Adorable giant panda at Toronto Zoo plays in snow, goes 'tobogganing' (VIDEO)
While snow might be a major inconvenience to many at the moment in the Great Lakes region, it is clear that is not the case for the giant panda bears at the Toronto Zoo.
The zoo has released security video footage of one of their giant pandas tumbling and playing in snow accumulating in the outdoor habitat. Da Mao, a male panda, slides down the hill with his paws extended into air then climbs back up only to repeat the entire “bear-bogganing” process. He is also captured eating snow before completing additional tumbles.
Da Mao and Er Shun, the female companion, arrived at the Toronto Zoo from China in 2013 as a gesture of detente between the Chinese and Canadian governments.
However, housing some of the world’s most endangered and pampered species is not cheap: the Toronto Zoo spent $8-million to build a panda enclosure and will spend $3-million each year to operate the exhibit, feed both pandas (nearly 2,000 pounds of bamboo is delivered to the zoo weekly) and contribute to ongoing conservation and research efforts.
The zoo is recovering the costs through a significant increase in attendance and minor hike in admission prices.
Both animals will be relocated to the Calgary Zoo in 2018 while any offspring will remain in Toronto.
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Feature Image: Toronto Zoo
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