スミソニアン国立動物園さんのインスタグラム写真 - (スミソニアン国立動物園Instagram)「🐼 We artificially inseminated #MeiXiang last night! 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬Scientists and keepers had been closely monitoring Mei Xiang’s behavior and hormones during the past two weeks since she began displaying behavioral changes. She was increasingly restless, was spending more time scent-marking, and was vocalizing. #TianTian was very sensitive to the changes and was calling to Mei Xiang and watching her through the “howdy” windows. Hormone reports showed a peak in Mei Xiang’s estrogen levels the evening of March 27, which meant she was ovulating and able to become pregnant. The window a giant panda is able to conceive a cub each year is only 24-to-72 hours. Our scientists know that the optimal time for Mei Xiang to conceive a cub is between 24 and 36 hours after she ovulates. The procedure used semen collected from Tian Tian. The panda team will not know if the artificial insemination was successful for several months. Pandas’ hormones and behavior mimic a pregnancy even if they are not pregnant, which is called a pseudopregnancy. The only way to determine if a female is pregnant before she gives birth is to see a developing fetus on an ultrasound. Veterinarians will begin tracking changes in Mei Xiang’s reproductive tract in a few months with regular ultrasounds. #PandaStory . . @fonznationalzoo」3月29日 20時04分