Thursday, October 12, 2017

Giant Panda Cubs Falling Down



Baby pandas quickly learn the art of falling down, because they aren't all that great at climbing, walking, or even standing still. They soon become very good at falling down. The Toronto Zoo put together a compilation of falling down clips from their panda-cams, accompanied by a wonderful performance of The Barber of Seville from the Davis High School Symphony Orchestra. Apparently, pandas are built for falling, being so roly-poly and all.
In 2003, scientists from Zoo Atlanta, Chengdu, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding published a study that described trends in the behavior of giant panda cubs. Among other findings, this study confirmed that falling was a normal and expected part of the play of the giant panda cubs being reared by their mother. The researchers suggested that the natural play experiences of growing cubs with their mothers and siblings may significantly contribute to the panda cubs’ development into reproductively successful adults.
(via Metafilter)

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