted to know about giant panda sex (but we asked anyway)

WASHINGTON — National Zoo giant panda Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated Thursday after zookeepers determined she appeared to be in heat.

From peeing on trees to walking backward — here are some things to know about the breeding process and panda reproduction, courtesy of the experts at the National Zoo.

No time for dating: Mei Xiang is only capable of conceiving a cub for 24-72 hours, once a year. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

tian tian — How you like me now: To show he’s interested, Tian Tian does “urine hopping” — which looks like hopping on one foot while urinating. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

tian tian — Acrobatic: To woo, Tian Tian tries to make urine marks as high as possible on trees and structures, by doing a handstand. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

mei xian — Back it up: If Mei Xiang is in the mood, she’ll raise her tail and walk backward toward Tian Tian. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

Hard to get: In the wild, a female avoids males until she is ready to breed. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

Really, it happens to everybody: Although given the opportunity almost every year, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have never consummated their relationship. Never. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

I’ve gotta get going: The couple is separated immediately after a breeding attempt, because the male gets aggressive when the female’s hormones drop. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

Let’s just cuddle: As Mei Xiang’s hormone levels drop, she may want to interact with Tian Tian. By then, he’s lost interest. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

Awwww: Panda gestation length is about 135 days. If a baby is born, its size is inevitably compared to a butter stick. This is Bei Bei. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)

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Neal Augenstein

Neal Augenstein has been a general assignment reporter with WTOP since 1997. He says he looks forward to coming to work every day, even though that means waking up at 3:30 a.m.

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