motherhood

A huge congrats to the attentive and caring mother, Mei Xiang! 

According to the Smithsonian National Zoo, the moment the cub was born on August 21st, Mei Xiang picked up the newborn cub and immediately began to cradle and care for it. Just like any loving and devoted mother would. 

Animal care staff heard the cub vocalize and were able to catch a glimpse of the newborn. As of now, the team is monitoring Mei Xiang and her cub via the Zoo's panda cams. From what the team has observed so far, the panda cub appears to be strong and healthy. 

Check out some of the Smithsonian's panda cam footage below! 

Story via Smithsonian National Zoo