PANDAS: San Diego Zoo wishes happy birthday to Gao Gao

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Two things are known about people who visit the San Diego Zoo: they love the pandas, and they have a sweet spot for birthday celebrations.

And so a birthday bash was held this week for Gao Gao, the zoo’s 17-year-old male panda on loan from China. Gao Gao was born in the wild and his exact birth date is a guess.

So the birthday was set for the month in which he arrived in San Diego six years ago. His cake had honey icing and was stuffed with carrots, yams, apples and bamboo leaves.

--Tony Perry, San Diego