China's Panda Cubs Usher in the Year of the Ox

It's just two days after China welcomed in the Year of the Ox, and celebrations are still going strong.  But China's nearly 1.4 billion people aren't the only ones enjoying the new year; China's pandas also have reason to celebrate.

The thirteen panda cubs who were born after the May 12 earthquake are alive, healthy, and have put on a performance for spectators.  While tens of thousands were devastated by the quake, the panda population also suffered a hit, as the main panda habitat, in Woolong Reserve, was extremely close to the quake's epicenter.  Several pandas died as a result.

In a sense, the births of these pandas represent new life and hope after the earthquake.  After a year of natural disasters, China is ready to face this year with a fresh perspective.