Panda Updates – Wednesday, February 6

You may know that neither giant pandas nor red pandas can chew with their mouths closed, because their jaw muscles attach to a ridge on top of their heads called a sagittal crest. But did you also know that they can slurp their water into their mouths like you and I? Unlike other carnivores, who have to lap their water into their mouths using their tongues, giant pandas and red pandas have the ability to suck water into their mouths to drink. I’ve always thought this was super cool, and managed to capture a video of little Idgie taking a long drink of water this morning. You can check out the video on our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages. That noise you hear is her sucking the water into her mouth! How cute is that?!
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals