But when a natural mating fails, the San Diego Zoo makes a decision to try artificial insemination. In the summer of 1999, about four months after a third artificial insemination procedure, cameras observe Bai Yun building a nest in a den constructed by researchers to resemble the shape of a hollow tree. Excitement mounts, but questions loom about whether she is pregnant, until an ultrasound image confirms the presence of a fetus. Concerns then shift to the success of the pending birth , Bai Yun s untested skills as a mother, and unknown factors that may endanger the newborn. The series is made possible in part by Park Foundation.
Additional support is provided by the nation s public television stations.
This web companion to the weekly series contains in-depth information and colorful graphics for each program.