Giant panda cub's eyes begin to open at San Diego Zoo

When San Diego Zoo keepers gathered the 7-week-old giant panda cub for her weekly veterinary exam, the cub was sporting a milk mustache, evidence she is getting the proper nutrition to grow strong.

Weighing in at 5.4 pounds, a gain of more than one pound since one week ago, also indicates her growth is on track. The cub's left eye slit is now opening and the right eye is expected to begin opening over the course of this week.

"Once her eyes open shell have better perception of her environment," said Meg Sutherland-Smith, DVM, San Diego Zoo veterinarian. "This is the stage we will begin to see locomotion developing as her eyesight develops. She will become more animated."

Following Chinese tradition, the born cub, born Aug. 3 at the San Diego Zoo's Giant Panda Research Station, will receive a name after she is 100 days old. Bai Yun and the cub can be seen 24 hours a day through the Zoo's Panda Cam at www.sandiegozoo.org.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• The
• San
• Diego
• Zoo
• Baby
• Panda
• Cub
• Cres
• Open
• Eyes
• Bai
• Yun

[ReiiAndJeii]

That sucks have to live like that, without parents probably. The parents probably died. Oh, poor panda. I wish it was out in the wild with its family.

[SDZoo]

ReiiAndJeii -- Thank you for your concern. This little one is living with her mother at least for a little while longer. In nature giant panda mothers wean their cubs when they're 18 months old. Zhen Zhen is about to reach this age and will soon be weaned. Our pandas receive the best possible care. The father of this little cub was found at 6 months old injured and unable to care for himself. He was taken in and rehabilitated but unable to be released back. That's how he came to be in San Diego.

[hobbitbuddy]

The cub waved goodbye! Precious!

[StalkerXIII]

OMG 1:43-1:46 SO F**KING CUTE!!

[PlanetaMusicFactory]

@ReiiAndJeii if i been a panda , i prefer live in SD zoo, good weather, safety, no hunters, people care about you, food and of that

[laysl]

they're better off to be in the zoo. They get taken cared of and no poachers And besides, I have no money, time and means to go to china and see pandas, so thanks to zoos, I get to experience this beautiful animals close to home :)

[sprinkleskk202]

panda is my fav animal! ^_^

[nicklazzarinirocks]

CUUUUUUUUTE

[bennett1724]

That Panda's name is Su Lin

Bai Yun's 3th Baby

I wish i had a panda ur lucky you have one : (

[BaskketCase]

It's better to be in a zoo, they get taken care of, and won't be killed off by poachers or other animals.

Poachers are especially bad, now that they're endangered animals.

[okamilover136]

lol 2:00 XDD shes talking while its snuggling up

[RohanS882]

well if u think about it like that then sure maybe, but they have a better place to stay, and they wont be separated from their families n etc or killed in the wild by another animal..