What does the giant panda eat on New Year’s Eve？ Monitor of feeding team： bamboo shoots+carrots

　　The giant panda "Gugu" is enjoying the carrot sticks placed in the word "Wang". Photography/Our reporter Yuan Yi

　　(Reporter Wang Bin) On Lunar New Year’s Eve, Ma Tao, the monitor of the Panda Hall of the Beijing Zoo Feeding Team, prepared a special breakfast for the giant panda — — Use carrot sticks to put the word "Wang" on the ground, and place a beautiful New Year greeting. Yesterday, it was the 28th Spring Festival that Ma Tao spent with the giant panda, and he was always waiting for the giant panda at night. Long-term relationship makes Ma Tao regard these lovely pandas as relatives in his heart, and he is concerned about their every move. Yesterday, Ma Tao celebrated the New Year for the giant panda in a special way. He cleaned the basin and trough thoroughly, and if they were damaged, they would be replaced with new ones. "In the New Year, it is necessary to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and the panda’s nest should be completely new!"

　　Early yesterday morning, Ma Tao came to the Panda Pavilion to inspect the playground and the animal house one by one, and specially prepared for the panda "babies". He came to the ingredient room and washed and peeled carrots and bamboo shoots. Different from usual, Ma Tao cut carrots into strips, took them to the Panda Stadium, and put them in a "Wang" on the ground. "The Year of the Dog has arrived, so as to express a good blessing and make the panda babies feel happy!"

　　The giant panda "Gugu" leaned in, sniffed it first, then picked up a carrot stick and chewed it. "Gugu" is a small star in Beijing Zoo. Last November, when US President Trump and his party visited China, they visited Beijing Zoo. Mrs. Trump and "Gugu" took a photo with Zhang Zhengui. "Gugu" is also Ma Tao’s favorite giant panda. He is a "handsome man" in the panda world because of his big size, good coat color, strong body and smart mind. Get along with each other every day, Ma Tao has already personified this lovely group of giant pandas, taking good care of them like his own children, and this is the idea of putting the word "Wang" on the Spring Festival.

　　"Giant pandas have to eat eight meals a day. Four meals, four fruits, and supper if you are hungry late at night. Giant pandas are solitary animals, and each one eats differently. You calculate, a giant panda prepares eight meals, and there are eight in total. Is it busy enough at the end of the day? " Ma Tao said.

　　As a national treasure, giant pandas should be taken care of more carefully than other animals. The breeders line up their classes and wait 24 hours a day. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, naturally, someone will stay behind. However, on such a family reunion day, Ma Tao, as the monitor, bears the brunt, and voluntarily chooses to stay and celebrate the New Year with the giant panda. This is the 28th New Year’s Eve that Ma Tao spent in the Panda Pavilion.

　　Every year on New Year’s Eve, Ma Tao is left alone with eight giant pandas. At first, the biggest challenge was loneliness. At that time, the Internet was not developed, and there was no smart phone. We had to rely on a landline to communicate with the outside world. When we had nothing to do, we had to read newspapers and magazines to relieve boredom. On New Year’s Eve, Ma Tao will talk and chat with the giant pandas and tell the baby pandas: "It’s the New Year, and they will grow up by one year!"

　　Just like treating his family, Ma Tao’s greatest wish is that the giant pandas live a healthy life. "In the wild, the normal life span of giant pandas is about 20 years. After careful care in the zoo, the life span of giant pandas has been extended to about 30 years. ‘ Gugu ’ I am 19 years old this year, which is the prime of life! " Ma Tao said with a smile.