Dead panda cub had liver abnormality: U.S. zoo

U.S. National Zoo said Monday a panda cub that died several days after its birth there had liver abnormality.

After performing a necropsy, experts found the dead cub's heart and lungs looked good, which suggests that it did not suffocate, the zoo said in a statement. The only abnormalities the veterinarians have detected so far were some fluid in its abdomen and a slightly abnormal liver.

The panda cub, born at the zoo on Sept. 16, was found dead on Sept. 23. The zoo said the mother, Mei Xiang, was doing fine on Monday.

The zoo said the cub appeared to be a female, and weighed a little less than 100 grams.

The zoo also said there were no signs of trauma, external or internal on the body of the cub, which means that it was not crushed. There was a little milk in the cub's gastrointestinal tract.

The zoo said it will continue to search for the cause of the cub's death, and is working closely with experts in China.

Mei Xiang gave birth to her first cub, Tai Shan, in 2005. Tai Shan now lives in China. The zoo now houses Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, a pair of giant pandas on loan from China.