San Diego Zoo Blogs

As some of you have seen and commented, wild mule deer will occasionally wander in and out of the elephant enclosure. This is not a concern because the interactions between the animals are friendly, and they mostly pay little attention to one another. However, one morning, a deer crept close to little Khosi without her noticing. Boy, was she surprised! When she turned around and saw the deer, she gave a “trumpet” alarm, which sounds much like the instrument it is named after (see blog Elephant Herd Welcomes New Baby). She also “charged” at the deer, running toward it with her ears spread wide. This is a behavior seen in the wild when elephants are warding off predators such as lions. Most of the time a charge is just for show and the elephant will stop short while running and wait for the predator to retreat. In this case Khosi’s strategy was effective and the deer quickly turned and ran out of the yard.

However, this was not the end of the story for the elephants. When Khosi sounded the trumpet, all of the other animals became alert to the situation. Khosi’s mother, Umngani, responded with a trumpet call of her own as well as a low rumbling call. These served as a signal to the rest of the adult females, and Ndula, Samba, Lungile, and Swazi quickly gathered near Khosi and Umngani. Punga and Kamile were not left far behind, as they knew what these calls mean and they hurried to be with their mothers and aunts. Once together, our herd created a “defensive circle” in which the females form a circle with their backsides in the middle and fronts facing outward with the calves tucked inside the circle for protection. They look like the old western covered wagons when they form a circle while under attack. The females continued rumbling while holding their heads high and ears spread out to be on the watch for danger. They held their position for a few minutes until it was presumed safe to disperse and continue their daily morning activities about the yard.

The deer was no threat to the herd, and it seems most likely that the adult females were not aware of why Khosi had trumpeted. However, they responded to her alarm anyway. Because our herd does not have to worry about predators, you may think that they would eliminate such protective and defensive behavior, but it is very instinctual. It seems our moms are protecting their calves with the same seriousness as their wild relatives in Africa, and they are doing a great job!

Emily Rothwell is a Heller Fellow Research Associate with the San Diego Zoo’s Behavioral Biology Division.

It was a wondrous morning for all of us, as Gao Gao looked up from his meal at the first drops of each shower – and then went right back to his eating. (As many of you have noticed, he’s back in the viewing area for a two week rotation.) Bai Yun was undeterred from her meal, but that second shower roused Zhen Zhen from her usual morning nap in the trees. For the first time in many months we had three pandas awake and eating at the same time in the morning! Quite the viewing – I’d not seen ZZ out of her tree awake for nearly 6 weeks, and of course the visitors were delighted.

ZZ’s become a pro at bamboo-eating throughout this time, and does quite well as long as Mom doesn’t rip the culm right out of her paws. As we all know, as far as Bai is concerned, all food is Bai’s food. Smart as she is though, ZZ simply reaches out and selects another. It is still amazing to me how quickly cubs grow and develop, even after watching three older sibs. ZZ is too smart for her own good some times.

I was surprised to see how much the clown ZZ has become. It does appear that she’s playing to the crowd as she loops herself around a branch and swings, sloth-like, to hang beneath it, peering at the visitors to be certain that they’re paying proper attention to this display of cub wonderfulness. I can hardly wait until she separates from her mother. Will she look to us to provide her with reinforcement for these behaviors as her older siblings have done (and Su Lin still does)? This time can hold many surprises for all of us, though, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.

The infant, who remains unnamed, is doing very well. Unfortunately, after delivering her baby Azizi did not show the strong mothering skills that we had all hoped for. She was very protective of the infant but did not carry him close enough to her chest to give him the opportunity to nurse. After two days the infant had not been observed nursing nor had Azizi been in frequent close contact with him. This raised concern that his body temperature was dropping since he was unable to thermo regulate. There were also concerns of dehydration. After much discussion with veterinarians and management staff the decision was made to intervene. Since Azizi was leaving the infant for short periods of time we decided to take the opportunity to separate and handle the infant to perform a medical evaluation. This procedure was executed successfully. There was great care being taken to ensure that Azizi remained in visual contact of the infant as much as possible. The infant was given back to his mother and keepers continued to observe carefully looking for any signs of nursing bouts. As time went on with no nursing taking place the staff decided to start bottle-feeding the baby with human infant formula. He accepted this change well and continues to be bottle fed by keepers.

The current plan for this gorilla infant is to expose him to as much normal gorilla behavior as possible, limiting confusion about human relationships and behaviors. The keepers give Azizi and her troop as much opportunity as possible to interact with the infant. Ultimately, as the baby develops and becomes more independent he will become fully integrated back into his troop.

See more photos on the What’s New page!

Kim Livingstone is the Heart of the Zoo team area lead at the San Diego Zoo.

