Panda Birthday!

Saturday, we headed to the Smithsonian's National Zoo for a Giant Panda birthday celebration!

The celebration for pandas Bei Bei, Mei Xiang, Bao Bao and Tian Tian involved receiving tiered birthday cakes made by the zoo’s nutrition department using various fruit juices. Here Mei Xiang tastes Bei Bei's cake celebrating his first birthday. 

Bei Bei’s birth one year ago was a significant conservation success for the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, which has been studying giant pandas for 44 years. Here Ambassador Cui Tiankai delivers remarks on behalf of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China. 

National Zoo intern Kelly Ventura joins Asia Trail Keeper Mariel Lally with Panda Keeper Laurie Thompson in front of a tree with Chinese birthday wishes for Bei Bei and Bao Bao. 

Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) members from Chevy Chase, Amy and TJ Deora with their daughters Zinnia and Sage enjoying the early access to see the pandas. Guests enjoyed Dan Dan noodles, a dish from Sichuan province, courtesy of the Chinese embassy.

Mother Mei Xiang chose the red knot on behalf of Bei Bei, which means he will serve as an ambassador for scientific collaboration. Around the age of 4, Bei Bei will travel to China and enter the breeding program for giant pandas. The ceremony will likely be marked by the creation of a Panda Tinder profile.

Guests to the celebration enjoyed special treats throughout the day, including Ben & Jerry's, cupcakes and a commemorative postcard. Here, Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters' Hannah Menchhoff joins Allen James, Ben & Jerry's DC's Elizabeth Young and Arlington County government's Amy Podraza.