National Zoo says its panda cub is teething, but not yet walking

The National Zoo’s giant panda cub seems to be teething. (Smithsonian Institution/National Zoo)

Now a full 12 weeks old, the National Zoo’s panda cub appears to be in the developmental stage characterized by teething but not quite walking.

The zoo’s report on the youngster’s efforts at locomotion seem to depict a young animal’s slow approach to self-propulsion.

So far, such attempts seem largely confined to crawling. But even there, signs of progress appear. In a report posted Thursday, giant panda keeper Nicole MacCorkle indicated that the cub has become a more deliberate and capable navigator, mostly moving in the intended direction.

It seemed clear that the cub has greater things in mind, such as standing on his own four paws. But more work may be needed.

“He can get three legs underneath him momentarily,” MacCorkle wrote, “but has not yet been successful at balancing on all four feet at once.”

Meanwhile, she wrote, teething is underway, with upper incisors “starting to erupt at the gumline.”