23 Baby Pandas usher in Chinese New Year!

Back in September 2016, the world was introduced to 23 baby pandas born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Since then, the pandas have continued to grow and were on display recently to ring in Chinese New Year!

Ami Vitale is a Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic photographer, who recently attended a ceremony at the Chengdu panda base where all 23 pandas were on display to help bring in the new year!

For reference, here’s what the pandas looked like just 4 short months ago:

And here’s where they’re at today (a little harder to pick up and cradle):

Video by @amivitale . Staff of Chengdu panda base show off their bumper crop of 23 baby pandas this year just before the start of the Chinese New Year. #pandas #china #nikonlove #nikon @natgeo @natgeocreative @thephotosociety @nikonusa

A video posted by Ami Vitale (@amivitale) on Jan 21, 2017 at 6:21am PST

Probably one of the cutest new year’s greetings! Watch the full outdoor ceremony here:

Vitale notes that pandas have been ‘officially upgraded from endangered to threatened species status thanks to conservation and breeding efforts in China. The latest estimates show a population of 1,864 adults.’

Happy New Year!