Visiting Tai Shan – DC’s Panda Cub

By Patty Hankins and Bill Lawrence

Visiting Tai Shan, the panda cub at the National Zoo in Washington DC, has changed significantly since our first report in December 2005. Tai Shan is now in the outdoor section of the panda exhibit most of the day. He usually comes outside between 7:00 and 7:30 AM and stays out until late afternoon. Tai Shan and Mei Xiang (his mother) are in the second enclosure in the exhibit. Tian Tian (Tai Shan’s father) is in the first enclosure. The main entrance to the Panda Exhibit is across from the Zoo Store (now called the Panda Pavilion). When we go, we usually try to get to the enclosure by between 7:00 and 7:15 AM.

The zoo is still issuing tickets for 10 minute visits to see Tai Shan – but you don’t have to have a ticket to see Tai Shan. Ticket times start at 8:30 AM – which means if you get there before then, you can go in and see Tai Shan without a ticket. There are also same day tickets available starting at 8 AM at the information booth near the zoo store, but there is not much reason to wait in line before 8 while everyone else is out watching Tai Shan play. If your whole group can get to the zoo before 8 AM – skip the ticket line and go down to see Tai Shan. If you can’t everyone there that early, go ahead and get same day tickets for later in the day – and treat yourself to a quick preview of the fun by seeing Tai Shan since you’re already at the zoo.

As of this weekend, the zoo is not enforcing the 10 minute visit rule. Once you get in to see Tai Shan, you can stay as long as you want. As the weather gets warmer (and the zoo gets more crowded), they may start enforcing the time limits more strictly.

Even if they start requiring tickets and you don’t have one – you can still see Tai Shan. The terrace of the Panda Café overlooks the panda enclosure. The entrance to the Panda Café is across from the cheetah exhibit. Sometimes this area provides the best view of the pandas, depending on where they are in their enclosure.

Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. On weekday mornings, it is not unusual for there to be less than 10 people at the panda enclosure at 8:15 AM. On weekends, there are more people, but definitely fewer than were lining up to see Tai Shan in December.

Parking is limited at the National Zoo – so you may want to take the Metro. The zoo is on Connecticut Avenue, easily accessible from the Red Line. The zoo is located roughly halfway between two stations – the Woodley Park/National Zoo/Adams Morgan station and the Cleveland Park station. We recommend getting off at the Cleveland Park station. The walk from the Woodley Park station is all uphill to the zoo – while the walk from Cleveland Park station is nice and level.

As for photographing Tai Shan – don’t forget to bring your camera (and plenty of batteries, film or digital storage). Tai Shan puts on a great show every time we visit. If you have a long zoom lens for your camera, be sure to bring it. We usually use lenses in the 70-400mm range – and take most of our photos at the upper end of the range. The panda enclosure is pretty large, and Tai Shan has fun in the entire place.

If you get a chance to visit the National Zoo and Tai Shan – be sure to take some time to explore the rest of the zoo. There are some great exhibits – including other baby animals including 9 cheetah cubs (born in November 2004 and April 2005), a prehensile-tailed porcupine (born in February 2006 – on exhibit at the small mammal house), and a baby sloth bear (born in January and not yet on exhibit).

You can see our most recent Tai Shan photos by clicking here or on the panda photo on our homepage at www.hankinslawrenceimages.com

For tickets to see Tai Shan – visit the FONZ website at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/cubtickets/

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