(Reuters) – A rambunctious panda bear cub celebrated a rare first birthday with a special cake and traditional Chinese gifts at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington on Saturday, zoo officials said. Bao Bao, a 44-pound female, is the second panda in the zoo’s history to live a full year, as the endangered species produce tiny and delicate offspring that are often unable to survive infancy, zoo spokeswoman Devon Murphy said. “Today, we are celebrating one of our biggest conservation successes,” Dennis Kelly, director of the National Zoo, said in a statement. “It’s been amazing for us, our members and all of Washington, D.C., to watch Bao Bao thrive and grow.” For her birthday, Bao Bao received several items, including pictures of peaches and bamboo, symbolizing longevity and good heath as part of the Chinese tradition of Zhuazhou, the zoo said.
Birthday bash for U.S. National Zoo panda cub ‘Bao Boa’
