Panda cub born at National Zoo

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The National Zoological Park in Washington said panda Mei Xiang has given birth to a cub and is being "a perfect panda mom."

Suzan Murray, the zoo's chief veterinarian, said the panda cub was born around 10:46 p.m. Sunday and is being monitored via cameras to allow Mei Xiang to raise the cub naturally.

"Mei Xiang is behaving exactly the same way she did when (previous cub) Tai Shan was born," Murray said. "She is cradling her cub closely, and she looks so tired, but every time she tries to lay down, the cub squawks and she sits right up and cradles the cub more closely. She is the poster child for a perfect panda mom."