The Smithsonian National Zoo revealed the gender of its giant panda cub: It’s a boy!
Zookeepers made the big reveal online Monday, unwrapping a blue abstract painting made by the panda’s father, Tian Tian.
The cub was born to Mei Xiang, the zoo’s female giant panda, six weeks ago.
The gender was confirmed by cheek swab.
“That’s really awesome,” said one of the keepers. “So this will be Mei’s third male. I was secretly hoping for a boy, so I’m pretty excited about it.”
The zoo wasn’t sure Mei Xiang would be able to have another cub, but at 22, she is the oldest giant panda to ever successfully give birth in the United States.
Only a few zoos in the U.S. have giant pandas, all of which are owned by China. Pandas in the U.S. have been allowed to remain here on a loaner contract as part of conservation efforts. Within the next few years, this latest cub will have to be sent back to China.
Giant pandas are considered a vulnerable species. Fewer than 2,000 are estimated to exist in the wild.
