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DEL.ICIO.USPanda gains weight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The little stick of butter has become a bag of sugar.
That’s how Zoo Atlanta officials were characterizing the growth of their Giant Panda she-cub Thursday. Lun Lun’s 43-day-old baby now weighs about five pounds — 4.9 pounds officially — and measures 17 inches from her nose to the tip of her tail. That’s a pound heavier and about a half-inch longer than last week. When the cub was born Sept. 6, zoo officials compared her size to a stick of butter.
During the bear’s fourth physical exam Thursday, the still-nameless panda was discovered to have hair growing on her feet. “She looks to be a very healthy cub … thriving and growing as expected,” said Zoo vet Maria Crane, who leads the checkups.
Last week, officials saw the panda’s eyes open for the first time. The next growth marker is the opening of her ears. “Right now her ear flaps are still tightly adhered to her skull,” Crane said. “When we start to see the ear flaps opening then we know that she’s beginning to hear more sounds also.” That could happen as soon as next week.
The cub is expected to begin walking at four months.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Categories: Daily updates
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By Pandawatcher
October 19, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this
Thank you so much for the stories and pictures. I am enjoying them! What a cute cub she is.
By Phil Hale
October 19, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this
Name the bear Leroy!
By harold
October 19, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this
they should name that pander SNEEZY!
By Renee
October 19, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
I thank you for all the stories because I am learning so much about pandas that I never knew. Thanks for keeping us updated
By TheOne
October 19, 2006 12:32 PM | Link to this
She is soooo cute. And she’s getting plump, too!!! Our little stick of butter has indeed grown into a bag of suga!!!
By joey
October 19, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this
Very cute.
However, it is amazing how incompetent and inflexible these animals are. They only eat bamboo shoots. They have babies so tiny that their parents often smash them. I have seen them at the zoo and they are so slow they should have been named sloths. They just sit around all day. What pathetic creatures. Why do we spend so much so save them?
By TheOne
October 19, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this
If you go to the panda cam on ZooAtlanta’s site, you can see her all by herself right now…mommie must be eating. Too cute.
We are ready to name her……
By me
October 19, 2006 01:24 PM | Link to this
she has to be the cutest thing I ever see…can’t wait for them to name her
By Joe
October 19, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this
What are the purpose of these useless exams? Now 4 of them.
Just go snatch the cub away from its mother while she is distracted, for what? To measure and weigh it? I think the entire Zoo Atlanta team vets are a bunch of dimwitts. Leave the cub and its mother alone, and let nature takes its course.
Joe
By Dumb Da Dumb Dumb
October 19, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
The panda is near extinction, and any cub, especially born in captivity, is pampered. They want to make sure the cub is viable by checking weight and growth. If the mother is not taking proper care of it, then it would be turned over to the panda care team to make sure it survives.
I’ll bet your wife thinks YOU should have been named the jackass.
By Joe
October 19, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this
Is that the best you got? Name calling? Think the Panda team can do a better job than its mother? Oh Please. These vets just can’t control themselves and leave it alone.
Peanut Butter Caddilac Car We ain’t as duumb as you think we is.
Joe
By Dana
October 19, 2006 04:01 PM | Link to this
Dear Joe,
Next time you have a check-up with the doctor I will ask what the point is of THAT useless exam. Get the point?
From a panda lover
By angela
October 19, 2006 04:16 PM | Link to this
Joe- If you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all. I suggest you become a panda handler when you grow up if you think you can do better.
I love the cutie! I am constantly clicking on the panda cam. I can’t wait till her ears come up, she’ll only get cuter.
By Panda Watcher Watcher
October 19, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
I am happy to see the little Panda. It’s great watching one of God’s creations that I wouldn’t get a chance to see otherwise,grow and thrive.
I think Joe secretly loves the little bag of sugar, but has to maintain his hard core bad boy image. Why else would he keep coming back to this site? As smart as he claims to be, he must have better things to do with his time, right?
By Wilson
October 19, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this
She’s the size of a bag of sugar? Then we should name her Crystal. Dixie Crystal.
By Flibberdigibbit
October 20, 2006 07:43 AM | Link to this
The AJC does report happy news and SONNY’s nowhere to be heard from.
By Suz
October 20, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
Joe, You complain waaaay too much. And WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS SITE ANYWAY?? I don’t like the fact that man has this obsession with saving animals by housing them in a zoo, but I at least take advantage of the chance that panda cam gives me, and the general public, to see an endangered animal develop. It gives me a little hope for the future of man AND animals. Joe, get back on the meds and give the rest of us a break from your whining.
By Pamela G
October 20, 2006 01:42 PM | Link to this
Joe, If you go to the AZ Panda website and read the daily updates on the cub, you will find an explanation of why periodic exams of the cub are necessary. You will also find a description of Lun Lun’s reaction to these separations from her cub. Of course, if you would rather whine and snarl than trust the judgement of people FAR more knowledgeable than you…. Joey, I am SO sorry that the Pandas don’t entertain you enough. Obviously, you believe that all animals exist on this earth for your use and enjoyment, and any creature that doesn’t measure up is disposable and not worth your time or money. Do you pick your friends using the same pathologically self-centered criteria?
The beauty and diversity of life on this planet may be unique in our universe. We should cherish and protect it.