Meet Su Jin Zai, the ‘darkest panda on the internet.’ After playing in snow and mud at Wolong Shenshuping Base, this adorable cub got covered in dirt.
Recently, a panda cub named “Su Jin Zai” went viral online. She lives at the Wolong Shenshuping Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda. Netizens jokingly called her “the darkest panda on the internet.”
In the photo, the adorable cub lies on a tree branch. However, her white fur looks almost completely black. Even her little face has lost its usual contrast. So people teased, “No cosplay as a black bear!” and “Did the baby panda go mining?”
According to Sichuan Online, heavy snow recently fell at the Wolong Shenshuping Base. Afterwards, melting snow soaked the outdoor ground. As a result, the cub rolled around on the wet, muddy surface. Therefore, her fur became dark and dirty.
In fact, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda has already explained this issue before. Giant pandas cannot stay “clean” in the way humans expect. Instead, they love nature. They spend their days climbing, rolling, and playing in dirt and grass. Consequently, grass juice and mud easily stain their fur. That is why people often see the so-called “coal-digging” pandas.
So why don’t keepers bathe pandas regularly?
First, pandas have a natural layer of oil on their skin. This oil protects their bodies. It keeps out cold and moisture. Moreover, it works as a heat barrier. Thanks to this layer, pandas can adapt to cold and damp environments. They can even rest and sleep directly on snow. If humans bathe them, they would damage this protective oil layer. As a result, pandas would lose an important natural defense.
In addition, giant pandas are real wild animals. They are powerful. They have broad, strong molars and an impressive bite force. Adult wild pandas have almost no natural predators. Even in captivity, keepers do not closely approach adult pandas because they have strong territorial instincts. Furthermore, pandas are very sensitive to environmental changes. Therefore, bathing them is simply not an option.
Sometimes, people see keepers spraying water on pandas with a hose. However, they are not giving them a bath. Instead, they may be cooling them down in hot weather. Or they may simply be interacting with them in a friendly way.
In the wild, pandas find water sources by themselves. They drink, play, and even sit in pools like they are “taking a bath.” In captivity, although regular bathing is not allowed, facilities provide artificial pools. In this way, pandas can clean themselves naturally. At the same time, playing in water also improves their mood.
Written by Yi Shen.
If you liked this article, why not read: Meet 30 Adorable Newborn Pandas Ringing in the Lunar New Year
