Da Mao : Panda playing in the snow (Video)

The Toronto Zoo’s giant panda, Da Mao, has seen snow before, but a recent video of him frolicking and tumbling in the fluffy white coldness would make you think otherwise.

The zoo was forced to close early on Wednesday because of record-breaking snowfall, but security cameras were able to catch the endangered panda as he rolled around, slid, explored, and accidentally did a front flip in his outdoor habitat.

The Toronto Zoo‘s YouTube page said,

While the Toronto Zoo closed early on February 5th, 2014, due to the record-breaking snow fall, our giant panda Da Mao sure seemed to enjoy himself. Watch what security cameras caught him doing within his outdoor habitat. Come visit the Giant Panda Exhibit at the Toronto Zoo http://www.torontozoo.com.

The giant panda to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda, is a bear. Native to south central China, It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body.

In the past, pandas were thought to be rare and noble creatures – the Empress Dowager Bo was buried with a panda skull in her vault. The grandson of Emperor Taizong of Tang is said to have given Japan two pandas and a sheet of panda skin as a sign of goodwill. Unlike many other animals in Ancient China, pandas were rarely thought to have medical uses.

Agencies/Canadajournal