Giant Pandas

Barbara J. Feldman

Although I didn't want to wait in line in the hot summer sun, I was glad my visiting nieces insisted. I finally saw the giant pandas at the World Famous San Diego Zoo! Naturally this made me curious, and so I turned to the Net to learn more. Here's what I found.

Animal Planet: Meet the Pandas

5 stars

Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived from China at the Smithsonian National Zoo on December 6, 2000. Animal Planet called them " Washington's newest power couple." Judging from "the popping flashbulbs of panda paparazzi" that greeted their Federal Express flight, they were right. The great photos, streaming video, and wonderful interactive features (don't miss Wild Pandas) make this site my pick of the day! Panda lovers of all ages will find something here. Your littlest ones will enjoy clicking around the photo galleries, and older students will appreciate the well-written features.

Nature: The Panda Baby

5 stars

Panda Baby tells the story of the August 21, 1999 birth of Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo.. With only 1,000 giant pandas still living in the wild, the success of these breeding programs is critical to the survival of the endangered panda. Best clicks are the video clip of Hua Mei's debut (on the Bamboo Bears page) and the Panda Pearls self-scoring quiz.

Pandas at the National Zoo

5 stars

Highlights of this site from Washington, D.C. are the live streaming Panda Cams (with audio from panda-watching crowd), panda postcards, and the For Kids section. For Kids has two printable panda coloring pages, two crossword puzzles, and the fabulous "Saving Giant Pandas" activity book. If you are planning a visit to the National Zoo, be sure to print out the activity book and take it with you. It includes an observation log to be completed at the Panda exhibit, and answers to frequently asked questions.

San Diego Zoo: Panda Central

5 stars

Bai Yun and Shi Shi arrived at the World Famous San Diego Zoo on September 10, 1996, to begin a twelve-year conservation study. Their cub Hua Mei (born at the Zoo) is turning two this month. Since she is now weaned, the three family members live in separate dens. Best clicks are Hua Mei's Baby Album (on the Tours/Multimedia page), Panda Cam (between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. PST) and Panda Facts. For some beautiful panda wallpaper for your computer desktop, visit Hua Mei's Birthday Page (follow the link from Tours/Multimedia.)