If you wonder what young kids and animals have in common, the answer is playing around, having fun, and enjoying new toys. Toys can keep both kids and animals entertained for hours, until they decide they need to get a new one.
Playing with toys has positive impact in the process of proper mental development, so it’s vital that they are included in the process of growing and learning.
An adorable baby panda is totally obsessed with his new toy, a big green ball he won’t trade for anything.
The lovely video was captured by the staff of the San Diego Zoo.
Source: YouTube
The baby panda was given the ball so that the staff could see how it reacts to new objects.
“Panda keepers gave the cub the ball to test his coordination and encourage him to play with new objects,” the description reads.
Source: YouTube
Adorable Xiao Liwu is part of an experimental process through which young panda cubs are introduced to new objects and their behavior towards them is being recorded.
This cute cub had been given two balls, some bamboo, and a limb trimmed from a tree. Since the bamboo and the tree limb were introduced to him before, he wasn’t that interested in playing with them, while the ball was something he hasn’t seen before, so he wasn’t willing to let it go easily.
Source: YouTube
The ball kept Xiao entertained during the whole time while the examination was taking place. Whenever the green ball would slip through his paws, the caretakers would give it back to him, and he would accept it with excitement.
When nutritionist Jennifer Parsons went to take Xiao’s measurements, she had to slide the tape measure in between the ball and him to get them all recorded properly.
Xiao doesn’t really like to be measured, but this time he was so into playing with his new toy that he didn’t even notice Jennifer was there.
Source: YouTube
The ball helped the vets do the check-up relatively easy.
Xiao weighted 14.5 inches and was 29 inches long from head to tail.
Now, however, he is all grown up, but he still has that vibrant personality and enjoys playing with toys. He is indeed a happy and a healthy panda.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
