WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. National Zoo's giant panda cub has been called healthy after its first veterinary exam.
Veterinarians performed a 20-minute examination Monday after panda mother Mei Xiang gave them an opportunity. She put the female cub down and left the den for a short time to eat bamboo and drink water.
The cub, born Aug. 23, is already showing her coloration with black patches around her ears, eyes and back.
Curator Brandie Smith says it's amazing to see how much the cub has grown in less than a month. It is now more than double her weight from a short exam on Aug. 25.
The cub's eyes have not yet opened.
