Abby Wood, National Zoo.

Abby Wood, National Zoo.

There’s really only one way to end the week: With an adorable photo of Bao Bao.

The National Zoo’s panda cub, who got her name on Sunday, now weighs 12.76 pounds. While she’s not eating on her own yet, according to the Zoo, she is “putting bamboo in her mouth in an exploratory sort of way.”

Mei is beginning to take Bao Bao out of the den and into the large enclosure more frequently, even putting her up on the rockwork and allowing her to climb around on the lower level of the rockwork. The keepers have “baby-proofed” the panda enclosure by putting hay behind the rockwork to cushion any possible falls.

Like any human toddler, Bao Bao is still figuring out how to walk and move. The keepers noted her practicing walking quite a bit yesterday, and by this morning found her walking all over the place. It won’t be long until she’s a pro at all speeds and directions of panda locomotion!

That’s right: It’s almost panda locomotion time.

Filed Under: bao bao, national zoo, panda cub, Panda locomotion,