Zoo

Photo via National Zoo

From the National Zoo’s giant panda keeper Nicole MacCorkle:

“Mei Xiang is now venturing outside for breakfast, and is spending up to two hours away from the cub at a time. As the cub matures that time will increase, and eventually mother and cub will be comfortable spending many hours away from each other. That will also give us more time for training sessions with Mei and for checks on the cub, so cam watchers may notice that the cams may be focused on Mei when she’s away from the cub. We are using Mei’s time outside to do regular cub exams and weigh and measure the cub. Last week, we noticed that the cub is even sleeping through the exams! This makes sense, however, given Mei’s attentive maternal care. She nurses the cub before she goes outside for breakfast, allowing the cub to rest back in the den during her departure. Mei Xiang even took that opportunity to take a nap herself on Thursday, enjoying the cool fall air on her favorite resting spot on top of the grotto in her yard.

Keepers were able to weigh and measure the cub yesterday. She now weighs 7.7 pounds (3.5 kilos) and she’s 23 inches long (59 centimeters). Her right front paw measured in at 2.4 inches long (6 centimeters) and her hind paws at 3 inches (8 centimeters). Her eyes have opened a little more and are now almost fully open.”

Photo courtesy of the National Zoo

From the National Zoo:

“The cub has has another growth spurt since last week! She’s gained almost an entire pound since Friday, October 18. At her veterinary exam this morning she weighed in at 6.73 pounds (3.06 kilograms), and received her first vaccine.

Veterinarians reported that the cub is very healthy, and despite receiving a vaccine she rested comfortably through much of the exam. She is 16.5 inches (42 centimeters) around her belly and 19.29 inches (49 centimeters) long.

The cub has started crawling and can often be seen testing her new motor skills in the den on the panda cams, sponsored in part by the Ford Motor Company Fund. Visitors to the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat may see the cub’s mother, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), outside in the mornings around 8 a.m. She has been leaving the den and the cub for increasingly longer periods to go outside and to eat. This morning she was outside for a little more than an hour.”

Photo by Abby Wood, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Photo courtesy of National Zoo

From the National Zoo:

“The gates at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will open to the public Friday, October 18! The live animal cams were turned off during the government shutdown, including the panda cams. The Zoo’s Information Technology staff began the process of bringing the live animal cams back online Thursday morning, starting with the panda cams. The 15 different camera systems required federal resources, primarily staff, to operate and were deemed non-essential during a shutdown.

With the return of the cams, giant panda fans can once again watch the Zoo’s eight week-old cub and her mother Mei Xiang. Since the panda cams went dark the cub has grown and passed several developmental milestones. She weighs five pounds (2.557 kilograms), up from 3.07 pounds (1.39 kilograms) at her veterinary exam September 26. She also has partially opened her eyes. Keepers noticed that her right eye had started to open October 4. By October 11, both her eyes had partially opened. Her ears are also fully open and she now reacts to the noises she hears in the panda house. (more…)

Photo courtesy of the National Zoo

This one will have to hold us a while – from the National Zoo:

“On Saturday Mei came out of her den in the morning looking for food when keepers arrived. That’s the first time she’s done that since the cub was born, which tells keepers that her appetite is returning to normal. Lately, she’s been waiting until they place bamboo in her enclosure before she comes out. On Sunday she left the den for more than 30 minutes.

Regarding the panda cam: If the federal government shuts down October 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be closed to the public. In addition to all events being canceled and all gates into the Zoo being closed, none of our live animal cams—including the panda cam—will be broadcast. The cams require federal resources, primarily staff, to run and broadcast, and they were deemed not essential in the case of a shutdown.

All the animals will continue to be fed and cared for. A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user J Sonder

From the National Zoo:

“If the federal government shuts down on October 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be closed to the public. All programming and events will be canceled. All vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle paths into the Zoo will be closed. None of our live animal cams will broadcast.

All the animals will continue to be fed and cared for. A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.

For further updates and information, please check Facebook, Twitter, or our homepage.”

Photo courtesy of National Zoo

From the National Zoo:

“The panda team was able to perform another full veterinary exam on the cub today. Mei Xiang is routinely coming out of her den in the mornings to eat bamboo and drink. This morning when she left her den, the panda team closed the door that connects the den to her adjacent enclosure and retrieved the cub.

The exam went very well and the cub has grown substantially since last week. She now weighs 3.07 lbs. (1.395 kg), and she’s 11.4 inches (29 cm) around her belly. At her last exam, Sept. 16 she weighed in at just under 2lbs. and was 9.8 inches (25 cm) wide around her belly. Now she is over 14 inches (36 cm) long. And each of her paws is 1.5 inches (4 cm) long. Veterinarians listened to her heart and lungs, which sound healthy.

The cub is very active and keepers said she is very wiggly and squirmy. She’s trying to support her own weight. Her eyes have not opened yet, and won’t for a few more weeks. After the exam was completed, the panda team returned the cub to the den. When Mei Xiang came back to the den she immediately picked the cub up and started grooming her.”

Photo courtesy of National Zoo

From the National Zoo:

“Mei Xiang has started putting the cub down for longer periods of time! Over the weekend and this morning when the keepers entered her den to continue their den training routine, Mei placed the cub on the ground and focused on the keepers the entire time. She drank all the diluted apple juice keepers offered her in exchange for participating in the training session – and even seemed to want more after she had finished it. Mei also feels comfortable leaving the cub several times each day to eat and drink in her adjacent indoor enclosure.”