Playful panda cub makes virtual debut at National Zoo in Washington

Thursday, 28 January 2021 14:01

He may be a giant panda, but for now Xiao Qi Ji is still a baby, romping with toys and snacking on sweet potato, his first solid food.

The adorable cub made his debut virtually on Wednesday at the National Zoo in Washington, appearing live on 'Panda Cam' as the zoo is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Cooked sweet potato. It's nice and soft and is easy for him to eat," said zookeeper Marty Dearie, laughing as Xiao Qi Ji munched away.

Xiao Qi Ji is the son of Mei Xiang, who gave birth to him at the zoo, thrilling panda enthusiasts and zoo officials who thought at age 22 she had a slim chance of having a fourth healthy cub.

More from Quirky

Emirates passengers consume 64 million pieces of chocolate in one year

Emirates Airlines revealed on Monday that its passengers consumed more than 64 million pieces of chocolate in one year, an increase of 4 million pieces of chocolate, or 6.6 per cent.
Atlas, the humanoid robot, delivers match ball at World Cup

The World Cup has seen superstars, pitch invaders, heartbreak and joy across its 96 years — and, on Sunday, it got a robot.
Eating champion Chestnut defends title but blames heat for lower tally

Champion eater Joey Chestnut successfully defended his title on Saturday despite consuming fewer hot dogs than a year earlier.
'Vanishingly rare' copy of US Declaration of Independence unearthed in UK archives

A "vanishingly rare" copy of the Declaration of Independence has been found in London, dug up in archives holding documents from the British capture of an American privateer ship in 1776, just as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Relocating 6 million Singapore bees and counting, one nest at a time

Armed with nothing but a bandana and his bare hands, 42-year-old Clarence Chua rescues bees, scooping them from nests into wooden boxes to relocate them, sometimes to his own backyard.