Moscow Zoo's panda cub Katyusha is no scaredy-cat when it comes to heights, as she was seen climbing up the gates of her enclosure - and almost touching the ceiling - in footage published on Tuesday.

The cub can be seen scaling the bars and climbing to the top, before deftly retreating to the safety of ground level. On Monday, Katyusha was given access to the zoo's outdoor enclosure for the warmer weather, but seemed to prefer the security of her previous residence.

"Apparently the inner enclosure is like a dear home for her, and in case of anything, she has to run there. She checked everything, calmed down and went to explore the inner enclosure again," the zoo's general director Svetlana Akulova posted on her Telegram channel.

The zoo has customised the outdoor area with logs, a shallow pool and a climate control system awaiting Katyusha once she decides to venture out again.

Born in August last year, Katyusha was named after the popular Russian folk song, following a public vote on Moscow city's online portal.

Her parents, Ding Ding and Ruyi, were brought to Moscow from Beijing in 2019 and reside in the 'Chinese Fauna' pavilion at Moscow Zoo, inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping.

Giant pandas, native to China, are part of a worldwide conservation programme, with Ding Ding and Ruyi integral to the scientific initiative aimed at preserving and breeding the rare species.

In the wild, pandas are exclusively found in China. Through co-operative agreements, pandas like Ruyi and Ding Ding are shared with other countries to support conservation and breeding programmes.