Panda cub at San Diego Zoo tries to take steps

An 11-week-old panda cub at San Diego Zoo, in California, has taken some tentative baby steps during a morning veterinary examination.

P.K. Robbins, senior veterinarian of San Diego Zoo, said, "I would say he's making progress. He's kind of at that awkward toddler stage where some limbs are working better than others. Certainly the front legs want to get up and go but the back legs sort of got a little bit left behind. But he's definitely learning, he's getting those skill sets that he needs and he's a pretty active little dude."

The as-of -yet unnamed male cub is expected to be able to walk on all four legs in a few weeks, but it will still be at least a few more months before he is mobile enough to venture into the exhibit. Only 1,600 giant pandas are believed to exist in the wild, and the species continues to be threatened by habitat loss. San Diego Zoo Global, in conjunction with Chinese panda experts, continues to work on science-based panda conservation programs.