The panda cub really packed it on when nobody was looking. Photograph courtesy of the National Zoo.
The National Institutes of Health can resume researching deadly diseases, Head Start programs will be funded, and the Federal Housing Authority can start processing home loans. But clearly, at least according to the internet, the most important government program to return today is the National Zoo’s panda camera, which is once again broadcasting round-the-clock surveillance footage of female giant panda Mei Xiang and her eight-week-old cub.
The video feeds overloaded with traffic almost immediately. While the cameras are running, actually being able to view the footage is a crapshoot. (Cameras are also rolling on several less popular species, too.)
The cub is also much plumper than it was the last time we saw it. Over the 16-day shutdown, the cub ballooned from 3.07 pounds to 5 pounds, or about a 66 percent weight gain. The female cub still can’t stand on her own, but she can at least roll over if she is lying on her back. The cub’s senses have also developed greatly since the outside world got its last glimpse on September 30. Her eyes are partially open, and her ears are fully open.
The zoo will re-open Friday. Until then, here’s video of the growing cub squawking and getting examined.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
National Zoo’s Panda Cam Is Back On
Fresh glimpses of a growing cub are more popular with Americans than the resumption of more vital government services.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Speaker Johnson’s Megabill Prayers Likely to Be Answered Before Holiday Weekend, Wrongly Deported Maryland Man Faced Abuse in El Salvador Prison, and We Found Some Yummy Nepalese Food
Pardoned J6er Will Join Ed Martin’s Justice Department Office, Trump Outlines Hypothetical Alligator Escape Plan, and We Have Fireworks Show Recommendations
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum” Is Coming to DC. Here’s a Preview.
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
The Commanders Wine and Dine DC Council Members; GOP Senator Suggests Tax Language Was “Airdropped” Into Spending Bill; and Trump Wants DOGE to Investigate Musk
100 Reasons to Love DC Right Now
How DC’s Attorney General Got So Good at Double Dutch
DC Council Ponders New Way to Expel Trayon White, the GOP’s Budget Bill Advances, and We Found You Some Tacos With Ethiopian Flair