Tai Shan (panda)
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Tai Shan (Chinese: 泰山; pinyin: Tài Shān, IPA:[tʰaɪˈʂan], also known as Butterstick) is a giant panda born at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park (National Zoo) in Washington, D.C on July 9, 2005.[1] He is the first panda cub born at the National Zoo to survive for more than a few days, and only the third to survive in the United States, though a fourth panda, a female cub named Su Lin, was born at the San Diego Zoo on August 2, 2005.
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[edit] Lineage
Tai Shan is the first cub born to Mei Xiang (IPA:[meiˈɕiɑŋ]) and Tian Tian (IPA:[tʰiɛn tʰiɛn]), the National Zoo's second pair of giant pandas. (The first pair, Ling-Ling (female) and Hsing-Hsing (male), were donated to the Zoo by China in 1972, shortly after Richard Nixon's historic visit. Ling-Ling died in 1992 and Hsing-Hsing in 1999 without producing any cubs that survived for more than a few days.)
Both of Tai Shan's parents were born at the China Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, Sichuan Province. Mei Xiang, his mother, was artificially inseminated in March 2005 with sperm from Tian Tian after natural mating between the pair appeared unsuccessful. The National Zoo will rear Tai Shan until he is 2. Per the agreement with China, they can require that Tai Shan be sent to China any time after he turns 2.
[edit] Naming Controversy
Following a Chinese tradition, panda cubs are not named until they are 100 days old. Before he got a name, the cub was popularly referred to as Butterstick because immediately after his birth, a zoo worker described him as about the size of a stick of butter. The name caught on with bloggers, and became quite popular.
In autumn, the National Zoo announced that the cub's name would be chosen through an Internet poll. There were five names included on the poll; all were traditional Chinese names approved by the China Wildlife Conservation Association. "Butterstick" was not included as an option. Many bloggers protested this decision; there was even an attempt to hack the poll,[2] allowing voters the option of selecting the name Butterstick. Despite these efforts, the name Tai Shan, meaning "peaceful mountain," was eventually chosen.[3] Although the name "Butterstick" did not win, it remains a popular nickname for the panda around DC and on many websites.
[edit] Media Darling
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Tai Shan made his public debut on December 8, 2005, after the National Zoo issued 13,000 free timed entry tickets. These tickets were gone within 2 hours, and some were quickly offered for sale on eBay and craigslist, receiving offers as high as $500 a piece. However, since the cub entered his outdoor yard for the first time on December 22, 2005, zoo visitors without tickets can also glimpse Tai Shan from two new vantage points during his morning excursions.
The cub has also become widely popular;[4] he is frequently mentioned on D.C.-oriented websites, such as DCist, FreeButterstick.org, and Wonkette, as well as traditional media outlets, including National Public Radio, The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, and The Washington Times. Fans have set up sites selling cub-related merchandise, including one partnered with cafepress.com that donated approximately $1,900 in profits to the National Zoo.
Furthermore, Tai Shan is the star of his own webcam[5], which has been visited by more than 7 million viewers around the world. The panda cub is featured in an Animal Planet documentary titled A Panda Is Born, which follows the National Zoo's giant panda breeding efforts and Tai Shan's birth.
Many visitors have shared their pictures of Tai Shan at websites like flickr.[6] His development and daily adventure are closely followed and adored by fans from all over the world.
[edit] Tai Shan Turns One
At the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Tai Shan and thousands of fans celebrated his first birthday on July 9, 2006 with his mother, Mei Xiang. As early as 7am, visitors of the National Zoo started to line up outside the panda exhibit, with the opening three hours away.
One of his gifts was a giant custom made fruitsicle with the number one on top of another layer of a refreshing treat. Of course, he shared it with his mom. Members of the media fought to catch the perfect pose of Tai Shan and the icy dessert. Another one of his attention-grabbing gifts was a mini pool with a volleyball in it, playfully splashed around, fans grabbing pictures of the cute star panda.
[edit] References
- ^ "Cub Arrives With a Squeal", Washington Times, Denise Barnes and Tarron Lively, July 10, 2005
- ^ "Pandamaniacs Want 'Butterstick,'" The Washingtonian, Garrett M. Graff, October 5, 2005
"'Qiang Qiang'? 'Butterstick'? Cub Naming Contest Nears End," Washington Post, Karlyn Barker, September 29, 2005. - ^ "DC Zoo Panda Cub Gets a Name: Tai Shan," USA Today, Jacob Adelman, October 17, 2005.
- ^ "Paparazzi Get an Audience With the Panda", Washington Post, Karlyn Barker, November 30, 2005
- ^ Giant Panda Webcam
- ^ Butterstick on flickr
Warren, Lynne (July 2006). "Panda, Inc.". National Geographic Magazine: 42-59.
