You still have a chance to enter to win a panda experience of a lifetime! The PANDA Extravaganza Sweepstakes is open for your chance to win an all-expenses-paid panda experience of a lifetime. The sweepstakes will randomly select a single winner for an exclusive behind-the-scenes encounter for two in the giant panda nursery, VIP participation for two in the cubs’ 100 Day Naming Celebration, round-trip airfare, two nights at W Atlanta - Downtown, dinner for two at BLT Steak Atlanta, and a spa package for two at Bliss Atlanta! What are you waiting for? Enter now on the Zoo Atlanta website or on Zoo Atlanta’s Facebook page. Entrants must provide a name, email address, mailing address and telephone number to enroll. No purchase is necessary. Participants must be 18 years old or older and citizens or permanent legal residents of the 50 U.S. states. The winner will be contacted and announced by Zoo Atlanta.

---

Heather Roberts, Keeper III, is amazed every day she spends with the cubs.  She wanted to share her excitement and a weekend update with Cub Confidential:
“The cubs are growing so fast. They have both now exceeded 3 kilograms!  It's hard to believe how much development these little guys have gone through in just over two months. If you think about it, it really is a short time to go from a very embryonic-like figure to a full-blown mini panda! Giant panda cubs are less developed than other placental mammals when they are born. One possible reason for this is that the mothers’ diet of bamboo does not allow their bodies to support a lengthy pregnancy. Therefore, the cubs have a lot of growing to do once they are born.  We are so pleased the twins continue to thrive under Lun Lun's excellent care!”

Heather also shared another tidbit about a vocalization she heard Friday night:

“In the middle of the night Friday night, while Lun Lun was sleeping nearby, Cub B woke up and was stretching and wiggling around.  Then I heard a sound from the cub like a cough. I watched him for few minutes and he was quiet, but still squirming around. Then he started making smacking noises, so I thought he must be hungry. But, along with the second round of smacking sounds he started snorting, and I realized he was spooked! Something unknown to the rest of us scared him. The smacking sounds were the cub chomping. Chomping and snorting are threatening vocalizations that pandas use to attempt to frighten a potential enemy. The coughing I thought I heard was the cub honking. Honking is a vocalization pandas make when distressed and often follows chomping and snorting.  It is amusing to hear these vocalizations coming from the cubs at such a young age, but it is not uncommon. The world can be a scary place when you are still tiny and mom is not around!”