National Zoo Panda Cub: Meet Bao Bao

Bao Bao celebrates her second birthday Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 with a frozen fruitsicle cake made of her favorite treats including honey, apple juice, bamboo, carrots and beet juice. (Smithsonian National Zoo)
Bao Bao celebrates her second birthday Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015 with a frozen fruitsicle cake made of her favorite treats including honey, apple juice, bamboo, carrots and beet juice. (Smithsonian National Zoo)
baobaosnow Bao Bao and mother Mei Xiang enjoyed the cub's first snow fall in January. Here, Bao Bao tries her hand at climbing a tree. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and Mei Xiang explored the snow in January. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and Mei Xiang explored the snow in January. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and Mei Xiang explored the snow in January. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao takes a tumble. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao takes a tumble. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Mei Xiang takes a stroll through the snow. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Mei Xiang takes a stroll through the snow. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and mother Mei Xiang enjoyed the cub's first snow fall in January. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and mother Mei Xiang enjoyed the cub's first snow fall in January. Here, Bao Bao tries her hand at climbing a tree. (Photo: Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda Bao Bao plays in the snow for the first time in January. (Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The National Zoo launched its Instagram account on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Its first post was a 'selfie' video of Bao Bao, who will debut at the Zoo this weekend.(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao the giant panda cub can walk. WTOP's Kristi King has a short video, filed on Jan. 6, 2014.(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The baby panda wiggles. (Courtesy National Zoo/YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The panda cub at the National Zoo lets out a yawn in this video released by the zoo on Friday. The zoo says the cub is growing "exponentially" and mother Mei Xiang's appetite is coming back.(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
In this Sept. 13 video, the new panda cub rolls from front to back, but then she needs a little help from mom, Mei Xiang. (Courtesy YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The zoo released this video on Sept. 12, which shows the nearly 3-week-old cub being cradled by Mei Xiang. The zoo says panda moms spend most of their time cradling their cubs in the first few weeks after birth. Here, Mei is cradling her cub between her arm and her chin and the cub yawns. (Courtesy YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
New panda mom Mei Xiang and her cub are doing well, zoo officials say, and veterinarians expect Mei will start leaving her den for longer periods of time soon. The zoo said on its Facebook page when Mei Xiang begins leaving her den, veterinarians will perform another health check on her cub.(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The zoo released this video on Sept. 5 when it announced the panda cub was female. (Courtesy YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
This Aug. 29 video shows the new cub on her sixth day of life. (Courtesy YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to her first cub on Aug. 23 at 5:32 p.m., the zoo says. The panda team heard the cub vocalize and glimpsed the cub for the first time briefly immediately after the birth. Mei Xiang picked the cub up immediately and began cradling and caring for it. (Courtesy YouTube)(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao runs into a bit of trouble playing in the rain.(Devin Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao is all over her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Today marks her first birthday and the the zoo celebrated with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao is all over her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Today marks her first birthday and the the zoo celebrated with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao tastes her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Bao Bao's first birthday was celebrated at the zoo with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life to mark the event. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao licks her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Bao Bao's first birthday was celebrated at the zoo with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao looks at her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Bao Bao's first birthday was celebrated at the zoo with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life to mark the event. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao Panda cub Bao Bao with her birthday cake at the National Zoo in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014. Today marks her first birthday and the the zoo is marking the event with a traditional 'Zhuazhou' ceremony, a Chinese birthday tradition symbolizing long life to mark the event. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Bao Bao in her outdoor exhibit at the giant panda habitat Aug. 8. She now weighs 40 lbs. and will turn one year old Aug. 23, 2014. (Courtesy Abby Wood/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Courtesy Abby Wood/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao in her outdoor exhibit at the giant panda habitat Aug. 8, 2014. (Courtesy Abby Wood/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao in her outdoor exhibit at the giant panda habitat Aug. 8. She now weighs 40 lbs. and will turn one year old Aug. 23, 2014. (Courtesy Abby Wood/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao climbs up the grotto while Mei Xiang eats bamboo. