National Zoo Giant Panda Cub Receives First Health Check
This morning, the panda team at the Smithsonian's National Zoo performed the first neonatal exam (8:56 a.m.) on the giant panda cub born Friday, Aug. 23. The cub is robust, fully formed and is a bright, healthy shade of pink. It is too early to determine the sex of the cub. It weighs 137 grams, which is about 4.8 ounces. The heart rate is steady, and vets were able to hear breathing sounds from both lungs. The cub is nursing and digesting successfully. It had a full belly at the time of the exam. Keepers and veterinarians report that the cub is healthy, active and vibrant. Zoo scientists will perform a paternity analysis on the cub in a few weeks
Please note no Zoo staff are available for media interviews until Monday.
