Washington mourns panda cub death

  • World
Panda cubs like this one are notoriously fragile and are prone to infections or even being crushed by their mothers (Library image)

In a city in the grip of a bitter election and partisan politics, a week ago there was a single piece of news that all of Washington could celebrate: the birth of a baby Giant Panda at the National Zoo.

Mei Xiang's baby - still unnamed - was born to much surprise and joy on September 16th.

But to much heartbreak in this normally unemotional city, the Smithsonian Institution that runs the zoo has just announced that the cub had died.

This is their full statement: