Picture of the Day: 5-Week-Old Panda Smiles and Waves

This picture was taken by Dr. Katherine Feng at a conservation center in China, and shows a 5-week-old panda smiling and waving at the camera.

In all fairness, some say that the cub is doing more than just waving: they claim that it is high five-ing.

However, judging by the look in its almost closed eyes, it is highly unlikely that socializing is the first thing on its mind.

Because its mother rejected it soon after it was born, the staff at this conservation center had to place it in an incubator. Sources report that the cub is to remain in this safe enclosure until it gets old enough to face the outside world.

“If a new born cub is ignored or rejected by its mother, it is cared for in the nursery until such time its mother is able to take care of it,” Dr. Katherine Feng explained.

Here's hoping this tiny panda bear will soon be healthy and strong enough to venture outside its nursery.