There weren’t candles, but there was cake – an ice cake in the shape of the number one.
Po the panda celebrated his first birthday Thursday at Zoo Atlanta, surrounded by a small crowd of fans crammed into the panda habitat.
The youngster first allowed mom Lun Lun to tear open a gift-wrapped box of toys, including an orange safety cone, before tentatively approaching the cake and colored ice blocks scented with cinnamon and mouthwash – mom’s favorite smells.
Dr. Rebecca Snyder, curator of mammals at the zoo, said Po weighs about 48 pounds and is “exactly average” for his age. The young panda has started to eat more solid food and, said Snyder, is a great climber.
After about 15 minutes of studiously licking his cake and investigating his toys, Po wandered back to his secondary pen to resume his acrobatics on his playground of tree branches and a hammock, oblivious to the excitement outside his exhibit.
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