WASHINGTON —
The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. says panda cub Bao Bao is growing just as she should be.
The nearly five-month-old cub was weighed Tuesday as part of her physical routine, tipping the scale at just over 7.9 kilograms. Her girth, including fur, is a little over 63 centimeters.
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, Jan. 7, 2014.
All normal, according to panda statistics.
Bao Bao still sleeps about half the day, but has has become more active. She spends time crawling, climbing rocks and following her mother, Mei Xiang.
Panda handlers are currently giving Bao Bao human contact and some tactile stimulation. They want the cub to be able to respond to humans without fear.
She is scheduled to make her public debut on January 18.
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