Mission Valley condos, San Diego CA: Pandas at the San Diego Zoo

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from your Mission Valley condo is the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

Back on August 21, 1999, Bai Yun, one of the female pandas on loan to the San Diego Zoo from China, gave birth to a baby, Hua Mei. It marked the first time that a panda born in the United States had survived.

Bai Yun has been like clockwork since then, except that her clock is a two-year clock:

• August 19, 2003, gave birth to Mei Sheng
• August 2, 2005, gave birth to Su Lin
• August 3, 2007, gave birth to Zhen Zhen
• August 5, 2009, gave birth to a little one as yet unnamed

Interestingly, baby pandas are a mere four ounces at birth, "about the size of a stick of butter," according to the San Diego Zoo, but I'm not even sure I've ever seen a stick of butter. Shedd's Spread, anyone?

Although mommy and her newborn are off exhibit, and will be for about four months, you can catch them on the San Diego Zoo's "panda cam." Unfortunately, pandas like to sleep about 14 hours a day, and I can almost guarantee you that they'll be sleeping when you're watching.

This morning, however, the other pandas at the San Diego Zoo were quite active, something they've never been at any other time that I've visited the Zoo. I got some great pictures for everyone.

If the slide show here doesn't work on your computer, click here to watch it at slide.com.