It's a boy panda!
The only giant panda born in the United States in 2010 is a male, Zoo Atlanta said Thursday.
A happy and healthy cub was born to Lun Lun Nov. 3, 2010, but a recent medical exam revealed the cuddly creature's gender. The exam was performed by the Zoo Atlanta veterinary team and a colleague from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
The unnamed newborn weighs a mere 11 ounces and has begun to develop the species' familiar black and white panda coloration, zoo officials said. His eyes are not yet open. Adult males weigh over 300 pounds.
The proud mother and child are not expected to make their debut until after winter, but animal lovers can get an early peek on PandaCam from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Giant pandas are an endangered species. There are about 1,500 living in the wild in China and less than 300 in zoos. About 10 are in U.S. zoos ... make that 11.
** View PandaCam
About the Author
George Mathis has worked in the AJC newsroom since 1999 in a variety of roles including editing local news, blogger and columnist.
