Thanks to a reader for sharing a letter from the Director of the Smithsonian National Zoological Park:
“Beginning January 1, 2016, the Zoo’s hours of operation will be modified so that our gates will open later and close a little earlier.
You’ve heard me state that the safety of the National Zoo’s guests, staff, and animals is my number one priority. We constantly think about safety as well as improvements that will allow our team and vendors to move freely around the park during early morning hours. From animal food deliveries and vet appointments to supply drops and grounds maintenance, this critical early morning work ensures that your Zoo runs smoothly and is prepared for visitors. The new closing hours enable us to protect and safeguard our visitors and animals, especially when it gets dark earlier in fall and winter.
We’ve evaluated the impact of these changes on our neighbors and community. We’re aware that joggers and walkers use the park for recreation, and that commuters use the North Road as a shortcut— although it is not a public road. Knowing that we will frustrate some of our neighbors, changing the Zoo’s open hours was a very difficult decision.I hope that you will appreciate and support my decision knowing that I cannot, and will not, compromise on safety issues. Moreover, this adjustment will enable the Zoo to use our time and resources in the most efficient manner possible.
The change will allow us to open our animal houses one hour earlier, giving our visitors more access to see animals, which is the primary reason people come to your great National Zoo.”
“The D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment voted 3-0 Tuesday to adjust its ruling in such a way that would allow Nando’s to go ahead with its proposed 2631 Connecticut Ave. NW location, in a former Bank of America branch just across from the Woodley Park Metro station.”
From Nando’s:
“We have been so persistent with this restaurant because we knew we had such strong support behind us, from our landlord to the amazing members of the Woodley Park community. Now comes the fun part, building a beautifully bespoke restaurant in Woodley Park to share our PERi-PERi chicken with even more Nando’s fans in D.C.”
“Tickets are on sale now for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s frighteningly fun adults-only Halloween event, Night of the Living Zoo. The event, hosted by Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), will be held Friday, October 30, from 5:30 to 10 pm. With live music, craft beer, food trucks, a costume contest, performance artists, and DJ Squirrel spinning spooky beats, it’s a wicked night of fun, all in the name of conservation. (more…)
“Keepers had a chance to weigh Bei Bei on Monday, Sept. 28, when Mei Xiang left her den to eat. He now weighs 1,850 grams, or 4 lbs! Mei Xiang is spending more time out of the den, and has even been sleeping in her enclosure for short periods of time as long as Bei Bei is content. One of their recent snoozing sessions was briefly interrupted by a rather surprising sneeze.
The David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat has been closed to the public since Aug. 20, and will remain closed until further notice to provide quiet. As we mentioned in our last update, Bei Bei will go on exhibit for the first time in early 2016.”
When FroZenYo first announced in 2010 they were coming across the street from the zoo I thought it would be a license to print money. Specifically I thought they’d make “approximately a zillion dollars when the weather warms up”. Maybe I should’ve been concerned when they started branching out into Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches but I honestly never thought they’d close. Updates when more info is known.
“No clue what happened (accidental, deliberate)? Happened in Woodley Park, on 28th between Woodley and Cathedral. Pretty intense… I live on this block and didn’t hear any fire trucks last night. Hopefully no one was hurt, when I walked by at 7:30 am there wasn’t really anyone around.”
Also this morning there was a car fire that temporarily closed 14th Street at P in Logan Circle.
Ed. Note: Car-BQ season usually hits in the late winter months. I’m just kidding – car-bq season is of course year round!
“Panda team has confirmed that Mei Xiang’s water broke. Hoping for healthy cub. May take a few hours.”
Update:
“Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo today, Aug. 22. The panda team witnessed the birth at 5:35 pm. Mei Xiang reacted to the cub by picking it up. The panda team began preparing for a birth when they saw Mei Xiang’s water break at 4:32 pm and she was already having contractions. The sex of the cub won’t be determined until a later date.”
Update:
@NationalZoo with even more good news:
“We can confirm a second cub was born at 10:07. It appears healthy.”
“The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute confirms one giant panda cub born at 5:35 p.m. and a second giant panda cub was born at 10:07 p.m., Aug, 22. Shortly after the second birth, a panda team of three keepers retrieved one of the cubs per the Zoo’s Giant Panda Twin Hand-Rearing protocol. The cub was placed in an incubator and cared for by veterinarians and panda keepers.
The panda team believes the first cub they retrieved was the second cub born at 10:07 p.m. This cub continues to vocalize very well and appears healthy. It weighed 138 grams last night and this morning weighed 132.4 grams. The cub has urinated and defecated – all good signs. The team fed the cub three times overnight at 2:20 a.m., 3:40 a.m., and 5:00 a.m. The cub received 30 – 40 percent of the serum it was hand-fed. The serum was banked from blood drawn from Mei Xiang last April during the artificial insemination. The nursing bouts were short but the team considers them successful. The goal was to give the cub antibodies (colostrum alternative) as it had not yet nursed on Mei Xiang. This cub has now been marked with a little green food coloring on its left hip.
At approximately 6:30 a.m. this morning, the panda team was able to swap cubs. The cub they had in the incubator this morning is believed to be the first born, and weighs 86.3 grams. It is vocalizing very well and appears strong. The panda team does not plan to feed this cub as it will be switched back to Mei Xiang in a couple of hours. However, they are prepared to feed the cub if it needed.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of a few zoos with expert nutritionists on staff. They have prepared formula and trained for this scenario. Formula ingredients include: water; human baby formula; and puppy formula. The ingredients are mixed together and strained to omit clumps. Our concern now is whether Mei Xiang will allow the panda team to consistently swap the cubs. The team developed a few different strategies and will continue to try different methods of swapping and hand-rearing. Much of their methods will be dictated by Mei Xiang.
The panda team will alternately swap the cubs, allowing one to nurse and spend time with Mei Xiang while the other is being bottle fed and kept warm in an incubator. The primary goal for the panda team is for both cubs to have the benefit of nursing and spending time with their mother. It is too early to guess about when the cubs will be placed together.
Giant pandas give birth to twins approximately 50 percent of the time. This is only the third time a giant panda living in the United States has given birth to twins. There are only two other female giant pandas around the world who have successfully reared twins and it required a lot of human support.”
“Pasta Italiano has been closed for the past few days. Maybe it is closed for good! This would be a good thing.”
Ed. Note: I put a call into the restaurant and the phone was disconnected though their website is still live. Pasta Italiana opened up in the former Little India space back in 2010.
