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Panda panic! Animal cam goes dark as federal government shuts down

Panda lovers, it's worse than you might've thought: The National Zoo's panda cam has gone dark. "If the federal government shuts down on October 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be closed to the public. All programming and events will be canceled. All vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle paths into the Zoo will be closed. None of our live animal cams will broadcast," the Washington, D.C. zoo
TODAY
Giant panda Mei Xiang at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.Today

Panda lovers, it's worse than you might've thought: The National Zoo's panda cam has gone dark. 

"If the federal government shuts down on October 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will be closed to the public. All programming and events will be canceled. All vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle paths into the Zoo will be closed. None of our live animal cams will broadcast," the Washington, D.C. zoo wrote on its website.

Now, the only animals you should actually be worrying about are us humans (like your stressed out coworkers), because the shutdown will not impact the zoo's care for its beloved residents. 

"All the animals will continue to be fed and cared for. A shutdown will not affect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care," the zoo added in the post. 

So if you're one of those Americans who believes a government shutdown won't affect you, just think of all the hours of family drama you'll be missing out on as Mei Xiang cares for her cub. 

How will you make it through the work day? Well, there's always China's panda cam to keep you company.  

And if you're looking to branch out to other members of the animal kingdom, here are four more cams you can turn to: The Africam, the National Aquarium's shark cam, the Washington Animal Rescue League's kitten cam, and Seaworld's penguin cam