National Zoo panda cub Bao Bao explores the great outdoors for the first time

Bao Bao got a taste of the outdoors, and she liked what she saw. The seven-month-old giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo ventured outside for the first time Tuesday morning with her mother, Mei Xiang, and got down to business: When she wasn't trying to climb trees, Bao Bao inspected a log, roamed the yard, and mimicked her mom by holding on to a piece of bamboo.

According to the National Zoo, Bao Bao will be able to explore outside as long as it's at least 35 degrees Fahrenheit with no precipitation. Zoo staff have taken into account the fact that Bao Bao might not be too nimble, so they've cub-proofed the habitat: trees have been trimmed, and bales of hay have been strategically placed around the yard in case she falls.

Thanks to the National Zoo's Twitter account, we can all share in Bao Bao's great adventure:

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