Giant Panda Ling-Ling Pregnancy False Alarm
America’s female giant panda Ling-Ling, expected to give birth last weekend after exhibiting strong signs of impending motherhood, likely experienced a false pregnancy, a National Zoo official said today.
The aging giant panda, who has had four previous cubs but none that lived beyond four days, sparked hopes she would give birth after showing hormonal and behavioral changes indicative of pregnancy. Those signs are faltering, Dr. Robert Hoage said, and a round-the-clock “panda watch” probably will be called off Monday.
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