It seems like only yesterday when this little panda delighted D.C. with its anticipated birth, but on Sept. 21, the National Zoo’s newborn cub is one month old.
That’s right, giant panda Mei Xiang’s baby is growing up into a healthy baby … well, the baby’s sex is not yet confirmed.
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But veterinarians tooks a cheek swab on Saturday for DNA analysis, and scientists from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the Center for Conservation Genomics will confirm the cub’s sex.
“We should have have the answer in the next few weeks,” the National Zoo said in a news release.
Outwardly, male and female cubs appear similar at birth, and a genetic test is the most accurate way to determine whether a cub is male or female.
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Veterinarians and the zoo’s Panda Team took the opportunity to examine the new cub when Mei Xiang left the den into the nearby enclosure. The cub currently weighs just over 2 pounds. And from nose to tail tip, it is 13.4 inches in length.
A typical adult female giant panda can weigh between 155 to 220 pounds, while an adult male panda can weigh between 190 to 275 pounds.
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The cub’s eyes are still closed, but they found that the left eye is not closed as tightly and could open soon. Newborn giant pandas open their eyes between six and eight weeks.
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Staff also listened to the cub’s heart and lungs, checked out its stomach, tested its suckle reflex and moved all four limbs.
“All signs point to a healthy and strong cub!” the National Zoo said.
