Courtesy National Zoo.

Courtesy National Zoo.

Should the federal government shut down today at midnight, our worst fear will be realized: The panda cam will go dark.

The National Zoo released a statement this morning, explaining that the Zoo will be closed if Congress can’t get it together in 12 hours.

If the federal government shuts down on October 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be closed to the public. All programming and events will be canceled. All vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle paths into the Zoo will be closed. None of our live animal cams will broadcast.

All the animals will continue to be fed and cared for. A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.

While it’s nice to hear that the animals, specifically Butterstick, will be well cared for, the lack of panda cam will be devastating for thousands, maybe even millions of people. The folks who comments on the Zoo’s Facebook page agree: “A world without the panda cam is a world without happiness.”; “How will I get through my day without the panda cam????”; “CONGRESS, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. FOR THE LOVE OF THE BABY PANDA.”

To prepare for what seems inevitable, we recommend watching the baby panda wiggle while listening to Eve 6’s “Here’s To The Night.”

Update: It happened.

Filed Under: butterstick iii, federal government shutdown, national zoo, panda, panda cam,