Note: There may be periodic outages over the next couple of weeks as the zoo works on its infrastructure.
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You are watching live images of Mei Xiang, a giant panda, and her cub, Tai Shan, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The cub was born at 3:41 a.m. on Saturday, July 9. Zoo keepers were happy to see Mei Xiang cradling and cuddling her cub only two minutes after its birth.
Tai Shan received his name, which means "peaceful mountain," on Monday, Oct. 17. A total of 202,000 people voted in the naming contest, with "Tai Shan" earning 44 percent of the vote.
Meet the panda cub, Tai Shan.
See Tai Shan's latest photos.
About the Pandas
Mei Xiang is one of two adult giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) that live at the National Zoo. Tian Tian, (pronounced t-YEN t-YEN) which means "more and more," is the male and the larger of the two. Mei Xiang, (pronounced may-SHONG) which means "beautiful fragrance," is the female. Tai Shan, (pronounced tie-SHON) which means "peaceful mountain," is their first cub. During normal hours, you are most likely to see the bears eating bamboo or sleeping. But they are also notoriously playful, so you may also see them chase, bite and cuff one another.
The pandas are on loan to the zoo, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution, for ten years. During that time zoo scientists will study the bears as part of the international conservation effort to save this endangered species.
More Panda Features
Meet the Pandas
Get to know Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Tai Shan, and learn about pandas in the wild.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
There's never a dull moment at the zoo's Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat. Find out what the pandas have been up to today.
Animal Planet News
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