There are still several trees and climbing structures left for her, but their spread is lower to the ground than the giant, upright poplars. And there are still some big, healthy poplars in other exhibit spaces, ones adored by her big brother Mei Sheng… these will do nicely to allow her to people watch from time to time!

The tree folks also trimmed back a few other branches here and there, pruned a bit of bamboo around the exhibits and generally cleaned up some of our out-of-reach spaces. This kind of work usually needs to be done when the zoo is closed, because the large trucks with buckets to elevate people to the high branches block roads within the zoo. There is a lot of work of this type that is needed routinely to keep a zoo in tip top shape, things most people never see or think about. Today the facility is quiet again.

I had the chance this morning to check in with Bai Yun and Zhen Zhen.

Bai Yun had just come in to her bedroom and tunnel area so that staff could clean out her exhibit and stock it with her breakfast. She ambled purposefully into the tunnel for her daily weigh in, and took a few biscuits calmly while she sat on the scale. Then she headed back to her bedroom for a bamboo snack.

Zhen was, as is often the case, asleep high in a tree. She did not respond to keeper Kathy’s calls for her to come in, so the morning clean up activities took place far beneath her dangling feet. I saw her open her eyes and peer down at the goings on below, but she otherwise ignored the efforts.

Its nice to see her so calm and relaxed. Looks like we are back to business as usual.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the Giant Panda Conservation Unit of CRES.

We had such a day not too long ago when Su Lin, now weighing over 160 pounds (72 kilograms), was actively exploring her right-hand area. This is the one with the faux hollow tree, the “stump” where Su Lin, her father Gao Gao, and elder brother Mei Sheng, all like to nap. After the warm days of summer, the overhanging bamboo behind the exhibit and on the planters above the exhibit walls has become, well, more over-hanging. This has not escaped the notice of our lively sub-adult. She wandered up on two consecutive days to the very end of the climbing structure on the left, leaning backward and swiping and grabbing at the bamboo growing outward. Here, she had minimal success, catching only a small piece, but releasing a shower of dead leaves.

Undaunted, she wandered some more, standing on hind paws against the right-hand wall to grab and swipe at the trailing bamboo growing over the side. What she can grab is fair game for her, and we’ve seen the pandas going after this special snack from time to time over the years.

But was she satisfied? No, not with this stolen bounty, not with the bamboo in her enclosure. She wanted something more, something better. Up to the top of the faux stump she climbed, maneuvering to balance on her hind paws on the very rim of the structure, waving, swiping and grabbing at bamboo which was hanging from the side across the back of the exhibit. Just out of reach - just one more swipe - just a little farther - GOT IT! Pulling and tugging, she finally achieved her goal, while her keepers tried to persuade her to let go. She was off balance and there were concerns that she might fall and hit the tree stump or other structures on her way down in such close quarters. Su Lin continued to tug while they ran around with a pruning hook to the walkway above the rear of the exhibit, grabbing the culm and pulling back. Back and forth went this tug-o’-bamboo, entertaining staff and visitors alike. She was finally able to wrest a piece free and sat placidly on the stump, ignoring her keepers and devouring her prize.

Her lunch changeout came early and she was kept in the bedroom area longer than usual as keepers and gardeners began cutting and trimming the overgrowth in an effort to keep her safe. She didn’t go right back to the site of her daring deed, but the exhibit looks a whole lot more open, again. Su Lin does have a way of suggesting changes in her “décor,” as she has in the past. It does appear, though, that the bamboo is greener on the other side of the wall.

Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.

As a special enrichment, we prepare mineral salt baths in the pool in the polar bear bedrooms. To make just the right salinity we carry in 400 pounds (180 kilograms) of mineral salt and pour it into the bottom of the pool. Using a combination of a power hose and broom, we mix and swirl the mixture to dissolve the salt crystals. The polar bears, with their great sense of smell, can sniff the salt during the process and eagerly await their chance to do their own dissolve!

As you can imagine, each of our bears has a unique way of enjoying their salt baths. Chinook absolutely luxuriates in her soak. She wades in by the steps and submerges up to her chin, then rests her head on the edge and closes her eyes. Chinook does expect to see us by the pool window with grapes. We hold the grapes to the window and she so very delicately picks off one grape from the cluster at a time with her lips. She then goes back to her soak.

Tatqiq requires a burlap bag with her bath. Our “princess” rolls into the pool at the edge, turns and pulls the burlap in and then completely submerges, rolling in the burlap and then using it as a scrub all over her beautiful face. It’s no wonder she is typically our cleanest bear!

Now if you wouldn’t expect Kalluk to enjoy the bath like our girls, you’re right. He doesn’t seem to get the “soak” part about the mineral bath. He jumps and tumbles into the pool, usually bringing a toy with him, splashes about, greatly annoying his sister, and then hops right out. His joy from the salt comes in being able to suck the salty water off his paws, legs, and even Tatqiq’s shoulder! And then he plunges in again to re-salt. You can hear his joyous slurping throughout the building. He is a very creative bear!

