Panda Parents Frolic in Snow, Tai Shan Sits

| Print Post This | Like (0) | Comments (1)

Photos by Michael Grass/Express

WAIT A SECOND. Isn't the conventional wisdom that Tai Shan's dad, Tian Tian, generally sits around and does nothing, while mother Mei Xiang keeps a careful eye on lil' Butterstick? Perhaps the snow brings the National Zoo's giant pandas out of their shells — after all, they're more accustomed to this kind of weather rather than hot Washington summers.

This morning, the panda parents were out in the snow, making noises and being sociable. Tai Shan, meanwhile was off in another area of the panda habitat, sitting alone as a light dusting of snow accumulated.

Are the terrible twos coming early for Tai Shan, who has grown from a Butterstick to a Butterball in the past year and a half? Does he know that he's being sent back to China? Perhaps the panda parents are getting reacquainted in preparation for the tot's eventual departure, whenever Sino-American panda diplomacy runs its course.

Meanwhile, the zoo's red pandas were also frolicking in the snow, climbing trees and such. The zoo was empty this morning, by the way. Some animals love the snow, but it appears tourists don't.