Thursday July 12, 10:25 a.m.
Well, despite all the hoopla and celebration and newspaper extras last week heralding the arrival of the first baby panda born in captivity in 24 years at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, there was tragedy a couple of days ago. It's been announced that that baby panda died rather suddenly due to pneumonia after some of her mother's milk got stuck in the little one's trachea. I'm sure there was a full court press. NHK covered it pretty well, including a press conference to report on the death. The director of Ueno Zoo was nearly in tears.
I think the news was delivered home that raising a baby panda is at best a tricky affair and not at all guaranteed. However, as sad as the news was, both parents are still young and there are many more opportunities in the future.
