After relaying the sad news of the stillborn panda cub, the National Zoo says Mei Xiang’s living cub is “robust, fully formed and is a bright, healthy shade of pink.”
Butterstick II, whose sex will not be determined for two to three weeks, underwent a neonatal exam this morning and weighs 137 grams, according to the Zoo. “The cub is nursing and digesting successfully. It had a full belly at the time of the exam,” a release said. “Keepers and veterinarians report that the cub is healthy, active and vibrant.”
The question — Who’s the cub’s daddy? — won’t be determined for a few weeks. Mei Xiang was inseminated with samples from both the National Zoo’s Tian Tian and the San Diego Zoo’s Gao Gao. Based on the first photos of the cub, it’s hard to say which possible papa panda he or she looks more like.