WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- In the early morning of August 21, washington, the capital of the United States, it was cool and pleasant after the rain. At the intersection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo leading to the Panda Pavilion, there sits a giant panda statue chewing green bamboo, wearing a small blue birthday crown on its head, and a red "bib" under the chin that reads: "'Little Miracle' turns one year old on August 21, Happy Birthday!" ”
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Giant panda mother and child enjoy the "first birthday banquet"
A year ago today, when the new crown epidemic was raging, the giant panda Mei xiang in the United States was 22 years old at the time, and was artificially inseminated to produce a male giant panda "little miracle". The name, which is pronounced and written in Chinese Pinyin, was voted by more than 100,000 giant panda fans around the world through the Internet. The garden side said that the birth of the "little miracle" has brought joy to the world in the epidemic.
At the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 21, giant panda "Little Wonder" (right) and mom "Mika" enjoy a fruit ice cake. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
To celebrate the first birthday of the "Little Miracle", the Nutritional Science Department of the Zoo specially prepared a fruit ice cake. The large cake specially made for "Little Miracle" is topped with a red candle-shaped "1", which is made of grape apple juice diluted and frozen, and the cake is dotted with sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, pears, sugar cane and bananas, and a few verdant and tender bamboo branches. A few meters apart, closer to the enclosure, there was a slightly smaller cake with a large heart-shaped apple juice ice cube inserted in it, prepared for the "Little Miracle" mother Mika.
On August 21, at the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the giant panda "Little Miracle" (front) and his mother "Mei Xiang" enjoyed a fruit ice cake with a huge heart-shaped apple juice ice cube inserted in it, which was prepared for "Little Miracle" mother "Mei Xiang". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
When the Little Miracle was born, it weighed between 85 grams and 142 grams. After 12 months, it has grown into a fleshy, round little guy, weighing 27.2 kilograms, healthy and lively, and does not like to sleep lazily, and follows her mother Mika out of the pen early in the morning to forage for food. Mother and son gathered around the birthday cake and concentrated on eating it. While eating, Mother Meixiang suddenly arched her son with her mouth, and the "little miracle" rolled several times in a row, revealing a soft belly. It's hairy, black and white, and its every move is cute.
At the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 21, giant panda "Little Miracle" (left) and mom "Mika" enjoy a fruit ice cake. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
The ambassador to the United States sent a video message of blessings
Qin Gang, the new Chinese ambassador to the United States, sent birthday wishes online early in the morning of the 21st to the "Little Miracle". Qin Gang said in the blessing video that the "little miracle" was born and thrived in the epidemic, bringing surprises and hopes to everyone in difficult times, and adding a bright color to the exchanges between the Chinese and American people. He wished that the "Little Miracle" could "grow up healthy and happy and continue to write miracles!" ”
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, the zoo's acting director, Brandy Smith, said she had seen a video of the Chinese ambassador's blessing and that the United States and China were working together around the giant panda project to save the once endangered species, even during the pandemic. She said that during the epidemic period, around the breeding of giant pandas and the care of "little miracles" and other issues, the Chinese and American giant panda teams have maintained close exchanges through email, video and telephone.
American tourists come to celebrate their birthday
The zoo opened at 8 o'clock, and tourists who came to see the "Little Miracle" for their birthday immediately filled the panda pavilion. Some of them are wearing t-shirts painted with giant pandas, some are wearing masks painted with giant panda family portraits, holding a tuan fan with the words "Happy Birthday to Little Miracle" written on them, and the children are staring intently at the cute appearance of "Little Miracle" eating birthday cakes, immersed in surprise and happiness.
Visitors photograph the giant panda "Little Miracle" at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 21. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
Ms. Yolanda Reyes, who works for a private company in Virginia, told Xinhua that she is an "iron fan" of giant pandas in the United States, and in addition to "little miracles", she has witnessed the birth and growth of her three older brothers and sisters, taishan, baby and babe, who have returned to China. She loves the innocence and naughtiness of giant pandas, so she has a special affection for China, and hopes to one day visit the hometown of giant pandas.
Since 1972, the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington has become one of the global habitats of Chinese giant pandas. According to the park, the Giant Panda Pavilion has always been the most popular building in the zoo, and after the birth of the "Little Miracle", it immediately became the zoo's brightest online star. Since its birth, more than 3.3 million netizens have watched the zoo's giant panda webcast.
"Little Miracle" one-year-old growth full record
Miraculous birth
At 6:35 p.m. local time on August 21, 2020, the baby giant panda "Little Miracle" was born at the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo in Washington. It is the fourth panda cub successfully bred at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. When it was born, the giant panda Meixiang was 22 years old, and the probability of successful artificial insemination was very small, so Meixiang became the oldest giant panda "mother" outside China. When the "Little Miracle" was born, it was at a time when the new crown epidemic was raging, and the zoo was also facing epidemic prevention problems. Therefore, the birth of the "Little Miracle" is in many ways considered an uplifting "miracle", which is why the name "Little Miracle" received the highest vote when the zoo voted for its name online.