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014 (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014 (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's second day outside. Mei Xiang (left) and Bao Bao (right) outside together. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao and her mom Mei Xiang. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao's Second Day Outside April, 2, 2014 (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda cub Bao Bao ventured outside with her mom Mei Xiang April 1. (Devin Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao March 20, 2014 (Connor Mallon, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao March 20, 2014 (Connor Mallon, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao March 20, 2014 (Connor Mallon, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao March 20, 2014 (Connor Mallon, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Time for a nap! Bao Bao takes a break during her public debut at the National Zoo Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
One of Bao Bao's parents gets in on the attention at the panda cub's public debut Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at the National Zoo. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
A zoo worker presents Bao Bao to the public. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
Crowds press in to see Bao Bao at the panda cub's debut at the National Zoo Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
Bao Bao, the National Zoo's baby panda, makes her debut Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, held by a zoo worker. (WTOP/Jamie Forzato)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, looks at a plastic ball as she trains with animal keepers inside her habitat at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, is carried by biologist Laurie Thompson, past photographs of her parents before being weighed and measured at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang, seen in photograph on wall at center, and male giant panda Tian Tian, right. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, has her right forefoot measured at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. According to zoo officials, Bao Bao is "exactly where she should be" as she grows. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, is carried by animal keeper Marty Dearie after she was weighed and measured at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, trains with biologist Laurie Thompson at an indoor habitat at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, trains with an animal keeper at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
Bao Bao, the four and a half month old giant panda cub, nibbles on her mother Mei Xiang in their indoor habitat at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Bao Bao, who now weighs 17.38 pounds (7.9 pounds), was born to the zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang and male giant panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
Bao Bao makes her media debut Jan. 6, 2014. (Photo: Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao makes her media debut Jan. 6, 2014. (Photo: Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant Panda Cub Nov. 29, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao makes her media debut Jan. 6, 2014. (Photo: Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant Panda Cub Nov. 29, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao makes her media debut Jan. 6, 2014. (Photo: Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant Panda Cub Nov. 29, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao makes her media debut Jan. 6, 2014. (Photo: Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant Panda Cub Nov. 29, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Bao Bao isn't quite ready to go outside, so National Zoo keepers brought snow to her Friday morning. (Courtesy National Zoo Twitter)
After 100 days and 123,039 votes the giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo received her name, Bao Bao, during a ceremony at the National Zoo. (Courtesy Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
After 100 days and 123,039 votes the giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo received her name, Bao Bao, during a ceremony at the National Zoo. (Courtesy Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
After 100 days and 123,039 votes the giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo received her name, Bao Bao, during a ceremony at the National Zoo. (Courtesy Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
Nov. 22, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
(Courtesy Smithsonian's National Zoo Flickr)
Nov. 22, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Giant panda keeper, Nicole MacCorkle, measures the cub's paw on Nov. 22, 2013. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The zoo said Friday the panda cub is growing rapidly and tipping the scales at 8.14 pounds as of Nov. 8. They say her tail is starting to shrink relative to the size of her body, and ridges are appearing in her mouth where her teeth are expected to soon emerge. She spends a lot of time scooting and crawling, and soon keepers expect her to take her first steps. (Courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo)
During an examine Oct. 29, the giant panda cub weighed 7.7 pounds and measured 23 inches long. Her mother Mei Xiang is now spending more time away from the cub. She will nurse the cub and then leave her to rest while Mei Xiang leaves the den to eat breakfast outside, giving keepers more opportunities to check on the cub. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The giant panda cub now weighs 7.7 pounds and is 23 inches long. Her front paws are 2.4 inches long and her hind paws are 3 inches. Keepers were able to examine the cub Oct. 29. Her eyes are almost completely open. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
