Panda cub at National Zoo is growing, weighs nearly 2 pounds
In this photo provided by the Smithsonian's National Zoo, taken Sept. 14, 2015, shows the baby Giant Panda, born Aug. 22, 2015, seen in Washington as keepers weighed the giant panda cub. (Erika Bauer/Smithsonian's National Zoo via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 4-week-old giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo now weighs nearly 2 pounds and is starting to look like a panda — specifically, his dad.
The zoo says the cub weighed in at 1.9 pounds on Monday. That's nearly eight times what he weighed at birth on Aug. 22.
The cub also has much more distinct black-and-white markings. Zoo officials say the markings on his back closely resemble those of his father, Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN).
The cub is the survivor of a set of twins. The other cub died four days after it was born.
Zoo officials say the cub is sleeping through much of the day, which his normal. His eyes will begin to open in the next few weeks.