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Berlin Zoo Hopes for More German-born Giant Pandas as Scans Confirm Pregnancy

FILE -In this April 5, 2019 file photo taken through a window female panda Meng Meng eats bamboo at its enclosure at the zoo in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file)
FILE -In this April 5, 2019 file photo taken through a window female panda Meng Meng eats bamboo at its enclosure at the zoo in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file)
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Berlin Zoo Hopes for More German-born Giant Pandas as Scans Confirm Pregnancy

FILE -In this April 5, 2019 file photo taken through a window female panda Meng Meng eats bamboo at its enclosure at the zoo in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file)
FILE -In this April 5, 2019 file photo taken through a window female panda Meng Meng eats bamboo at its enclosure at the zoo in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file)

The Berlin Zoo has much anticipated news: Meng Meng the panda is pregnant again, months after the first giant pandas born in Germany were sent to China, The Associated Press reported.
The zoo said Tuesday that ultrasound scans over the weekend showed Meng Meng is expecting two cubs. They still have plenty of growing to do but the zoo expects the birth at the end of August, if all goes well, it said.
Meng Meng and male panda Jiao Qing arrived in Berlin in 2017. In August 2019, Meng Meng gave birth to Pit and Paule, also known by the Chinese names Meng Xiang und Meng Yuan, the first giant pandas born in Germany.
The twins were a star attraction in Berlin, but they were flown to China in December — a trip that was contractually agreed from the start but delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. China gifted friendly nations with its unofficial mascot for decades as part of a “panda diplomacy″ policy. The country now loans pandas to zoos on commercial terms.
Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcomed. There are about 1,800 pandas living in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity worldwide.
Meng Meng was artificially inseminated in March. The zoo noted that female pandas are only capable of reproducing for about 72 hours per year.

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Saudi Arabia’s Dugong Protection Efforts Take Center Stage at Environment Week 2025 

The Saudi government, through the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), is implementing specialized programs aimed at safeguarding the species from the threat of extinction. (SPA)
The Saudi government, through the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), is implementing specialized programs aimed at safeguarding the species from the threat of extinction. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Dugong Protection Efforts Take Center Stage at Environment Week 2025 

The Saudi government, through the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), is implementing specialized programs aimed at safeguarding the species from the threat of extinction. (SPA)
The Saudi government, through the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), is implementing specialized programs aimed at safeguarding the species from the threat of extinction. (SPA)

The dugong (Dugong dugon) continues to be a vital symbol of biodiversity in Saudi Arabia. The vulnerable mammal serves as a sensitive environmental indicator reflecting the health and stability of marine ecosystems, safely swimming in the warm coastal waters of Saudi Arabia. The dugong has captured public imagination, intertwining marine legends with environmental reality, merging the wonder of folklore with scientific significance.

During Saudi Environment Week 2025, efforts to protect the dugong took center stage in national events, highlighting its status as a species that is vulnerable to extinction, necessitating responsibilities from researchers, environmental enthusiasts, and policymakers.

The Saudi government, through the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), is implementing specialized programs aimed at safeguarding the species from the threat of extinction. Initiatives include satellite tracking and scientific studies that monitor the dugong's distribution in Saudi territorial waters, as well as national plans to manage and rehabilitate its natural habitats, ensuring the sustainability of its marine environment and creating suitable conditions for its reproduction and survival.

Beyond the local level, Saudi Arabia has also emphasized enhancing international cooperation in this field. In 2013, the country signed an agreement to protect the dugong and its habitats and has actively participated in global environmental initiatives, including the Pacific Year of the Dugong, launched in 2011.

Throughout Saudi Environment Week, the NCW showcased its latest studies on the dugong and provided educational awareness programs for visitors, students, and enthusiasts. The NCW focused on the significance of the dugong within the ecological balance and the necessity of preserving its habitats. The center demonstrated modern tracking technologies used to monitor the dugong and understand its movements.