Chinbao the Panda Celebrates Fourth Birthday at Smithsonian National Zoo

The Smithsonian National Zoo hosted a lively birthday celebration for Chinbao, a 4-year-old panda, featuring cakes, snacks, and toys in Washington Park.

Chinbao, one of the two giant pandas that came to the National Zoo last October, enjoyed a specially crafted panda-friendly birthday cake filled with fruits. The festivities took place on Friday, and it was a treat for the visitors to see her in high spirits.

Laurie Thompson, the assistant curator for giant pandas at the zoo, expressed her delight at watching Qing Bao’s birthday celebration. “It was great to see her personality shine,” Thompson noted. “When she first arrived, she was quite shy, but now she’s much more self-assured!”

In addition to the cake, zookeepers provided Chinbao with a shiny new ball for her to play with in her exhibit, adding to the excitement of the day.

The zoo also prepared a delightful surprise for the pandas: a box filled with sweet potatoes. Chinbao wasted no time in diving into the treats, happily engaging with her surroundings.

As the main event, she was presented with her pink birthday cake, which was the fourth one she had sat next to, before indulging in the fruits that accompanied it.

The National Zoo revealed that the cake was made from a panda-friendly mix of pineapple, frozen diluted beets, and apple juice. After such a feast, like any bear, Chinbao was quick to find a cozy spot for a nap.

Currently, Chinbao is one of two pandas at the National Zoo, following the return of three bears to China amid diplomatic tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Chinbao and her companion Baollie are set to remain at the National Zoo for another nine years, under an agreement with China, which retains ownership of all giant pandas worldwide.

This arrangement includes an annual membership fee of $1 million to China’s Wildlife Conservation Association, a cost covered by zoo visitors, members, and private donors.