Land Mammals, features and articles | Educational Science

Oct 19, 2012

Panda Cub Steps into 'Awkward Toddler Stage'

The San Diego Zoo's 11-week-old giant panda cub has arrived at his awkward toddler stage, taking his first clumsy baby steps, veterinarians at the zoo said. During a checkup Thursday (Oct. 18), zookeepers took the cub off the exam table and let him test out his wobbly crawling skills on...

Oct 22, 2012

Baby Panda Pics: See a Cub Growing Up

Welcome home (Image credit: Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo Safari Park.)This image of the cub's first exam was taken in late August 2012. The 3-minute exam ended with the cub receiving a clean bill of health from San Diego Zoo vets. [Full Story: San Diego Zoo Panda Cub Gets First...

Nov 1, 2012

Full-Bellied Panda Cub Pushes Up on Four Legs

We have clearance! The San Diego Zoo's pudgy giant panda cub can now push up on all four legs without his tummy touching the floor, and he's getting closer and closer to walking. His belly is clearing the ground. And he's starting to move and follow wherever his front legs...

Nov 2, 2012

China Celebrates Birth of 8 Giant Panda Cubs

China is experiencing a giant panda baby boom, given that eight new cubs were born this year at the world's largest giant panda reserve, the Chengdu Panda Base. Pambassador finalist Melissa Katz from the U.S. formally announced the new additions today in Chengdu and all the cubs are in good...

Nov 7, 2012

100-Day-Old Panda Cub Awaits Name

The newest giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo is now 100 days old, which means it's time to name him. The cub was born on July 29, but the zoo has held off on naming him in keeping with a Chinese tradition. Nearly 35,000 votes were cast to...

Nov 13, 2012

It's Official! San Diego Panda Cub Gets a Name

The giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo finally has a name. Staff announced during a ceremony at the zoo Tuesday (Nov. 13.) that they're calling him Xiao Liwu, or Little Gift. The full-bellied furball was born on July 29, but in keeping with a Chinese panda-naming tradition, zookeepers...

Nov 16, 2012

New Panda Picture: 'Little Gift' Gets Bigger

The newest panda cub at the San Diego Zoo got another checkup this week — his first since being named Xiao Liwu, meaning Little Gift. The pudgy cub weighed in at 10.3 pounds (4.6 kg) and measured 25.1 inches (63.7 cm) long, a pound and 2 inches bigger than last...

Nov 30, 2012

Fidgety Panda Cub Shows Off Belly

Xiao Liwu, the 4-month-old giant panda cub born at the San Diego Zoo, adorably showed off his belly in new pictures released after his weekly checkup. The baby bear, whose name means Little Gift, got a final vaccination during his 15th exam on Thursday (Nov. 29), zoo officials said. Caretakers...

Dec 6, 2012

Sleepy Panda Cub Gets Stronger

Xiao Liwu, the 4-month-old giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo, is getting more svelte — though not less sleepy. The baby bear dozed off during his exam this week, caretakers said, but they were able to get a good look at him before his nap. Tracy Clippinger, a...

Dec 14, 2012

Panda Cub Hits 'Terrible Toddler' Stage

At 4 ½ months old, the San Diego Zoo's newest giant panda, Xiao Liwu, is growing into a rambunctious cub. During his weekly exam Thursday (Dec. 13), the baby bear weighed in at 14 pounds (6.3 kilograms) and was very active, making it difficult for zookeepers to take measurements. It...

Dec 19, 2012

Cute Panda Cub Plays Ball

Keepers at the San Diego Zoo have been having a hard time getting panda cub Xiao Liwu to sit still during his regular checkups. But this week they found that, much like a toddler, the fidgety bear calms down when he has a toy to play with. His favorite toy...

Dec 27, 2012

Panda Cub Gets New Toys

Like millions of kids who celebrated Christmas on Tuesday, the newest giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo enjoyed playing with some new toys this week. During his checkup Thursday (Dec. 27), Xiao Liwu was distracted by a doughnut-shaped plastic ring big enough for the baby bear to sit...

Jan 2, 2013

Baby Panda Rings in 2013

This little panda cub rang in the New Year with a clean bill of health. At a checkup Tuesday (Jan 1), caretakers determined that Xiao Liwu — the latest giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo — is healthy and getting stronger. The cub continues to sprout baby teeth...

Jan 7, 2013

Pandas May Have Secret Superbug Weapon

In the fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, medical researchers believe they may have found a powerful new ally: the giant panda. Researchers at the Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University in China discovered the endangered pandas have a potent antimicrobial compound in their bloodstream that can kill a wide range...

Jan 18, 2013

Panda Boot Camp Teaches Cubs Survival Skills

Panda cubs have the cuteness thing down pat, but rough-and-tumble? Not so much. Now scientists are hoping to teach the roly-poly bears survival skills they'll need for living in the wild. The new mission is partly the result of a panda cub being released into the wild without the proper...