Smithsonian Panda Cub is All Ears During Latest Health Check

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: October 18, 2020 5:00 pm

The panda cub is measured during his health check

Photo Credit: Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo have provided an update on their giant panda cub as he approaches 8 weeks old. The cub now has both his eyes and his ears open.

Mei Xiang, the mother of the cub is proving to be a devoted mother once again with her fourth cub. Currently she spends most of her time in the den with him. She has been allowing him to practice his crawling in the den. His mother lets him burn off some energy without getting too far away.

Recently she has been taking him on small adventures to the door and even slightly in to their enclosure. As he continues to grow these will become more frequent.

When Mei Xiang does leave the cub alone keepers take the opportunity to perform a health check. This occurred on October 14th when she left to eat a fruitsicle made from frozen apple juice.

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The giant panda cub during his latest health check

Photo Credit: Smithsonian’s National Zoo

During this exam keepers were able to confirm that his ears have opened. He responded to the noise of the door as keepers entered the den and turned his head to work out where voices were coming from as keepers carried out their exam.

Since keepers last performed an exam a week ago he has gained a pound and now tips the scales at 2.47 kilograms (5.4 pounds). From his nose to the base of his tail he now measures in at 41.91cm (16.5in) long.

Learn more about giant pandas here – Giant Panda Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about Smithsonian’s National Zoo on their website – Smithsonian’s National Zoo