Since the online magazine you're currently on is called Bored Panda, needless to say, the appropriate thing for us to do would be to write about these adorable creatures every once in a while. And today, we've got something really special prepared.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute has recently released a precious video capturing their little 1-month-old panda cub getting its first-ever veterinary exam. The video was shared on their official Twitter account and it currently has over 2.6K likes and more than 500 retweets.
The little cub was born on August 21 to a giant 22-year-old panda named Mei Xiang
Image credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo
Apparently, the zoo performed the tests and filmed this little video while the cub's mom was busy. According to examination results, the little baby panda is strong and healthy!
"Last Friday, Sept. 25, our giant panda cub had a brief exam. Keepers say it is strong, healthy, and growing nicely into the signature panda 'plump,'" reads the description of the video the zoo shared.
"Our plump panda cub is almost as round as it is long!" announced the zoo
The mom, Mei Xiang, gave birth to the little cub on August 21. Turns out, the panda was artificially inseminated. "Mei Xiang turned 22 years old July 22. She is the oldest giant panda in the United States and the second oldest documented in the world to give birth. This is also the first time a Zoo in the United States has experienced a successful pregnancy and birth via artificial insemination using only frozen semen," reads the official website of the zoo.
According to the exam, the little cub is strong and healthy
Image credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo
"As of this morning, the cub weighed 1,337 grams, or just under three pounds. From nose to tail tip, it measured 35.5 centimeters, or 13.9 inches (its tail accounts for two of those inches)," announced the zoo right after the examination. "For the first time, we had a chance to measure the cub’s abdominal girth as well. Its back and belly measured 32 centimeters, or 12.5 inches in circumference. Our plump panda cub is almost as round as it is long!"
Turns out, the cub's mama is the oldest giant panda in the United States to ever give birth
Image credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo
Currently, the little cub consumes only Mei Xiang’s milk for all of its nutritional needs. Apparently, "around 1 year old, bamboo and other solid foods make up the majority of a panda's diet."
The cub's DNA is currently being analyzed to find out whether it's a boy or a girl
Image credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo
The workers at the zoo still don't know if this little panda cub is a boy or a girl. "Our Center for Conservation Genomics is analyzing the cub’s DNA, and we should know definitively in a week or two whether it is a male or female. Stay tuned for that exciting development!" the zoo explained.
Image credits: Smithsonian's National Zoo
Here's how people feel about this little cutie
