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Thursday, December 7, 2006
Bobby Cox weighs in on panda’s name
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Glavine, sticking with the Mets? You win some, you - well, you know the rest.
The bullpen? That’ll work itself out.
The baby panda’s name?
Time out!
Braves Manager Bobby Cox forgot about his team for a few minutes on Thursday to consider a crucial question: What’s the best name to give the baby giant panda at Zoo Atlanta?
He checked out the 10 possible names in front of him as closely as he watches his nine men on the field.
After reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, Cox penciled in his choice to lead off the names:
Xiao Tao, or “Little Peach.”
It’s the same choice that fellow Braves Jeff Francouer and Brian McCann made earlier this week, by the way.
Hmmm. Could Xiao Tao be on a winning streak?
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Panda cub to make public debut soon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coming soon, to a sunny, public spot: Zoo Atlanta’s baby giant panda.
The unnamed cub reached a milestone Thursday morning during her weekly examination. She stood, shakily, for a few seconds, her furry fanny rising like a balloon.
That means she should be walking soon, said Dr. Maria Crane, the zoo’s senior veterinarian, who conducted the checkup. And when she starts walking, the cub doubtless will follow her mama, Lun Lun, into a public viewing area.
That should happen, Crane estimated, in about four weeks — perhaps sooner.
“There is a high possibility” that people wanting to see the adult Lun Lun early next year might get a bonus glimpse of her youngster, Crane said.
When she does make her debut, the kid will be sporting some teeth, too. Examiners discovered eight more teeth had erupted from her gums in the past week, meaning the cub now has 12.
Other findings:
• The cub now weighs 10.8 pounds. That’s about one pound more than her weight seven days ago.
• She’s now 25.25 inches long. Last week, she was two inches shorter.
• Her fur gets ever thicker, dense enough to ward off the worst chill on a Chinese mountainside — more than enough to keep Georgia’s winters howling in frustration.
• Her eyes are still developing, and are keener now than they ever have been.
• She’s stronger than ever, too. She wiggled like a puppy in a sack during the eight-minute exam.
Crane, probing the cub, couldn’t hide a grin under her surgical mask. “We’re very excited that she’s doing as well as she is,” Crane said.
When zoo officials, dignitaries and others gather next Friday at the zoo to witness her naming, the star of the show should be in fine shape.
