Latest Panda News
Feb. 26, 2021
On Sunday, Feb. 21, giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji turned 6 months old. To celebrate, our half-birthday boy tried yet another new food: homemade applesauce. We placed a big dollop on top of one of his enr... read more
Feb. 19, 2021
Just a few days shy of turning 6 months old, giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji accompanied his mother, Mei Xiang, into their outdoor habitat for the first time. Around 7:30 a.m. Feb. 16, we opened the door t... read more
Feb. 12, 2021
Happy Lunar New Year! Our 5-month-old giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji kicked off the week by enjoying a new treat Feb. 8. The panda team gave him a large, nutrient-rich biscuit to nibble on. Just like his... read more
Feb. 05, 2021
On Sunday, Jan. 31, giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji experienced yet another big milestone—his first encounter with snow! As the flakes were falling, we brought Xiao Qi Ji out of the indoor enclosure to a s... read more
Feb. 05, 2021
January was a month full of firsts for the Smithsonian's National Zoo's giant panda cub, Xiao Qi Ji. The growing bear played with his first enrichment toys, sampled his first sweet potato, took h... read more
Feb. 01, 2021
As snow blanketed the Washington, D.C. region Jan. 31, 2021, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's animals woke up to a winter wonderland. With this weather event came another significant milestone—gi... read more
Jan. 29, 2021
This was a big week for our little panda cub! On Wednesday, Jan. 27, the giant panda team hosted our first-ever virtual encounter with Xiao Qi Ji. An important part of saving species is being able to... read more
Jan. 22, 2021
Just like his mother, Mei Xiang, our giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji is curious yet cautious about the world around him. Yesterday—the day our cub turned five months old—we decided to introduce him to some... read more
Jan. 15, 2021
Giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s word of the week seems to be: play! Our 4.5-month-old cub’s interest in his surroundings really took off this week. He seems to explore the world with his mouth. He nibble... read more
Jan. 11, 2021
Over the past few weeks, our giant panda team has observed cub Xiao Qi Ji spend more time exploring the large indoor enclosures he shares with his mother, Mei Xiang, and less time in their den. Mei Xi... read more
Jan. 08, 2021
As the calendar turns to 2021, it is human nature to reflect on the moments that sparked inspiration in an otherwise challenging year. Giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji—who wobbled and walked, feistily... read more
Jan. 01, 2021
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Giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji continues to explore and take on new challenges—like climbing up rockwork in the indoor habitat he shares with mother Mei Xiang. As shown in this clip of “Xiao Qi J... read more
Dec. 28, 2020
2020 was an unprecedented year for people across the globe, but even as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute temporarily closed its doors to the public, its work to save s... read more
Dec. 18, 2020
This week, we saw the sassy side of our almost 4-month-old giant panda cub, Xiao Qi JI. Around 6:30 a.m. Dec. 16, he and his mother, Mei Xiang, were spending time in their den. While Xiao Qi Ji rested... read more
Dec. 11, 2020
Our giant panda cub is on the move! At 3.5 months old, Xiao Qi Ji’s movements are a mixture of crawling and walking. He has been practicing his coordination, though, and he is working on getting his b... read more
Dec. 07, 2020
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Giant pandas, icons and ambassadors for the efforts to save the species in Washington, D.C., since 1972, will continue to live at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo through the end o... read more
Dec. 04, 2020
November was an exciting month for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s giant panda cub! He received a clean bill of health during his third veterinary exam, was named "Xiao Qi Ji" by his fans around the... read more
Dec. 04, 2020
If you tuned in to the Giant Panda Cam on Thanksgiving, you may have spotted a very special moment. At 3 months and 5 days old, Xiao Qi Ji took his first steps! That morning, he rested just outside th... read more
Nov. 25, 2020
Thanks to fans all over the world, our giant panda cub now has a name: Xiao Qi Ji! There’s no denying that 2020 has been a tough year in many respects, but this little guy has been such a source... read more
Nov. 23, 2020
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The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s 3-month-old giant panda cub received his name today. After five days of voting and just under 135,000 votes, the winning na... read more
Nov. 20, 2020
In the coming days, our giant panda cub will celebrate two big milestones. Tomorrow, Nov. 21, marks three months to the day that he was born. Two days later, Nov. 23, he will receive his name—thanks t... read more
Nov. 16, 2020
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is asking the public to help name the male giant panda cub, now 9.2 pounds of adorable, at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda... read more
Nov. 12, 2020
Last Sunday morning, giant panda Mei Xiang rested in the doorway of the den she and her cub share. Her son crawled around the den and moved toward her. Mei Xiang stretched her forepaw in his direction... read more
Nov. 06, 2020
October was an exciting month for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s giant panda cub! His eyes and ears opened, mother Mei Xiang took him on “field trips” to explore the world outside their den and he g... read more
Nov. 05, 2020
It’s hard to believe our giant panda cub will be 11 weeks old tomorrow! As I mentioned in my last update, his mother Mei Xiang has been choosing to spend more time outside eating in the morning and ea... read more