National Zoo

The National Zoo's Giant Panda Cub Is Getting Seriously Cute

Mei Xiang's newborn cub made its big arrival Aug. 21

By Carissa DiMargo • •

Smithsonian's National Zoo

The National Zoo’s 3-week-old giant panda cub is growing wispy fur, but pink skin is still visible on its muzzle.

If you've lived in the D.C. area for more than a couple of years, it probably came as no surprise when the National Zoo's latest giant panda cub ... didn't exactly look like a panda. The newborn's arrival on Aug. 21 thrilled panda fans across the region. But, born hairless, helpless and almost incomprehensibly tiny, newborn pandas look more like small rodents at birth than the cuddly black-and-white creatures that end up tipping the scales at 200+ pounds.

Now, adorable new photos from the National Zoo show that Mei Xiang's little one is putting on weight and quickly growing fur. The cub is now more than 3 weeks old. On Sunday, zookeepers were able to snag the baby for its very first vet exam after Mei Xiang briefly left the den.

Xiao Qi Ji, which translates from Mandarin to English as "little miracle," took his first steps on Thanksgiving day, the National Zoo says.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo’s giant panda cub
Smithsonian National Zoo
Panda Cub during exam at Smithsonian National Zoo
The National Zoo
The National Zoo’s giant panda cub has been named Xiao Qi Ji
At 6 weeks old, the cub weighed 3.6 pounds and measured 14 inches from nose to tail tip, the zoo said.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo has revealed that its six-week-old panda cub is a boy.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo used a painting created by giant panda dad Tian Tian to reveal the sex of the baby cub.
The National Zoo’s 3-week-old giant panda cub is growing wispy fur, but pink skin is still visible on its muzzle.
The National Zoo’s 3-week-old giant panda cub is growing wispy fur, but pink skin is still visible on its muzzle.
At 6 weeks old, the cub weighed 3.6 pounds and measured 14 inches from nose to tail tip, the zoo said.
Smithsonian National Zoo
The panda cub has reached one week old, and you can see those iconic black spots beginning to form around its eyes.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Mei Xiang has been resting on her side following this cub birth. When her other three cubs were tiny, she often kept them tucked under her arm. Keepers say her new position is probably more comfortable.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Panda mothers forgo eating and drinking in the first days of their cubs' life to make sure they stay warm.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Newborn panda cubs can't regulate their temperatures well, so mom Mei Xiang only leaves her cub unattended for very short periods of time.

The zoo said the "active and responsive" cub weighed in at 634.8 grams, or just under 1.5 pounds. The cub's black markings have appeared, and its fur is growing in, although its pink skin is still visible at its muzzle, the top of its head, its upper back and its tail.

"We are encouraged to see that our young panda appears to be healthy and vibrant," the zoo said on its website.

The exam was a quick one, because vets didn't want to upset the cub's protective mama. That means they haven't yet gotten the chance to take a DNA sample from the cub for the big reveal -- whether the cub is male or female. At this young age, cubs are all similar in appearance, so the DNA check will be the most accurate way to tell for sure, the zoo said.

Other milestones are also on the way for the little cub. Its eyes and ear canals will begin to open in another few weeks, the zoo said.

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The panda house at the National Zoo is currently closed to provide a quiet environment for Mei Xiang and her baby. Outdoor habitats and viewing areas remain open. You can also keep up with the pandas 24/7 on the zoo's panda cams.

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National ZooPandas
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