2021-02-16 Xiao Qi Ji's Outdoor Debut ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸Yay¸¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Day 179 #PandaStory: Xiao Qi Ji had his outdoor debut early this morning, and since it's a HUGE milestone, this video shows everything from the keeper coming to get him, to peeking his nose around the patio doorway to the outdoors, to his first steps on real grass, to the oh so close moment when Tian Tian almost saw his son at the Howdy Window. Qi Ji was adventuresome, but he did keep touching base with momma Mei Xiang as she ate her bamboo up again the wall of the Panda House.

It was a cloudy and very cool morning in DC when Qi Ji stepped out of the patio area of the Panda House just after 7:30am. For the most part he kept to the sidewalk that hugs the Panda House, but he did venture out on the grass. For new viewers, if you look outside the high windows above the rockwork in room 2 and 3, you'll see Mei Xiang and Qi Ji's outdoor yard. There are two ways to get to the yard ~ through the door leading to the patio in room 2, or through the door leading to the chute system in room 3.

Outdoors Qi Ji explored, sniffed, tried to climb the Panda House wall, the howdy window, the doorway between Tian Tian and their yard, the drain and drain pipe, even the lock on the side yard gate and the doors leading to the chute system. Except for attempting to climb a tree (and the wet grass may have deterred him), he covered most of the places his older siblings did on their first outings!

The grass was wet, as you can see his pawprints as he walks along the sidewalk adjacent to the Panda House. The gate and door leading back into room 2 were left open, but the doorway between room 2 and 3 was closed ... so that when Qi Ji went indoors he encountered for the first time, a barrier between him and his den, but he could hear his keepers in room 3, and see the water coming under the doorway as they cleaned, and momma Mei Xiang was in and out encouraging him to go back outside. At one point they had a sweet scene on room 2's rockwork, and another where they were both eating bamboo and treats together in room 3 before Qi Ji headed off to the den for his morning nap. All in all, it was a very successful debut for Qi Ji, and he has lots to look forward to beyond the sidewalk! (no audio available)

Note from Doxie: I respectively ask that you do not post comments disparaging the Smithsonian's National Zoo's treatment of their Giant Pandas, or Mei Xiang's parenting of Xiao Qi Ji, or any comparisons to other Zoos. Also, a reminder that I am not employed by or affiliated with the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping this a place of positivity, celebration and joy!

Video recorded at Smithsonian's National Zoo's Panda Cam website: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam
#PandaStory #MeiXiang #XiaoQiJi

Видео 2021-02-16 Xiao Qi Ji's Outdoor Debut ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸Yay¸¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ канала DoxieMom19