Bei Bei

Age: Turns 1 on Monday

Health: At roughly 70 pounds, Bei Bei is gaining weight like a pro. “He’s almost 20 pounds larger than [his sister] Bao Bao was at this age,” says National Zoo panda biologist Laurie Thompson.

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Training: The panda cub is a fast learner. He comes when called, stands up on cue and sticks his claws under a mesh net for veterinary checkups.

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Adorableness: Whether he’s falling off rocks or snoozing in trees, Bei Bei is the clear crowd favorite.

Bao Bao

Age: Turns 3 on Tuesday

Health: A “sub adult” weighing in at about 160 pounds, Bao Bao is thriving and will return to China within the next year to breed. “It’s like sending a kid to college; it’s almost time for her to move on,” Thompson says.

Training: Bao Bao has gotten comfortable with getting her blood drawn, a process that requires her to grab hold of a bar for about 30 seconds. “We can distract her with food so she doesn’t really pay attention to what is going on with her arm,” Thompson says. Next up: learning to lie still for ultrasounds.

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Adorableness: Bao Bao has always been a serious panda, but she can be found frolicking on occasion.

Tian Tian

Age: Turns 19 on Aug. 27

Health: The 264-pound male panda is hale but, to put it delicately, reproductively incompetent. When his mate Mei Xiang signals she is ready to reproduce, Tian Tian steps onto her back and just sort of stands there. Luckily, artificial insemination has succeeded where panda instincts have failed.

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Training: Tian Tian always comes into the panda house when called and will do most anything for food.

Adorableness: Not to be outshined by his progeny, Tian Tian became a national sensation when he was videotaped frolicking in the snow last winter.

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Mei Xiang

Age: Turned 18 on July 22

Health: A robust 233 pounds, Mei Xiang has proven to be a good mom, having given birth to and raised three healthy cubs since 2005.

Training: She’s a pro at all the medical checkup behaviors, including getting her blood pressure taken. “That gets dicey — they can just pull their arm in with the blood pressure cuff still on. We have to train them to stay even though their arm is getting squeezed,” Thompson says.

Adorableness: The normally sedate panda has shown her playful side, regularly tumbling and tussling with her cute baby boy.

Bei Bei chooses his destiny