Xiao Qi Ji is on a roll! The winter winds may blow chilly and cold, but they also bring out the sillies in our giant panda cub. On Jan. 19, the frisky 2.5-year-old tumbled around his outdoor habitat and showed off his unique somersault style.  

Solo play sessions such as this help our giant panda team evaluate how Xiao Qi Ji is adjusting to spending time apart from his mother, Mei Xiang. Keepers give them access to different habitats in the morning, then reunite them in the afternoon and evening. They have noticed that Mei Xiang appears to have less patience with Xiao Qi Ji’s rambunctious antics and will vocalize or chase him when she is not in the mood to play. As we have shared in previous #PandaStory updates, his growing confidence and comfortability with spending time alone are encouraging signs that he’s growing up and getting ready to be on his own.

This story appears in the Jan. 29 issue of the Giant Panda Bulletin; read previous cub updates here. Want to see the pandas in person? Plan your visit! The Giant Panda Cam is generously sponsored by Boeing.