Just when you were thinking “hey, I haven’t heard anything about Mei Xiang’s new baby lately!” the National Zoo releases a brief update on the cub, which is starting to actually look cute. (Note: our earlier poll determined that, as of September 2, the cub was just barely cute, though of the people who participated, most just hated themselves for clicking on our poll).
In a quick update and subsequent video, the National Zoo says that they were able to examine the cub while Mei Xiang went on a bamboo excursion. They said he’s now weighing 409.6 grams—119 grams more than his last check up on September 2. The vets also said that his heart and lungs all sounded normal, he has a full belly, and “appeared to be healthy.”
Here’s that footage:
Mei Xiang left her den Saturday afternoon to eat and drink. She ate more bamboo than during her previous excursions away from the den, which is normal. Keepers expect Mei Xiang to gradually spend more time away from the den eating and drinking as the cub grows. While Mei Xiang was eating, veterinarians and keepers took the opportunity to give the cub another quick checkup. He weighed 409.6 grams, which was 119 grams more than he weighed on Sept. 2. His 297 percent weight increase is normal for a cub his age. Cubs at this stage usually gain between 40 and 55 grams per day. Veterinarians also listened to his heart and lungs, which all sounded normal. His eyes are still closed, which is normal. Cubs’ eyes generally open when they are 6 to 8 weeks old. He also had a full belly at the time of the exam and appeared to be healthy. #PandaStoryThis footage was captured by GoPros animal care staff were wearing during the exam.
Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Tuesday, September 8, 2015
And here you can vote, once more, to determine if the panda cub is cute yet, or nah:
