ATLANTA –Nov. 22, 2006 – Zoo Atlanta’s Veterinary staff report that the 78-day-old female giant panda has cut her first teeth. The two incisors have now erupted and are visible on the bottom of the jaw. Teeth at the top of the jaw are expected to appear in the next week or so.

Even with the appearance of teeth, the cub is not expected to begin to eat bamboo or other solid food until the first of the year or when she is four months old. At that time, she will only manipulate the bamboo around and ingest very small amounts. She will not begin feeding on bamboo similar to an adult giant panda until later next year when she is closer to 13 months old.

During this ninth exam, the cub weighed in at 9.1 pounds and measured 21.6 inches which appears shorter from last week. Today’s measurement was made more difficult as a result of the cub being more active. As the cub grows, securing accurate measurements may become more challenging as a result of increased activity and movement by the cub.

The cub’s mother, 9-year old Lun Lun, has been given access to her habitat and visitors can see the proud mother on exhibit throughout the day. She has been venturing out a couple of times a day, for up to forty minutes at a time, to explore her habitat and eat some bamboo.