Zoo Atlanta announces panda pregnancy

ATLANTA — Veterinarians at Zoo Atlanta have confirmed that giant panda Lun Lun is expecting her fourth cub.

Lun Lun, a 15 year-old giant panda, has had three previous offspring, all of which were artificially inseminated. Lun Lun's current pregnancy was also artificially inseminated.

"We're thrilled about the possibility of a fourth cub for Lun Lun, but we remain cautiously optimistic at this point. Giant panda cubs are extremely fragile, and the chance remains that the fetus does not go to term," said Raymond King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta.

Lun Lun was impregnated in March and is expected to give birth in the next two to three weeks, according to the animal Management and Veterinary Teams.

"A birth would be another success for our giant panda program, and we share our optimism with our fellow U.S. zoos housing this iconic species and with our colleagues at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China," said King.

Lun Lun's cub will be the first giant panda cub to be born in the United States this year.

WSBTV