The Smithsonian’s National Zoo will offer a free livestream event at 1 pm EST Wednesday for panda enthusiasts who can’t wait to see how the youngest giant panda at the facility has been doing these days.
Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji), who recently turned five months old, will be viewed in real time from inside the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat.
“In a mix of prerecorded and live segments, the panda team will take you behind the scenes,” the Zoo said in a statement. “You’ll experience an up-close, real-time look at Xiao Qi Ji as he walks, climbs, tumbles and explores his indoor habitat. See how the Panda Cams are operated, take a virtual tour of the panda house and get the answers to some of your most-asked questions.”
The live broadcast can be accessed via the event page, as well as the Zoo’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.
🎥🐼 Tune in to our FREE livestream with giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji tomorrow 1/27 @ 1 p.m. ET. Plus, see how the Panda Cams are operated, take a virtual tour of the panda house and get the answers to some of your most-asked questions. DETAILS: https://t.co/lkCp0t0Vlw. #PandaStory
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 26, 2021
The Zoo warns viewers that the duration of Xiao Qi Ji’s livestream will be approximately five minutes. But don’t worry if you miss it, a video recording of the event will be made available on the Zoo’s website post-broadcast.
Xiao Qi Ji got his name — which means “little miracle” in Mandarin Chinese — in November 2020, after an online poll, where almost 135,000 people cast their votes for five days.
“Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife and hope, and Xiao Qi Ji’s birth offered the world a much-needed moment of joy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Zoo said in a statement announcing the selected name. “His name reflects the extraordinary circumstances under which he was born and celebrates the collaboration between colleagues who strive to conserve this species.”
The panda cub was born on August 21, 2020 at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat, after his mother Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated in March 2020 by a team of reproductive scientists at the Zoo.
The Zoo is temporarily closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But updates on Xiao Qi Ji can be followed through the Zoo’s website, on social media under the hashtags #PandaStory and #PandaCubdates and via the Giant Panda e-newsletter.
National Zoo’s Panda Cub Goes Rock Climbing in New Year Video
