Giant Panda Cam

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Welcome to the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Panda Cams, where you can watch giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji. Toggle between Panda Cam 1 and Panda Cam 2 using the tabs at the top of the video player for the full experience.

Mei Xiang gave birth to a precious male giant panda cub named Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji) Aug. 21, 2020. Have a question about what you're seeing on the Panda Cam? Check the Panda Cub FAQs, and sign up for the Giant Panda Bulletin to get the latest panda cub news straight to your inbox.

Thanks for tuning in to our special livestream with giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji on Jan. 27. If you were unable to join us for the live event, you can view a recording of the broadcast on the event page.

Cam 1
Cam 2

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To conserve bandwidth, the Zoo's webcams are set to turn off after 10 minutes of watch time. If the player times out, simply click the play button to continue.

Giant Panda Cam FAQs

Here are the top questions about Mei Xiang and her cub:

Why is Mei Xiang in such a small space?

This is normal! Bears in the wild, including giant pandas, give birth in small dens. In China's Wolong Reserve, pandas make their dens in large hollow conifer trees, with a diameter of about 3 feet. Where there aren't any trees, pandas den in caves with a little bedding of twigs. They stay in these dens for about the cub's first 100 days.

Zoo keepers strive to recreate these surroundings for Mei Xiang. She always has access to her larger enclosures, though for the first few months of a cub's life she will spend the vast majority of her time in the den. She will occasionally venture out to eat, drink, urinate and defecate. Those trips will become increasingly longer as a cub grows.

Is Mei Xiang eating and drinking regularly?

Yes! Both she and Tian Tian receive about 70 pounds of bamboo throughout the day and evening. She also receives leaf-eater biscuits, carrots, apples and cooked sweet potatoes.

After giving birth, Mei Xiang would eat and drink less often, mostly choosing to focus on her cub. This is normal behavior for a mother giant panda, and animal care staff continued to provide Mei Xiang with fresh food and water daily. Personal preferences vary from panda to panda when it comes to eating after giving birth. While some may eat within a few days, it is not unusual for Mei Xiang to refrain from eating for up to 2 weeks after birth. Now, that the cub is larger and can regulate his own body temperature, Mei Xiang feels comfortable leaving the den for longer periods to eat, and her appetite has returned to normal.

When giant pandas give birth in the wild, mothers spend several months denned up with their cubs. Their focus during this time is nurturing and protecting their cubs, rather than eating. Scientists have observed giant panda mothers in the wild going as long as one month without eating or drinking. Like other bears, pandas seem to go through a metabolic shift during the summer months, when their food intake drops up to 75%. This coincides with when pandas den and produce cubs, like other bear species. One difference to note is that other bears fast for several months during hibernation.

What's that buzzing?

The buzz sound you hear is electrical interference noise from the camera's microphone. Mei Xiang can't hear it at all!

Our technicians are holding off on troubleshooting it so that they don't disturb Mei Xiang. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Have more questions? Check out the Panda Cub FAQs for answers.

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Giant Panda Cam

Why is Mei Xiang in such a small space?

Is Mei Xiang eating and drinking regularly?

What's that buzzing?

Have more questions? Check out the Panda Cub FAQs for answers.

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About the Giant Pandas

Latest Panda News

Adopt a Giant Panda

Plan Your Visit

Don't Miss

Giant Panda Cam

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About the Giant Pandas

Latest Panda News

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