I am currently obsessed with the San Diego Zoo's Panda Cam. I even downloaded a San Diego Zoo iPhone App so I can check in on the baby panda ALL THE TIME.
The panda cub (yet to be named, but it should obviously be named something bad ass like Darth Vader or Bruce) was born on July 29, 2012. He's so young, he can't do much of anything, so the panda cam is hit or miss. Here's a breakdown of what I see when I check in:
- 45% of the time: Mama Panda's butt, as she crouches protectively over Baby Panda. There's no sign of Baby, but I assume he's buried somewhere beneath Mama (and not suffocating).
- 40% of the time: Mama Panda and Baby Panda cuddling and sleeping.
- 10% of the time: Baby Panda lying alone in the den while Mama Panda is eating outside. Once, I saw Baby Panda throwing a fit as he tried to roll on to his stomach. Usually, he's just sleeping happily on his tummy looking like a fur ball.
- 5% of the time: Something interesting happens.
Looking at the numbers, I realize the Panda Cam is about 95% boring - but I still keep watching. Watching Mama and Baby together is more soothing (and cheaper) than a massage, and sometimes, something really exciting happens. Like Monday night, when I checked in, Mama was spinning Baby around and sticking his head playfully in her mouth. I could not tell if Baby was having fun or freaking out, and I wondered if there was someone I needed to call. Help! Mama Panda went off the deep end! But five minutes later, Mama and Baby were back to being boring, lazy pandas.
I think a trip to the San Diego Zoo needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Nebraska for Nathan's cousin Lauren's wedding. While we were there, we spent an afternoon at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium.
Before I continue, let's get this out of the way:
As a Southern California native, I grew up assuming the San Diego Zoo is the greatest zoo in the world. It does, after all, have pandas. I've also visited the zoos in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, London, the Bronx and Central Park. The Omaha Zoo does not have a panda, but it's still my favorite.
Nathan has taken me to the Omaha Zoo twice, and we have still not seen all the exhibits. There are so many animals! Many of the animals are outside like at a traditional zoo, but there are also enclosed "environments" like the Desert Dome and the Lied Jungle.
(And, because I'm feeling really mature, I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that I have not yet had a chance to visit the Grewcock Butterfly & Insect Pavilion, but I just want to mention the Grewcock Pavilion because it's called "Grewcock" and holy crap, how does anyone ever say that last name with a straight face?)
My favorite part of the zoo is probably Skyfari, which is like a ski lift that crosses over the park. You fly only about twenty or thirty feet above giraffes, monkeys, ostriches and other fun animals. If you ever visit Nebraska, I highly recommend the Omaha Zoo.
Oh yeah, I might have gone crazy with my camera while we were there....
