Let’s face it, is there an animal that people love to see more than giant pandas?
They are cute, cuddly, roll-y poll-y, and hilariously stubborn. We’re so obsessed with seeing them at our zoo’s that many of them have created live streaming “Pandacam’s” just so we can watch them 24 hours a day.
Of course, no one is complaining. After all, it’s virtually impossible to watch a young panda cub playing around and not have a big smile on your face after a few minutes.
Since giant pandas are an endangered species, their care is very closely watched by the US Fish and Wildlife Service while they are on loan from China. That means only a handful of the top notch zoos in the country actually get to house and grow giant pandas for people to visit.
So, you’re probably in the mood to spend a little while with some pandas now, right?
We don’t blame you. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the only zoos across the country where you can actually see giant pandas in the habitat as you would in the wild.
But get yourself ready for a cute attack, don’t say we didn’t warn you!
National Zoo
Located in Washington, DC the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of the top spots in the country to check out giant pandas in action. Not only do they have a vast amount of adult giant pandas, but it is one of the few zoos in America that have been able to successfully breed healthy baby pandas.
San Diego Zoo
San Diego is known for a lot of things: beautiful weather year round, excellent beaches, and one of the very best zoos in not only the country, but the world. The San Diego Zoo also has a giant panda exhibit in their Panda Canyon, where you can see them playing outside and munching on bamboo.
Atlanta Zoo
This is a very exciting time for panda fans at the Atlanta Zoo. As of late summer 2016, one of the female pandas is due to give birth to a brand new panda cub very soon. So, visitors in the coming year will not only get to see the three year old cubs, but hopefully a new baby as well.
Memphis Zoo
Right now, the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee is the proud home of two giant pandas, one male and one female. The zoo has been watching them pretty closely with hopes that there might be a new addition to the family to join the fun at their giant panda habitat.
Well there you have it.
There are only four zoos in the United States that can host giant pandas, so if you are hoping to get up close and personal with one, you’ll have to make a trip to Washington DC, San Diego, Atlanta, or Memphis.
Of course, each of these cities have plenty of fun things to do and see, so being able to check out some giant pandas in real life, would be nothing but icing on the cake!
