Panda cub spooked for 24hr after touching a live wire

Washington - A giant panda cub rejoined her mother at the National Zoo in Washington after being scared up a tree and spending more than 24 hours there, a news report said on Thursday.

The cub, 16 months old Bao Bao, came down late on Wednesday, NBC4 in Washington said.

The female cub was frightened after it touched a "hot wire" on the perimeter of its enclosure, the zoo said on Wednesday on Facebook.

The hot wires are part of a warning system used to keep animals contained and are not dangerous, the zoo said, adding that the giant panda cub climbed the tree because she felt safe there.

"This behaviour is predictable. Bao Bao is perfectly fine and like all Zoo animals, she is still learning the boundaries of her habitat," the zoo said on Facebook.

Bao Bao remained in the tree overnight despite a steady rain. Her mom, Mei Xiang, spent the night outdoors underneath the tree waiting for her to come down.