PANDA-MONIUM!

It's time to power up those panda cam screens once again. The San Diego Zoo is home to a 9 day old little squeaker. It will be a while before zoo veterinarians will be able to determine the sex since the mother and infant are kept in strict isolation to help insure their healthy bonding. Bai Yun seems to be devoted to her offspring, and every hope is that all will go well because this is her fifth offspring. When you zoom in on the den, you usually see Bai in a ball, presumably the baby is between her great black paws. In this posture, she resembles the great Yin and Yang Chinese symbol. Patience, and returning often to the screen, will reward you with glimpses of the teeny one and Mom's gentle re-positioning for more comfort. As time goes by, we'll have more opportunities to peek at the teeny pink bear. Other zoos such as those in Atlanta and Washington DC have been generous in providing cams in the past. Unfortunately, neither had good luck being home to a cub this year. We all wish our local zoos could have a panda, but China requires over a million dollars to have them on loan, and only the largest insitutions can be so fortunate. So, take a trip to one of these great cities and fall in love with these fabulous creatures, as the rest of us have!