There’s a new panda named Bei Bei making his debut at the National Zoo in Washington D.C.
At five months old, the cub is already at rock star status– drawing a huge crowd. Some people even cried at the sight of Bei Bei.
Barbara Barron was first in line to see the baby panda.
“Well I got here at 4 a.m.,” Barron said. "I just think it’s amazing. They’re born, they look like a stick of butter and 20 pounds, I can’t wait to see the little darling."
A trip to go see Bei Bei can be a bit of a gamble. Visitors to the zoo said they waited an hour or longer only to come inside and discover Bei Bei was hiding away in his den. Even when he is visible, zookeepers said he spends 90% of the day sleeping.
"He needs to spend as much energy as he gets from mom’s milk getting bigger," animal keeper Marty Dearie said.
During the day, the zoo said he’s most active between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
"During that time, he might be awake 15, 20, 30 minutes," Dearie said.
He’s starting to nibble on bamboo, and in the next few weeks, he’ll be allowed outside. Until then, visitors will keep their fingers crossed for face time in the panda house.
"So it depends on how he gets up this morning,” Barron said. “And say all right this is my day to put on a show for them."
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