Getting in one final visit of my year of having an annual pass for Zoo Berlin! In total, this visit takes me to 8 days at the zoo, so for me the annual pass was completely worth it – including making some savings in the restaurant and gift shop as well. I think I timed the pass well, being able to see the cubs from 9 months old to 1 year 9 months old was a great age range, and I’ve really made the most of having sweet panda twins in Europe before they will depart for China. While a timeframe for this departure hasn’t been announced, it really could be anytime now that the twins are 2. However I am confident I will see them in the future in China! Anyway, on to this specific visit, which was 1.5 days in a very sunny Spring-time Berlin:
Jiao Qing 娇庆
Apologies to Jiao Qing 娇庆 and all his fans – because I didn’t get a lot of photos of him on this trip! He was sleeping when I first arrived then got up for a post-lunch snack and I got so lucky and spotted him outside – now the photos are a little out of focus, but it was so good seeing him spend more than a couple of minutes outside and he really did have a good explore all over his outside yard (which is huge, he should go exploring more!). And then I got even more lucky as on my second morning he was outside again – what a treat from Jiao Qing^ He again explored quite a lot and I was very happy to get the pictures of him walking around his stream. Then he spent most of the afternoon inside and eating – being a Saturday it was quite busy so it was tricky to get a lot of pictures, but for more you can check out the many(!) other posts I’ve done featuring this boy =)
Meng Meng 梦梦, Meng Tian (梦甜; Lotti) & Meng Hao (梦好; Leni)
What an amazing last time seeing these sweet twins in Berlin for me! When I first arrived it was very much post-lunch naptime and we were all sleeping, however shortly after all three of mummy Meng Meng 梦梦 and both Leni (Meng Hao 梦好) and Lotti (Meng Tian 梦甜) were taken inside for the bamboo to be replenished and at the same time the keepers brought out a brand new hammock and hung it up on their frame. When they were let back into the room the twins went crazy for it, they loved their new toy to play on – it was a bit of a squeeze for both of them to fit at the same time but they really made it work and were rolling off of it and quickly climbing back up to get on again, such an adorable moment! Overall all three of them were very active for the rest of the afternoon, they were splitting time between being inside and outside, with lots of climbing and hiding in the bamboo bushes. It was super sweet to see Leni and Lotti outside playing together, especially as Leni is more on an indoor girl. On the second day of my visit the girls were outside first thing while the keepers tidied up inside, Meng Meng was keen to get in and they were let in for some breakfast, some treats at the keeper door, and one of the twins had another play in the hammock, and then the twins played together. They did go outside again rather quickly to enjoy the bamboo out there. The day was spent mixed between inside and outside, they were really enjoying the nice Spring weather! I also saw some climbing which was adorable and the twins were outside and interacting together. After lunchtime I knew Lotti had headed deep into the yard, and ended up waiting a long time at the windows at the far end next to the pagoda – it looked like I was standing looking at an empty bush, but I knew a panda cub would appear soon! My luck paid off and I got an adorable view of her leaving the bush, climbing over a log and sliding down the rock before running off through the grass back to the house. The glass here isn’t the clearest so I didn’t get the best photos however I did get a cute video which will eventually appear on my Instagram!
~Day 1~
~Day 2~
