ATLANTA — One of Zoo Atlanta’s newest giant pandas is celebrating a milestone birthday ahead of her public debut.
Zoo Atlanta shared a first look at giant panda Fu Shuang in one of her new indoor panda dayrooms this week as she celebrated turning 6 years old on Oct. 18.
The zoo said Fu Shuang marked the occasion with a special ice cake and a festive arrangement of bamboo.
According to Zoo Atlanta, the birthday treat featured bamboo leaves frozen in water to create the cake, a honey-infused frozen number “6” on top and bamboo culms fashioned to resemble birthday candles.
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The birthday celebration comes as the zoo prepares to open the highly anticipated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove to visitors on Nov. 6, when guests will finally get a chance to see the giant pandas in their new home.
Zoo Atlanta has been sharing previews of the animals as excitement builds ahead of the exhibit’s opening.
Earlier this month, the zoo released new photos of giant panda Ping Ping exploring her habitat and adjusting to life in Atlanta.
The pandas arrived in Atlanta as part of Zoo Atlanta’s renewed giant panda program. The opening of Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove will mark the return of giant pandas as a featured attraction at the zoo after months of preparation.
For now, zoo officials are inviting the public to help wish Fu Shuang a happy birthday as the countdown continues to the Nov. 6 opening of the new panda habitat.
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