Post by aur0rafungirl84 on Jul 8, 2006 21:18:13 GMT -5
Tue Jul 4, 7:19 AM ET
WASHINGTON - The National Zoo is planning a first birthday bash Sunday for Tai Shan, its giant panda cub.
The scientists, keepers and volunteers who helped in the zoo's first successful panda birth will talk to visitors during the birthday party, which will feature entertainment and children's activities.
The first 1,000 visitors will receive free cupcakes, and guests will also get a chance to explore the crate that brought his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, to the United States. The Animal Planet documentary "A Panda Is Born" will be shown continuously throughout the day at the Visitor Center.
The birthday boy will likely spend the day as usual, playing in the yard and napping in a tree, said Lisa Stevens, the zoo's panda curator. His gift from keepers will be a frozen fruitsicle, the first one he's had all to himself.
Zoo officials hope to give all visitors that day a chance to see the cub, though people who have reserved timed-entry tickets to the exhibit will get the first chance.
Tai Shan was only about the size of a stick of butter when he was born last July 9, but now he weighs in at almost 60 pounds. His pinkish skin has given way to distinctive black and white fur, and he regularly displays the impish behavior that have makes giant pandas so popular.
The cub has drawn 1.2 million visitors since his December debut, the zoo estimates, including first lady
Laura Bush and actress Nicole Kidman. The zoo's giant panda Web site, which includes a Webcam and updates on his progress, receives 2 million hits a month.
"It's very touching that he's made so many people so happy," said Stevens. "He's been very special for all of us."
The zoo paid $600,000 to a panda conservation fund in China when the cub was born and gives the fund $1 million a year for the rights to exhibit the giant pandas.
Tai Shan will remain at the zoo at least until he turns 2, and sometime after that, he will be sent to China to join breeding efforts there. Zoo officials hope his parents will mate next spring in a new habitat that will have almost twice as much outdoor space as the current one. If natural mating is unsuccessful, they'll use artificial insemination, the same technique that produced Tail Shan.
Source:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060704/ap_on_re_us/panda_birthday
WASHINGTON - The National Zoo is planning a first birthday bash Sunday for Tai Shan, its giant panda cub.
The scientists, keepers and volunteers who helped in the zoo's first successful panda birth will talk to visitors during the birthday party, which will feature entertainment and children's activities.
The first 1,000 visitors will receive free cupcakes, and guests will also get a chance to explore the crate that brought his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, to the United States. The Animal Planet documentary "A Panda Is Born" will be shown continuously throughout the day at the Visitor Center.
The birthday boy will likely spend the day as usual, playing in the yard and napping in a tree, said Lisa Stevens, the zoo's panda curator. His gift from keepers will be a frozen fruitsicle, the first one he's had all to himself.
Zoo officials hope to give all visitors that day a chance to see the cub, though people who have reserved timed-entry tickets to the exhibit will get the first chance.
Tai Shan was only about the size of a stick of butter when he was born last July 9, but now he weighs in at almost 60 pounds. His pinkish skin has given way to distinctive black and white fur, and he regularly displays the impish behavior that have makes giant pandas so popular.
The cub has drawn 1.2 million visitors since his December debut, the zoo estimates, including first lady
Laura Bush and actress Nicole Kidman. The zoo's giant panda Web site, which includes a Webcam and updates on his progress, receives 2 million hits a month.
"It's very touching that he's made so many people so happy," said Stevens. "He's been very special for all of us."
The zoo paid $600,000 to a panda conservation fund in China when the cub was born and gives the fund $1 million a year for the rights to exhibit the giant pandas.
Tai Shan will remain at the zoo at least until he turns 2, and sometime after that, he will be sent to China to join breeding efforts there. Zoo officials hope his parents will mate next spring in a new habitat that will have almost twice as much outdoor space as the current one. If natural mating is unsuccessful, they'll use artificial insemination, the same technique that produced Tail Shan.
Source:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060704/ap_on_re_us/panda_birthday
