The Life of a National Zoo Giant Panda Cub, in Pictures

The National Zoo’s newborn giant panda cub is just a five-ounce ball of flesh right now, but here’s what to expect during its life. Photograph by National Zoo

Here is the National Zoo’s previous surviving panda cub, Tai Shan, being poked and prodded by veterinarians and researchers. Photograph by National Zoo

Tai Shan posed for a lot of photos. Photograph by National Zoo

He also received birthday cake. Photograph by National Zoo

And rolled around in the snow-capped panda exhibit with his mother, Mei Xiang. Photograph by National Zoo

Tai Shan’s time at the National Zoo was also a constant surveillance state. Photograph by National Zoo

But there was another birthday cake. Photograph by National Zoo

Even more birthday cake. Photograph by National Zoo

In 2010, he was hauled off to China in a FedEx crate. Photograph by National Zoo

The following year, Carlyle Group co-founder David M. Rubenstein pledged $4.5 million to fund efforts to get the pandas to reproduce again. Photograph by National Zoo