2023-02-21 Xiao Qi Ji ~ Happy 2 1/2 Year Birthday!
#animalkingdom #nature #kingdomofthepandas #pandas #animal
30 months ago our beloved "Miracle" Xiao Qi Ji was born. 2 1/2 years have gone by and we still have the rare opportunity to continue watching Mei Xiang with Qi Ji during the afternoon and overnight hours. Absolutely amazing!
The video starts with footage from Saturday the 18th. Qi Ji has rediscovered his hammock, and after playing on the structure, he settled down in the nest of leaves to nap. Then who can resist a cub taking a shortcut through his tub of hay. There was a change in routine Saturday ... rather than coming indoors together around 2pm, Mei was let into room 3 while Qi Ji was in room 2, and the door was closed between the rooms. Qi Ji was happily eating bamboo when he heard his mother banging her treat feeder next door, and a bit later she bleated. After eating some bamboo, Qi Ji would be drawn back to the door. Eventually it opened, and they were reunited. Like usual, Qi Ji was Mei's shadow following her into the bedroom and climbing on top of her before settling down to eat bamboo beside his momma. Just after 3:30pm Qi Ji went into the den where Mei was sleeping and nursed. The audio was on so we can hear his nursing song. He took a break to scratch, and licked his momma's nose too ... Mei licked his forehead!
Caution: at the 7:49 minute mark, I show 5 1/2 minutes of a play bout that escalated, with audio. This was around 11:30pm Saturday evening.
At the 13:26 minute mark, you see Mei waking up around 5:30am Monday morning, bleating and then giving Qi Ji some snuggles and nips.
At the 13:52 mark, Qi Ji once again delights his visitors with his antics on the hammock structure! Then he slides down a tree branch before changing directions to tumble down the hill. Then he climbed into the evergreen and slid down one of the needled branches.
Later indoors our very hefty cub Qi Ji "fell" into Mei's lap as she was eating bamboo! And once again we were given the chance to see and hear our 2 1/2 year old cub nurse!
Note from Doxie: I respectively ask that you do not post comments disparaging the Smithsonian's National Zoo's treatment of their Giant Pandas, or Mei Xiang's parenting of Xiao Qi Ji, or any comparisons to other Zoos. Comments pertaining to anything other than the video content will be removed. Also, a reminder that I am not employed by or affiliated with the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping this a place of positivity, celebration and joy!
All video footage recorded from the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Panda Cam public website: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/pa...
#PandaStory #MeiXiang #XiaoQiJi