There is a black and white roly-poly that has captured the hearts of people all over the world. The baby panda cub was born on August 5, 2009 and doesn’t have a name yet, due to Chinese customs of waiting until the 100th day after birth. His name will be announced on November 17, 2009 (104th day) at a special ceremony. He is the fifth cub of his mother, Bai Yun. His father, Gao Gao, and his older sisters, Su Lin and Zhen Zhen, are all loved members of the giant panda research program at the San Diego Zoo. His other siblings are in China.
I have watched the Panda Cam every day since his birth. It has been a great experience and privilege to be able to watch the baby panda cub grow. He was born about the size of a stick of butter* and at nine weeks, he is now 7.7 pounds and 20 inches. The next milestone for him is forward motion. It’s so fun to see him build up his muscles and try to move. I also look forward to the blog posts, pictures, and video from his weekly exams. It’s great to see him up-close and personal with his beautiful eyes, calm personality, and fluffy fur. I just want to hug him and never let go.
Head on over to the Panda Cam…I promise you will be in for a treat!
Left top to right bottom: 14 days, 29 days, 36 days, 43 days, 55 days, 64 days
Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo
*At birth, a panda cub is about 1/900th the weight of the mom whereas a human baby is about 1/15 the weight of the mom. How is that fair??