Giant Pandas at the National Zoo ~ Bei Bei and Family

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queenie
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Re: Giant Pandas at the National Zoo ~ Bei Bei and Family

Post by queenie » Tue Dec 14, 2021 3:55 pm

cont....
:vid: 2X https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news ... chris-anne 56 seconds Snow Play~~~32 seconds Enrichment {click link ^ & scroll down to 2 videos on Zoo page}
Red pandas are crepuscular; they are most active at dawn and dusk. We recommend visiting them in the early morning or late afternoon, since they tend to take naps in the middle of the day. They are especially fun to watch during breeding season, from Jan. 1 to May 1, because their interest in socializing and playing increases at that time of year.
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:cold1: hear their sweet sounds ^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post~Asa chasing Chris-Anne

Tackles, tumbles and twitters. A happy snow day for red pandas Asa and Chris-Anne!
Are the red pandas on view in the winter?
Yes! In fact, our red pandas are much more active in the winter months than they are during the summer. In their native habitat—the high altitude temperate forests within the Eastern Himalaya Mountain range—it gets very cold and snowy. If you visit the Zoo on a snow day, you’ll likely see Asa and Chris-Anne playing and having a blast!
Red panda Asa builds a nest in her indoor den.
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:giggle: ^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
Asa shows off her fuzzy feet.

How do red pandas stay warm when it’s cold?
Red pandas have several adaptations that help keep them warm. For starters, red panda fur is extremely dense and covers all surfaces of their bodies other than their eyes and nose! To tread through snow and ice, they have fuzzy feet—even the bottoms of their paws are completely covered in fur. Last, their long, bushy tail does more than help them balance as they move through the trees; it also acts as a scarf or blanket. If they wrap their tail tightly around their body, they can shield their eyes and nose from the wind and snow.
Because of all of these adaptations, Asa and Chris-Anne are able to have access to their outdoor habitat even when temperatures reach a frigid 0 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, their indoor habitat stays a cool, crisp and comfortable 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In warmer months when temperatures creep above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, our red pandas prefer to spend most of their time inside their air-conditioned indoor habitat—just like us!
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:bravo: ^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
Red panda Asa investigates a Kong toy filled with one of her favorite foods: grapes!

What’s a cool fact about red pandas that most people don’t know?
Although red pandas look similar to raccoons, the two species are not related. Red pandas are actually living fossils, and the only living member of their family: Ailuridae! Their closest ancestor roamed the earth 5 million years ago.
This story appears in the December 2021 issue of National Zoo News. Rev-up your red panda knowledge and check out Is a Red Panda a Bear? And More Red Panda Facts. Want to follow a day in the life of a red panda keeper? Don’t miss Caring For Red Pandas: Stories From a Real-Life Zoo Guardian.
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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queenie
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Re: Giant Pandas at the National Zoo ~ Bei Bei and Family

Post by queenie » Tue Dec 14, 2021 3:59 pm

cont....
2021-12-11_151234.jpg
:grhug: ^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
Red panda Chris-Anne is reserved and tends to follow Asa's lead.
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
Member since: 08/16/06 with Previous Posts: 4386

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queenie
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Re: Giant Pandas at the National Zoo ~ Bei Bei and Family

Post by queenie » Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:26 pm

:vid: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news ... xiao-qi-ji < 1.51 min. video
^
2022-01-02_220913.jpg
^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
#PandaStory: Pool Playtime For Xiao Qi Ji
Dec. 21, 2021
This update was written by assistant curator of giant pandas Laurie Thompson.
Our 16-month-old giant panda cub, Xiao Qi Ji, takes any opportunity he gets to play in water, whether it is a tub filled with bubble bath or a stream of spray from a hose. When he was smaller, we kept his pool quite shallow—just a few inches deep. Now, at 89 pounds (40.6 kilograms), he is large enough to “graduate” to a deeper pool.
On Dec. 17, Xiao Qi Ji took his first dip in deeper water. At only 12 inches high, the water level was high enough for him to try a “panda paddle” yet low enough that he could easily touch the bottom. He straddled the driftwood logs—a bit like a makeshift raft—and repeatedly tried to sink one of his favorite enrichment toys. At times, he sat on the ledge of the pool, rubbed water on his ears and playfully nipped at the fur on his belly, which had gathered in prominent peaks. He seemed to really enjoy playing in the pool and afterwards was so excited that he ran outside and climbed a couple of trees!
As you tune in to the Giant Panda Cam this week, see if you can spot some special holiday enrichment sprinkled throughout the habitats. We are happy to share that our volunteer behavior watchers are back at the Cam controls! Keeper elves on our giant panda team are preparing festive wreath-shaped fruitsicles, as well as colorful cardboard boxes and puzzle feeders for the pandas to play with and explore. Our red pandas, Asa and Chris-Anne, will also receive colorful boxes with some of their favorite treats hidden inside.
On behalf of the giant panda team, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year!
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
Member since: 08/16/06 with Previous Posts: 4386

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queenie
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Re: Giant Pandas at the National Zoo ~ Bei Bei and Family

Post by queenie » Sun Jan 02, 2022 9:20 pm

1/2/22 Mama & Xi Eating Boo Apart and Together [in top left s'cap Xi is lying in front eating boo and you can only see front paws with boo]
1-2-21 nz Xi and Mama.jpg
^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post

Then Xi Falls Over Asleep
1-2-22 nz falls over asleep.jpg
^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
Member since: 08/16/06 with Previous Posts: 4386

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