WASHINGTON — The National Zoo’s giant panda cub turns 8 months old Friday and is being trained to be well behaved.
Teaching Bei Bei to come inside when called involves keepers using food as rewards, zoo biologist Laurie Thompson writes in the April 19 “Giant Panda Bulletin.”
Bei Bei weighed 37 pounds when last on a scale, so he’s starting more specialized training that will assist keepers and veterinarians as he gets ever larger.
Thompson’s panda family update details how Bei Bei’s older sister, the ever curious Bao Bao, likes to climb trees to spy on keepers when they’re working close to her yard.
Watch of video of Bei Bei climbing a tree in February:
Now that mom, Mei Xiang, has had three cubs, keepers are noticing a trend observed elsewhere — panda moms are more actively engaged with male cubs. Panda experts theorize the extended-play sessions provide the male cubs helpful social lessons for the future.
As for what’s new with the panda family’s dad, Tian Tian, he loves water, getting squirted with a hose and playing in a tub of bubble bath. Tian Tian is getting extra enrichment activities now from zoo keepers because it’s the middle of his rutting, or breeding season, and he can be restless.
Mei Xiang won’t be fertile this year because she’s still nursing Bei Bei.
