San Diego Zoo’s Baby Panda Is a Female, Biologists Say
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SAN DIEGO — The mother of a baby panda left her den long enough to allow biologists to see that the cub is a girl.
The two-week-old female cub is starting to show distinct markings, with some dark coloring around her shoulders.
The cub remains nameless, however. The San Diego Zoo, where the panda was born Aug. 21, has submitted a request to China to name the cub Tian Yi, a gender-neutral name that means “Gift of Heaven.”
Since China owns both the cub and its parents, which are on loan to San Diego, authorities in that country must approve any name.
So far, there has been no word from Chinese authorities, who only received the request a few days ago, zoo spokeswoman Christina Simmons said Thursday.
Bai Yun, whose name means White Cloud, delivered the cub after an artificial insemination from Shi Shi, who is named for the town near where he was taken into captivity after being found injured.
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