Giant panda cub takes a tumble in the Washington snow

Caught on 'Giant Panda Cam' at Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo, an adorable cub plays in the snow

What's black, white and loves severe winter storms that blanket the eastern US with snow? Xiao Qi Ji, the baby panda!

In a video captured by the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, the 16-month-old giant panda cub can be seen rolling happily in the snow in her enclosure.

Due to the shy nature of pandas, the zoo has set up a “Giant Panda Cam” where people can see what Xiao Qi Ji and his friends are up to during the course of the day.

Most of the time, the pandas, whose characteristically low energy levels are primarily due to their bamboo-based diet, can be seen lazing around and enjoying life — but Xiao Qi Ji's antics show that maybe the animals get a bit more energetic when they think no one is watching.

Giant pandas are native to the high mountains of central China, which receive dozens of centimetres of snow every year, so although Xiao Qi Ji was born in captivity, perhaps he felt right at home during Monday's blizzard.

Between 17 and 28 centimetres of snow accumulated in the Washington area throughout the winter gale, which closed schools and government offices, and stranded hundreds of people on a motorway in Virginia for more than a day, including Tim Kaine, a US senator.

Pandas are a vulnerable species, with as few as 1,864 living in their native habitat, the National Zoo's website says.

The animals' naturally slow breeding rate prevents the population from recovering quickly from illegal hunting, habitat loss and other human-related causes of mortality.

The Smithsonian and other zoos around the world have partnered with conservationists in China since the 1970s to breed pandas to further build up their numbers. About 600 pandas currently live in captivity.

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