National Zoo panda cub gets its first vet checkup
Mom Mei Xiang left the den, so the zoo staff could make sure the month-old cub is healthy.
By Christina Barron,
Panda keepers and veterinarians finally got an extended look recently at the cub born August 21 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington. Mom Mei Xiang (pronounced may-SHONG) left the small den September 19, and zookeepers were able to take the cub just outside the enclosure for a physical exam.
The cub has quickly grown much larger than the butterstick giant pandas are often compared with at birth. It weighed a little more than two pounds and measured 13.4 inches long, zoo staff said. It’s not obvious this early whether the cub is female or male, so veterinarian James Steeil swabbed inside its mouth to get DNA, genetic material that will reveal the sex of the cub. The zoo expects to share the news in a few weeks.
The cub, which was pinkish-white at birth, is starting to look more like a panda, with large patches of black-and-white fur. Its eyes were closed, as they have been since birth, but one eye was starting to open. Steeil listened to its heart and lungs, felt its stomach, and checked its arm and leg movements. He pronounced the cub to be in good health.
Mei Xiang was soon reunited with the cub, which made several loud squeals during the exam. The pair are expected to remain off public view for a couple of months. The cub’s siblings — Tai Shan, Bao Bao and Bei Bei — met the public when they were 4 or 5 months old.
Panda fans don’t need to wait until then to see the pair. You can watch and listen to mom and cub anytime on the Giant Panda Cam at national zoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam. Mei sometimes keeps the cub cradled close, but with a little patience you may see the two lying nose to nose in a snuggle.
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