During an examine Oct. 29, the giant panda cub weighed 7.7 pounds and measured 23 inches long. Her mother Mei Xiang is now spending more time away from the cub. She will nurse the cub and then leave her to rest while Mei Xiang leaves the den to eat breakfast outside, giving keepers more opportunities to check on the cub. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The giant panda cub now weighs 7.7 pounds and is 23 inches long. Her front paws are 2.4 inches long and her hind paws are 3 inches. Keepers were able to examine the cub Oct. 29. Her eyes are almost completely open.(Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The giant panda cub received her first vaccination the morning of Oct. 23 during a veterinary examination. She has gained a pound since Oct. 18. The cub has started crawling and is often seen on the panda cam testing her new motor skills in the den. The cub's mother, Mei Xiang, has been leaving her den for increasingly longer periods to go outside and eat. She can be seen at the Giant Panda Habitat around 8 a.m. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The giant panda cub received her first vaccination the morning of Oct. 23 during a veterinary examination. She has gained a pound since Oct. 18. Her belly now measures 16.5 inches around and she is 19.29 inches long. The cub has started crawling and is often seen on the panda cam testing her new motor skills in the den. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The giant panda cub received her first vaccination the morning of Oct. 23 during a veterinary examination. She has gained a pound since Oct. 18. The cub has started crawling and is often seen on the panda cam testing her new motor skills in the den. The cub's mother, Mei Xiang, has been leaving her den for increasingly longer periods to go outside and eat. She can be seen at the Giant Panda Habitat around 8 a.m. (Smithsonian National Zoo/Abby Wood)
The National Zoo says the giant panda cub, now 8 weeks old, has reached several developmental milestones. (Courtesy of National Zoo/Courtney Janney)
The panda cub now reacts to sounds. (Courtesy of National Zoo/Courtney Janney)
While the cub won't walk until about its fourth month, it can push itself up on its two front legs. (Courtesy of National Zoo/Courtney Janney)
The National Zoo's giant panda cub received her first, successful full veterinary exam. Her eyes haven't opened yet, the zoo says. (Courtney Janney/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The panda cub started to open its right eye on Oct. 5. (Courtesy of National Zoo/Courtney Janney)
The National Zoo's giant panda cub received her first, successful full veterinary exam. The zoo's new panda now weighs a little less than two pounds.(Courtney Janney/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The 8-week-old panda cub is now 5 pounds, up from 3.07 pounds on Sept. 26. (Courtesy of National Zoo/Courtney Janney)
The National Zoo's giant panda cub received her first, successful full veterinary exam.(Courtney Janney/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. The cub is very active and keepers say she is very wiggly and squirmy and she's trying to support her own weight. But her eyes have not opened yet. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Mei Xiang This handout photo provided by the Smithsonian's National Zoo, taken Aug. 29, 2013, shows teh zoo's Panda mother Mei Xiang with her cub at the zoo in Washington. The zoo said Thursday its 2-week-old giant panda cub is female. The Washington zoo also revealed Thursday that the cub's father is National Zoo panda Tian Tian. (AP Photo/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. The exam went very well and the cub has grown substantially since last week. After the exam was completed, the panda team returned the cub to the den. When Mei Xiang came back to the den she immediately picked the cub up and started grooming her. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Vets at the National Zoo examine the new panda cub, which appears to be healthy.(Smithsonian's National Zoo/Flickr)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. The cub is very active and keepers say she is very wiggly and squirmy and she's trying to support her own weight. But her eyes have not opened yet. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Mei Xiang, the the National Zoo's 15-year-old female giant panda, is a mother once again. At 5:32 Friday, Aug. 23 evening she gave birth to a cub. (Smithsonian's National Zoo/Flickr)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. She is more than 14 inches long and each of her paws is 1.5 inches long. Veterinarians listened to her heart and lungs, which sound healthy. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
Mei Xiang, the the National Zoo's 15-year-old female giant panda, is a mother once again. At 5:32 Friday, Aug. 23 evening she gave birth to a cub. (Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. She has grown about 1 pound since her last exam 10 days ago and her belly has grown almost 2 inches.(Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The National Zoo revealed Sept. 5 that Tian Tian is the father to the panda cub. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. She is more than 14 inches long and each of her paws is 1.5 inches long. Veterinarians listened to her heart and lungs, which sound healthy. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The National Zoo revealed Sept. 5 that Tian Tian is the father to the panda cub. (WTOP/Kathy Stewart)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. She has grown about 1 pound since her last exam 10 days ago and her belly has grown almost 2 inches. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The giant panda cubt gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The giant panda cub gets a second, full veterinary examination Thursday, Sept. 26. The exam went very well and the cub has grown substantially since last week. After the exam was completed, the panda team returned the cub to the den. When Mei Xiang came back to the den she immediately picked the cub up and started grooming her. (Abby Wood, Smithsonian's National Zoo)
The National Zoo's giant panda cub received her first, successful full veterinary exam. Mother Mei Xiang has spent the past three and-a-half weeks cradling the cub.(Courtney Janney/Smithsonian's National Zoo)
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