Amid a devastating year, the National Zoo is hoping for some black-and-white good news: Mei Xiang the giant panda is pregnant and could give birth any day.
The Washington, D.C., zoo reported Monday that veterinarians spotted the fetus "kicking and swimming" and are hoping for a healthy cub "in the coming days."
"Keep your paws crossed!" the zoo tweeted, along with Mei Xiang's ultrasound.
Veterinarians first detected signs of pregnancy on Friday, but warned that it was too early to determine if the fetus would be viable.
"In the middle of a pandemic, this is a joyful moment we can all get excited about," chief veterinarian Don Neiffer said in a statement.
Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated in late March with semen from the zoo's male panda, Tian Tian, but panda embryos typically don't attach to the uterine wall until weeks or months later.
As of late July, Mei Xiang was "sleeping more, eating less, nest-building and has been observed body licking," all typical signs of pregnancy, according to the zoo.
Mei Xiang has given birth to six cubs at the National Zoo, but only three have survived into adulthood; all have been sent back to China as part of the cooperative breeding agreement.
