A 16-year-old Panda named Bai Yun (meaning “White Cloud”) gave birth to a healthy cub at the San Diego Zoo early this month!

The baby Panda currently weighs in at 23.5 ounces and is about 11.4 inches long. Zoo officials say the cub is very vigorous and is making a very good impression, however, the cub will not receive a name until it is 100 days old, following Chinese tradition.

Bai Yun is no first time mommy. She already had 3 cubs, all of them also born in the month of August. Her first baby Hua Mei was born in 1999, her second named Mei Sheng was born in 2003, and Su Lin, the third baby, was born in 2005.

Mommy Bai Yun is part of San Diego Zoo’s breeding program, in which Giant Pandas like her are kept in captivity for the purpose of increasing the panda population. As you all may know, Giant Pandas are endangered creatures, with only a total of about 2,000 both in the wild and in captivity. Times have not been good for pandas, and because of continuing habitat loss and a low birth rate, they are in danger of becoming extinct without human intervention.

That’s why the good people at the San Diego Zoo and in many other animal centers are helping so that this doesn’t happen. The cub’s first exam revealed that the cub is healthy and in very good condition. According to San Diego zoo, the gender of the cub will not be determined until the second exam.

Here’s looking forward to more good news for these gentle giants. Congratulations mommy Bai Yun!

[Image: Happy News, news: San Diego Zoo]

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