100-Day-Old Panda Cub Awaits Name

[Keel M.]

The newest giant panda cub at the San Diego Zoo is now 100 days old, which means it's time to name him.

The cub was born on July 29, but the zoo has held off on naming him in keeping with a Chinese tradition. Nearly 35,000 votes were cast to decide on one of six suggested names for the panda: Qi Ji (Miracle), Yu Di (Raindrop), Da Hai (Big Ocean or Big Sea), Xiao Liwu (Little Gift), Yong Er (Brave Son) or Shui Long (Water Dragon).

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[Still Waters]

It's a strange tradition they have waiting 100 days before they name him. He's looking cute, I hope he continues to do well.

[s33ker]

Ohhh,,,,what a cutie,,,,makes me go all gooey inside,,,,,,I want one and I would call him Budda .

[Taun]

I vote for Fred or Bob...

(He is cute though...)

[Ashotep]

Pooky Bear.

[Keel M.]

It's a strange tradition they have waiting 100 days before they name him. He's looking cute, I hope he continues to do well.

This is actually a tradition with humans in China as well, though it's unclear if it still happens. This is the explanation (for both humans and pandas):

The 100-day naming tradition began as a way to mark when a fragile human infant had grown to a point where it was likely to survive, said Rebecca Snyder, the curator of mammals at Zoo Atlanta. That philosophy applies to pandas, too.

Baby pandas are notoriously vulnerable – they are small, weak and blind, catch infection easily, and are entirely dependent on their mothers for survival.

Explanation courtesy of Life's Little Mysteries after the 2010 birth of Po at the Atlanta Zoo.

[Bling]

Issi Noho

You may remember the UK kids programme.