News & Politics

“Wiggly and Squirmy” Panda Cub Gets Another Checkup

A month into its life, the National Zoo's giant panda cub is healthy as ever, though it still can't see.

Written by Benjamin Freed | Published on September 27, 2013

Panda in a bucket. Photograph courtesy of the National Zoo.

In the latest news dump about its month-old giant panda cub, the National Zoo reports that its newborn bear looks decidedly panda-like, with fuller markings around its ears, eyes, and midsection, a wholesale change from the little pink blob she was at birth. She still can’t open her eyes, though.

The cub now weighs in at over three pounds, and measures 14 inches long and 11.4 inches around her belly, according to a veterinary examination yesterday. The cub is also trying to support her own weight, that’s apparently still a struggle. But the zoo says the little bear is also “very wiggly and squirmy.”

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Benjamin Freed

Staff Writer

Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.