February 21, 2006
Butterstick Finds his Father
Butterstick's little world may suddenly have gotten a little more complicated -- he's discovered his father.
WJLA is reporting that 'stick, who often scales a tree along the fence that divides his pen from that of his father, Tian Tian, has become somewhat curious as to the presence next door, staring longingly across the fence-line and pawing at the neighboring enclosure.
We knew Butterstick couldn't remain fatherless for long. As much as a deadbeat as Tian Tian may be, 'stick is slowly growing into manhood, more demanding of a father figure to walk him through the growing pains, the broken hearts, and the lunchtime fights with some of the zoo's less cuddly animals. Motherstick got him this far, and now he needs Fatherstick to take him the rest of the way.
The alternative is a momma's boy of a panda that we'll eventually send back to China. And do we want them thinking we're soft? Huh? Do we?
Picture snapped by Peter F. Martin.
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"Staring longlingly..."? My a$$. I was at the zoo for my first visit with Ty Shawn - he was in the tree alright, but sound asleep for the entire 20 minutes I was there. In fact, at first I thought he was a dirty bit of stuff (the 'white' fur is mostly brown - I hope from sitting around in the dirt.....) that had gotten blown into teh treet by the wind. At least the parental units were moving around....