Smaller of twin panda cubs has died, National Zoo says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington’s National Zoo says one of its two newborn panda cubs has died after three and a half days.

The zoo’s adult female panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to the first cub Saturday at 5:35 p.m. and a second cub about five hours later. If both cubs had survived, they would have been the 17-year-old panda’s third and fourth surviving offspring. The zoo says the remaining cub appears to be strong and behaving normally.

This isn’t the first time that Mei Xiang has lost a cub. A stillborn cub was born in 2013. And in 2012, Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub that died after just six days.

Mei Xiang has two other surviving cubs born in 2005 and 2013.