Panda in Washington to make her debut

Bao Bao, the giant panda cub in Washington, will make her public debut January 18, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

WASHINGTON - Bao Bao, the giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, is getting used to seeing fans outside her enclosure as she prepares for her public debut this month.

Bao Bao, who belongs to China and eventually will return there, had a tryout Monday in front of the media. She spent the morning crawling, climbing and following mother Mei Xiang to a chorus of camera clicks.

For the most part, Bao Bao is oblivious to all the commotion, panda curator Brandie Smith said.

"She doesn't even seem to notice the folks who are watching her, her adoring public," Smith said. "Her focus is mostly on Mom right now."

Bao Bao will make her public debut January 18.

By then, Bao Bao will be nearly 5 months old. She is still a baby, zookeepers said. She sleeps about half the day and plays while awake, rolling and tumbling on her head, gnawing on bamboo and poking at her mother.

Smith said they won't make Bao Bao or her mother do anything they don't want to do. They will bring her out into the enclosure for viewing, conduct some training sessions with her and sometimes weigh her in public view.

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