Female giant panda Mei Xiang celebrates 25th birthday in U.S. zoo

Giant panda Mei Xiang has celebrated her 25th birthday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. "in style with a beautiful fruitsicle cake" and lots of love.

According to the zoo, the blue cake, along with its "25" topper, was made of frozen-diluted apple juice, with mashed sweet potatoes, mashed carrots, apple slices and bamboo adding "a decorative flair to the festive treat."

The zoo has also posted a video online, showing Mei Xiang munching away on her specially crafted multi-tiered cake.

A crowd of eagerfans watched as Mei Xiang enjoyed her birthday festivities, and they were joined by virtual visitorswho tuned into the zoo's Giant Panda Cam.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed their first pair of Chinese giant pandas on April 16, 1972, following then-U.S. President Richard Nixon's groundbreaking trip to China.

And it was in late 2000 when the furry black-and-white duo of female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian took up residence in the zoo. During their decades-long stay, Mei Xiang gave birth to four surviving cubs, including Xiao Qi Ji,or "Little Miracle," the male cub born to Mei Xiang using frozen semen from male Tian Tian in 2020.