Article by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, compiled and reported by Chen Guanxin
Yuan Zai has been alive for 122 days since birth, with its limbs gradually growing stronger and its weight exceeding 8 kilograms. Although the weather has turned cooler recently, whenever there is sunshine, zookeepers take Yuan Zai outdoors for sunbathing to soak up the warm rays; at first, Yuan Zai would sunbathe inside a box, but it certainly wasn’t obedient, always trying to run outside. Now, zookeepers have started training it to move around on a perch made of Acacia wood; the first time it encountered natural wood, Yuan Zai curiously looked around, occasionally nibbling or sniffing the wood. Meanwhile, the Taipei Zoo’s official website has also launched an online live broadcast of the giant pandas this month, allowing netizens to enjoy Yuan Zai’s adorable appearance directly via the internet.
To learn about Yuan Zai’s cute daily life, you can watch it live online through the zoo’s official website. (Image source / Courtesy of Taipei Zoo Official Website)
Every morning, zookeepers weigh Yuan Zai, while its mother goes next door to have breakfast during that time; if the weather is good, they take Yuan Zai outside to bask in the sun, then bring it back to its mother. However, Yuan Yuan usually finishes her breakfast first before feeding Yuan Zai, so sometimes Yuan Zai ends up playing until it gets tired and falls asleep. When its mother Yuan Yuan is not around, Yuan Zai also entertains itself by exploring, so occasionally you’ll see it curiously pressing against a stainless steel water basin, effortlessly climbing onto the large scale used to weigh its mother, chasing after zookeepers, or clinging to their calves.
Energetic Yuan Zai clings tightly to a zookeeper’s calf. (Image source / Courtesy of Taipei Zoo Official Website)
The giant panda live broadcast started on November 1st, from 16:00 to 17:00 every day. Viewers can watch the giant panda family’s activities online, and may even catch Yuan Zai taking a nap, wandering around, interacting with its mother Yuan Yuan, or seeing its father Tuan Tuan acting playful; in fact, Yuan Zai spends much of its time sleeping and resting on a bamboo leaf bed, just like a baby, with a high proportion of its time spent sleeping. But when it’s awake, it’s very lively and active; at those times, you might see it curiously pressing against a round stainless steel water bowl, going to find its mother, rolling around on the bamboo bed, being affectionately brought back to the bamboo bed by its mother, or having its bottom licked by its mother to help it relieve itself; sometimes, if you see Yuan Zai squirming in its mother’s embrace, it might just be nursing.
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