Skedline Visits the Zoo!

By Emily Bongelli and Anas Siddique

Skedline got an up close look at the Toronto Zoo’s Giant Panda cubs! The exhibit opens to the public Saturday, March 12. Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue are the first Giant Panda cubs born in Canada. The adorable brother sister duo were born on October 13, 2015 to mother Er Shun and father Da Mao.

Da Mao enjoys the sunshine on an unseasonably warm March day, with the high today of 12C. He is separated from the rest of the pandas since in the wild they live in relative isolation from each other.

Er Shun snacks away on some tender bamboo shoots while the cubs hang out nearby. The cubs will be weaned from the mother in two years. They will then be sent to China where they will live permanently.

Er Shun’s diet consists of primarily bamboo. The green and tender kind are their prefered snack. In 2018 Er Shun and Da Mao will be sent to the Calgary Zoo where they will spend four years, and then will be sent back to China. They have been on loan to the Toronto Zoo since 2013.

Jia Panpan already knows how to work it for the cameras. The playful young cub had plenty of energy.

Meanwhile, Jia Yueyue was fast asleep. While her brother was still playing, Jia Yueyue was sleeping in.

Many membership holders were in attendance, waiting to catch an early glimpse of the panda siblings.

Jia Panpan gently nudges his sister awake to play. That didn’t work, so…

…Jia Panpan decided on a more drastic measure to wake her up.

While mum looks after the cubs, papa bear continues to bask in the sunshine carefree.