This screenshot of the video taken on August 21, 2020 shows the giant panda "Mika" in the United States with her newborn cubs. Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of the National Zoo)
As soon as the "little miracle" landed, she was tightly held in the arms of her mother Mei Xiang. As it grows day by day, the keepers write weekly and monthly notes for it and broadcast it live on the Web. From its first cry, to the black and white markings on the body began to emerge, to the first "step" and the first time to see the falling snowflakes in the sky, "Little Miracle" many ignorant "firsts" brought happiness to people.
First physical examination before the full moon: check health, distinguish male and female
Yes, giant pandas also do physical examinations. On September 19, 2020, the zoo's veterinarians performed their first physical examination for the "Little Miracle," when it was just a few days before the full moon. Veterinarians listened to The Little Miracle's heart and lungs, touched its stomach, tested its sucking reflex, moved its limbs to assess musculoskeletal development, and performed rapid DNA sampling of the Little Miracle's cheeks to analyze and determine its sex.
It turns out that newborn male and female cubs look very similar, and genetic testing is the most accurate way to identify their sex. The result of this physical examination and DNA analysis was that "Little Miracle" was a healthy and strong male panda cub.
Three months of toddler
Four months to explore with your mouth
See tourists in early September
The "little miracle" took the "first step" when it was 3 months and 5 days old. At that time, it was playing in the outdoor habitat, and her mother Mika was sleeping in the enclosure. The "little miracle" suddenly put all four feet under the body, and staggered towards the mother, although it fell down within a few steps, but this was the precious "first step" taken by the "little miracle"!
This is the giant panda male cub "Little Miracle" photographed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in November 2020. Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution National Zoo)
At the age of 4 months, the "Little Miracle" began to explore his habitat curiously, especially like to "explore" with his mouth, from toys to his mother's beautiful ears, he would bite with his mouth too hard. For example, the keeper places a small red egg and an empty feeder in advance. After the "little miracles" are "discovered by chance", they will pause for a few minutes, pick them up with their claws, and take a few bites. The zoo says the toys will allow the panda to increase its activity, keep it thinking fast, and have the opportunity to "autonomously" choose how to kill time.
This is a "little miracle" of male giant panda cubs photographed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington, U.S., on May 20. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
At 9 months old, "Little Miracles" met visitors to the zoo for the first time. As usual, it climbed to its favorite tree in the morning to take a nap, and after noon rested with its mother Mika in the enclosure. So, if you want to say hello to the "little miracle", you have to go to bed early and get up early like it!
A family that loves sweet potatoes
When he was 5 months old, "Little Miracle" ate sweet potatoes for the first time in his life. The keeper uses a small piece of bamboo as a spoon, scrapes the cooked sweet potato on the bamboo slice, and then hands it to the "little miracle". The little miracle took the bamboo slice in his mouth, paused for a while, tasted a new taste, and then lay down and licked the remaining sweet potatoes on the bamboo slices, and the keeps feeding the keeps giving, and it keeps eating!
This is the male giant panda cub "Little Miracle" (left) and giant panda "Mei Xiang" photographed at the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on May 20. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
The zoo says that "Little Miracle" has a family tradition of loving sweet potatoes, and its father Tim and mom Mika both like to eat sweet potatoes. In addition to bamboo and sweet potatoes, giant pandas at washington zoo often eat nutrient-rich fiber biscuits, carrots, pears and apples, which together make up the panda's "balanced recipe." When the "Little Miracle" reaches 8 months, the food eaten is almost exactly the same as that of parents.
Learn to "aim" and "stand"
When the "Little Miracle" reached 8 months, the keeper began to train him to learn new movements. The first action to learn is "aim" – the keeper gives the "little miracle" a stick with a buoy, and every time it touches the buoy with its nose, the keeper says "well done" and rewards it with a good meal – usually a sweet potato, apple or pear.
At 10 months old, the Little Miracle learned to stand as prompted, which was "a whole new act." To train it to stand up, the keeper places a hand in front of the "Little Miracle" face, points his index finger to the sky, and then slowly raises it, and the "Little Miracle" masters this action for the second time, following the keeper's finger prompts to stand up with his hind legs. The zoo says that "Little Wonders," like its parents, are quick to remember things and learn things.
Don't underestimate these new actions, the zoo says, can help keepers and veterinarians take care of the "little miracles." Standing as directed in particular allows them to take a closer look at its torso and limbs and promptly check for any lumps, abrasions, or other injuries that may require medical attention. If the "little miracle" cannot learn this action, many parts of the body will be difficult to observe in time.
On August 21, at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the giant panda "Little Wonder" enjoyed a fruit ice cake. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
Recently, the zoo has also begun to train "little miracles" to learn to actively accept blood draws. According to the description of the zoo, the one-year-old "little miracle" has grown into a smart, curious, observant and cute giant panda cub! (Reporters: Xu Jianmei, Deng Xianlai, Hu Yousong; Editors: Zeng Yan; Editors: Tang Zhiqiang, Cheng Dayu, Yang Aihua, Zhang Lian)
Produced by the International Department of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Xinhua News Agency's International Communication Integration Platform