January 23, 2016
Contributed Art/Smithsonian National Zoo
Tian Tian, an 18-year-old panda at Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo, rolls around in the snow on January 23, 2016 as blizzard conditions sweep the northeastern U.S.
As residents throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States witness their neighborhoods transform into a wintry maelstrom, one happy panda bear at Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian National Zoo is relishing in his transformed habit.
Even though the zoo has been closed for the weekend, 18-year-old Tian Tian woke up Saturday morning ready for action, with or without an audience. As it turned out, staff at the zoo captured a video of him rolling around in the snow and generally having a ball.
"He was pretty excited about it," said a caption on a YouTube video posted by the National Zoo. "Giant pandas have thick woolly coats that keep them warm in the snowy mountains of China."
Tian Tian woke up this morning to a lot of snow, and he was pretty excited about it. 🐼🌨 #blizzard2016 pic.twitter.com/GrhI9t1u7j
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 23, 2016
Tian Tian's fun in the snow has been retweeted more than 110,000 times and viewed more than 18 million times on Facebook, racking up more than 870,000 shares.
Just for good measure, the Smithsonian also posted shots of a several other furry friends enjoying the winter and the zoo to themselves.
#Blizzard2016 doesn't stop the red pandas! Their feet are completely covered in thick fur. pic.twitter.com/5qf3eBZLqP
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 23, 2016
It's too cold & snowy outside for Schmidt's red-tailed monkeys, but keepers brought the snow to them! #Blizzard2016 pic.twitter.com/fvLxcJvRcY
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 23, 2016
Wilma's head is the most insulated part of her body. The hump on her back lets her head plow thru snow #Blizzard2016 pic.twitter.com/PoGjq9NJ66
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 23, 2016
