Silly Baby Panda Falls Flat on Its Face During Public Debut of 23 Giant Panda Cubs in China

Oh, the pandemonium!

September 30, 2016, 4:50 PM

A group of baby pandas made their public debut at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, China, on Thursday.

PHOTO: The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.
The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.

The sight was one to behold -- 23 adorable lumps of black-and-white fuzzballs with endearing rounded ears.

PHOTO: The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.
The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.

At first, all was going well. One little panda worked the camera during a photo-op with its irresistibly cute yawn.

PHOTO: About 23 giant pandas born in 2016 are seen on a display at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, Sept. 29, 2016.
About 23 giant pandas born in 2016 are seen on a display at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, Sept. 29, 2016.

Another stole the spotlight with its playful antics with a handler.

PHOTO: About 23 giant pandas born in 2016 are seen on a display at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, Sept. 29, 2016.
About 23 giant pandas born in 2016 are seen on a display at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, Sept. 29, 2016.

But then, one clumsy cub came tumbling down.

PHOTO: The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.
The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.

A handler appeared to try and catch the lil' fluffball, but he was a just a little too late. The baby had its face in the ground and its stubby legs waving in the air

PHOTO: The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.
The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.

No worries, though! The panda was perfectly fine. It was promptly picked up and plopped back on the platform.

PHOTO: The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.
The 23 giant panda cubs born in 2016 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding make their debut to the public on Sept. 29, 2016 in Chengdu, China.

— -- Even better news: Despite being especially clumsy creatures, pandas were taken of the endangered species list earlier this month by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

“For over fifty years, the giant panda has been the globe’s most beloved conservation icon as well as the symbol of WWF," said WWF Director General Marco Lambertini in a statement. "Knowing that the panda is now a step further from extinction is an exciting moment for everyone committed to conserving the world’s wildlife and their habitats."

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