Washington, DC - Bei Bei, the National Zoo’s youngest giant panda cub, celebrated his first birthday on Saturday with a giant frozen cake—as all pandas do. The colorful cake—made of frozen apple, carrot and beet juice by the zoo’s nutrition department—took two weeks to create and weighs about 150 pounds. It was adorned with a giant number one. Bei Bei will officially turn 1 on Monday. Saturday’s birthday celebration also included Bei Bei’s older sister, Bao Bao, who turns 3 on Tuesday, and Tian Tian, the cubs’ father, who turns 19 on Aug. 27, the Washington Post reported. Early into the zoo’s Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday, Bei Bei had yet to approach his birthday cake, though his mother, Mei Xiang, was enjoying the frozen treat. To see what the rest of the pandas are up to, check out the giant panda cam livestream.
Washington, DC - Bao Bao was born on August 23, 2013, at the National Zoo. Giant pandas are an endangered species, and are protected in part by conservation efforts at reservations and in zoos such as the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. Giant Panda births are rare.
She is has reach a major milestone at the National Zoo and will soon begin living separately from her mother.
18 months old, is the age when panda cubs stop nursing and start living separately from their mothers.
The zoo says Bao Bao began the weaning process naturally a few months ago. She is now eating significantly more bamboo and other solid foods. Bao Bao eats separately from her mother and spends about six hours each day separated from her mother.
The zoo's panda team expects the weaning process will be complete in early March, and Bao Bao will be living on her own.
Zoo veterinarians also say panda mother Mei Xiang is in good health.
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