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 Jan. 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.
"But if the cub chooses to go back into the den, or if mom chooses to take her back into the den, we won't force her to be out on display," Smith said.
In recent months, Bao Bao has become more active, moving around on her own and exploring the environment. Now she's working on climbing, but some rocks are still too big.
During a tour of the zoo in December, actor Hugh Jackman was allowed to peek inside the panda house and found Bao Bao in full view. He posted a picture on Instagram.
Bao Bao has turned out to be calm and relaxed, more subdued than older brother Tai Shan, said biologist Laurie Thompson, who has worked with the pandas for years.
"Tai Shan was a little more vocal when we did things like weigh him, where she seems kind of relaxed about it," she said. "She's like her dad. Tian Tian is very relaxed and kind of goes with the flow. So I'm thinking she got that from him."
