The Smithsonian’s National Zoo released a new video, where its beloved giant pandas Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) are sliding and rolling around in the snow on Sunday, January 31.
For the couple’s five-month-old cub Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji), it was the first sight of snow. But the panda cub stayed outside his indoor habitat no more than five minutes, according to the Zoo.
❄️🐼 Slides, somersaults and pure panda joy. Happy snow day from giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian! 🌨🐾
. . . #SnowDay #PandaStory pic.twitter.com/my02GwnPFL— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 31, 2021
“As snow blanketed Washington, D.C., our animals woke up to a winter wonderland,” the Zoo said in a tweet. “With this weather event came another significant milestone—giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s first encounter with snow! Keepers say he took a little nip at the fresh powder.”
Other animals at the Zoo also played in the snow and viewed in photos shared on the Zoo’s social media pages.
❄️ As snow blanketed Washington, D.C., our animals woke up to a winter wonderland. With this weather event came another significant milestone—giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s first encounter with snow! Keepers say he took a little nip at the fresh powder. 🐾👅#SnowDay #PandaStory pic.twitter.com/8hYfYuoP5f
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 31, 2021
Panda enthusiasts can watch the National Zoo’s giant pandas live through Panda Cams here.
Xiao Qi Ji 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.
He received his name — which means “little miracle” in Mandarin Chinese — in November, 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 cub’s name. “His name reflects the extraordinary circumstances under which he was born and celebrates the collaboration between colleagues who strive to conserve this species.”