Bei Bei’s 2019 departure from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, to join the giant panda breeding program in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve, left a big blank for fans. What made the loss of the adorable panda even more upset was the belief that his mother, Mei Xiang, was too old to have more cubs. However, on August21, 2020, the 22-year-old proved experts wrong by giving birth to a healthy cub.
“Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife, and with the birth of this precious cub we are thrilled to offer the world a much-needed moment of pure joy,” said Steve Monfort, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “Because Mei Xiang is of advanced pregnant age, we knew the chances of her having a cub were slim. However, we wanted to give her one more opportunity to contribute to her species’ survival. I am incredibly proud of our animal care and science teams, whose expert knowledge and skills in giant panda behavior were vital to this conservation success.”
The zookeepers, who witnessed the “miracle” birth on the live panda camera, say Mei Xiang took to her new cub instantly and has since been seen lovingly caring for it. Nutrition is significant for the survival of the precious cub. Newborn pandas, which weigh just three to five pounds at birth, are unable to crawl or see for about two months. They, therefore, entirely rely on the mother’s warmth, milk, and protection. It will be several days before the cub, whose sex is still unknown, can be brought out from its mother for a thorough physical exam. However, thus far, the cub, which can be heard squawking on the live camera feed, appears to be perfectly healthy.
The newborn’s parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, are part of the Zoo’s cooperative breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Similar to its brothers and sisters-Tai Shan, Bao Bao, and Bei Bei-upon turning four, the new baby panda will be sent to China to try to increase the numbers of the endangered species, which currently total just 1,864 specimens in the wild.
【小题1】Why was Bei Bei sent to China in 2019?| A．To reunite with his mother Mei Xiang in China. |
| B．To satisfy fans' desire in Wolong Nature Reserve. |
| C．To give birth to a cub in Wolong Nature Reserve. |
| D．To make contributions to the breeding of its species. |
| A．Mei Xiang's advanced age. | B．Mei Xiang's good physical health. |
| C．The efforts of the science team. | D．Careful management of the zookeepers. |
| A．The cub was blind due to an unexpected rare illness. |
| B．The cub’s parents were looking after it at present. |
| C．Panda lovers saw the birth of the cub on a live camera. |
| D．The zookeepers were not sure about the sex of the cub. |
| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
