WASHINGTON - US National Zoo on Monday announced Giant Panda Mei Xiang has given birth to a cub.

Photo taken on Dec 19 shows Giant Panda Mei Xiang who gave birth to a cub on Sept 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

The zoo's chief veterinarian Suzan Murray said the cub was born at about 10:46 pm on September 16. She said "Mei Xiang is behaving exactly the same way she did when Tai Shan was born. 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."

The zoo said in a statement that experts believe there is only one cub. For now, the only way animal care staff can monitor the cub is using the web cams installed in the panda's habitat, and their intent is for Mei Xiang to raise this cub naturally.

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