via the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
From the Smithsonian’s National Zoo:
“Tomorrow, our giant panda cub will be eight weeks old! Mei Xiang has always been a devoted mother to her cubs, and this little guy is no exception. She still spends the majority of her time in the den with him. Lately, he’s been practicing crawling in the area where there is no bedding. An ever-watchful mom, Mei Xiang allows her son to let out some of his energy but doesn’t let him venture too far.
He was much more feisty yesterday than he has been for past exams and barked as he was being measured. Since his last weigh-in Oct. 7, he gained a pound. Now, he tips the scales at 2.47 kilograms (5.4 pounds). From the tip of his nose to the base of his tail, he measured 16.5 inches. His biggest gain, however, was around his midsection. He went from a 13.7-inch abdominal girth to 15.9 inches–a 2.2-inch increase!”