Good news, panda fans!
The National Zoo in Washington D.C. has been cleared to negotiate a new lease on its two giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, which, like all pandas in the U.S., are leased from China.
The previous 10-year lease cost $10 million, but Zoo Director Dennis W. Kelly was in China last week seeking to negotiate a new arrangement.
No word on exactly how much it will cost to keep the panda’s this time, but the zoo said that the details are being worked out and should be ready to announce next month.
The zoo desperately wants the pair to produce cubs for research purposes, but unfortunately the pair has only produced one male in 2005, who was shipped to China as part of the agreement between the country and the zoo.
Nine cubs have been produced in recent years at four other U.S. zoos, but experts worry that if Mei Xiang has not been able to get pregnant in recent years, it is unlikely she will in the future.
We really hope those experts are wrong, because we’d love to see more of the endangered species being produced, especially here in America.
The zoo isn’t giving up on Mei Xiang either.
Scientists are planning for Mei Xiang’s upcoming breeding season, which usually lasts from the middle of January until spring and do not plan on moving her during her pregnancy watch.
Good luck to the zoo staff and more importantly, Mei Xiang!
Hopefully 2011 will be the year of the panda (at the zoo at least)!
[Image via AP Images.]
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