Nice to meet you all! Five-month-old baby panda overcomes shyness and meets the public for the first time in Chinese zoo
- Cub is brought to front garden of sanctuary in Chongqing city, south-west China, to be shown to assembled visitors
- Name of cute cub, which currently weighs just 20 lb and was born in August, is set to be announced in February
- China aims to increase its captive giant panda population to 500 by 2020, with firm breeding programmes in place
An adorable baby panda cub melted the hearts of thousands as he peeked out of his container to say 'hello' to his fans during his first public appearance at a local zoo in China on Sunday.
The cub was placed on the lawn in a blue plastic container by breeders at the sanctuary in Chongqing city in the south-west of the country, according to a report on People's Daily Online.
Initially deeply shy, he was mobbed by cooing visitors who watched him attempt to stand up several times and fail before being carted back to his enclosure to be with his mother Yaya, aged 16.
Hello there! The panda cub makes his eagerly-awaited first appearance sanctuary in Chongqing city in the south-west of China
In fighting shape: The bear was born on August 30 last year and is not thought to have any health concerns, but is a little timid as a baby
Bashful: Although initially deeply shy, the panda baby was mobbed by cooing visitors who watched him attempt to stand up several times
The perfectly timed photographs show the young bear interacting happily with zoo staff as well as his mother, barely filling the small plastic box he was being transported in.
Eager wildlife fans queued around the block to see the 'debut' of the tiny bear on Sunday, following his story since he was born on August 30 last year.
The name of the young panda, which currently weighs just 20 lbs, is to be announced in February according to the zoo.
King of the hill: Remarkable photographs appeared to catch the bear waving to his assembled crowd as he perched regally in his blue box
Star of the show: Fans of the creatures queued up for hours to take a glimpse at the young creature, who was born on August 30 last year
Small but perfectly formed: The bear, who has 5 sisters, currently weighs just 20 lbs and fits in his blue plastic container with relative ease
Precious: China's Forestry Administration recently confirmed that the country now has 422 giant pandas in captivity with 88% surviving
Yaya gave birth to a litter of five pandas overall, of which the new cub is the first male and the remaining four females.
China's State Forestry Administration recently confirmed that the country now has 422 giant pandas bred and living in captivity with a survival rate of about 88 percent.
The country aims to increase its captive giant panda population to 500 by 2020, with a series of breeding programmes currently in the works.
One of the boys: The baby's mother Yaya, aged 16, gave birth to five pandas overall, of which the new cub is the first male
Playtime is over: The baby bear is lifted back into his box by one of the zoo staff, spelling an end to his well-received debut appearance
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