On exhibit, the spa experience continues. Using different oils and spices, we offer an aromatic enrichment, which the bears are apparently enjoying. Chinook’s absolute favorite is a scent called “chamomile Roman,” Kalluk likes the “geranium,” Tatqiq’s favorite is “paprika,” and they all love peppermint! We put the scents on the floor of the exhibit and on the deadwood scattered around. The best is when we have palm fronds, and then it’s an aromatic roll–a-thon. If the palm fronds are fresh, then the beautiful white bears turn yellowish green from the leaves. A good roll in the mulch seems to be the crowning glory of a spa day!

You may also have seen long corrugated tubes floating in the front pool. These are 5- and 10-foot tubes used for irrigation drains. The bears use them as loofah sponges, rubbing them all over. Kalluk did seem to have some disappointment the first day with the tubes, as he was unable to correctly fashion one as head gear! But later we found him curled up on the shelf rock with a 5-foot tube, sound asleep.

With summer’s end, we look forward to our next seasons of sharing fun with our polar bears. We have great hopes for a polar bear “snowfall” in the first week of December!

JoAnne Simerson is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

Watch the polar bears daily on Polar Cam…

As with most raptors, harpy eagles have evolved to eat one big meal every few days as opposed to many little meals per day. For this reason, our harpy eagles are fed four times per week. When it is a feeding day, we place a thawed rat or rabbit inside the capture pen at the back of the exhibit. The male is almost always the first to make a move toward his meal. He becomes more and more vocal as he approaches his “kill.” He will even talk back to his keepers if we make a high-pitched whistle that mimics his own. When the male has his meal secured in his massive talons he will fly to his favorite perch in the aviary’s front right corner. This is a wonderful feeding habit as this perch is just inches away from stunned (and startled) visitors. If you happen to be in the area during the right time, you will hear a series of squeals coming from him before he starts to eat his catch. Sometimes I would swear that he is bragging about his tasty food to jealous onlookers!

As recently as a few weeks ago, the harpy eagles could be difficult to see in their enclosure. Their pen can get overgrown since harpies are too territorial to safely allow a tree crew to work next to the birds. This means the Bird Department has to wait for a chance to remove the eagles before working on their exhibit. Such a chance presented itself last month when the harpy eagles were caught for their annual West Nile virus vaccination. After the round up, we moved the eagles to a temporary holding area while the tree and bird crews overhauled the exhibit. The result is a beautiful exhibit with plenty of perching, shade, and great viewing opportunities! So come see the harpy eagles on your next visit to the San Diego Zoo. If you are especially lucky, you might see the male eating his lunch just feet away!

Mike Grue is a keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

Before she gives birth, Bai Yun spends several months as an independent panda. She has time to focus on putting on weight, and she feeds and rests her way to the top of that weight range. By the time a birth is weeks away, she is large enough to begin her prepartum fast with some comfort.

When a cub is born, she fasts a bit longer, but now has the added caloric drain of lactating to support her infant. Bears produce high fat, low carbohydrate milk, aiding in rapid growth of their youngsters. Despite fasting, they are able to maintain most of their muscle mass throughout the process. It’s an amazing adaptation, and cold-weather bears can sustain lactation without food or water intake for several months.

As lactation continues, Bai Yun loses weight slowly. Her fat stores are depleted by milk production. Studies show that in mammals, a female is drawing nutrients from her bones to sustain the nutritive nurturing of her infant. By the end of the mother-cub association period, a female’s bones may be lighter as a result. We have found that after 18 months of caring for her cub, Bai Yun’s weight will drop to about 209 pounds (95 kilograms) or lower. Her body is greatly changed from the pre-birth interval.

It can take several months for her to gain weight again. Estrus is also a physiologically demanding time for Bai Yun, as she eats less and is more active when close to peak estrus. However, in the six months between weaning and giving birth again she is able to prepare to again meet the energetic requirements of rearing a cub.

Gao Gao has been maintaining his weight at about 168 to 174 pounds (76 to 79 kilograms). His weight fluctuates a bit due to preferences in bamboo, activity level changes due to enrichment, or other factors. He has always been lighter than Bai Yun. But watch out, Gao Gao…your daughter Su Lin is closing in on you: she has been weighed between 161 and 165 pounds (73 and 75 kilograms) in the last week!

For those keeping track, “little” Zhen Zhen is now closing in on 46 pounds (21 kilograms). Gao Gao can breathe easy knowing his youngest needs another couple of years before overtaking him on the scales!

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Unit.

He was delivered in a crate on a warm day in July all revved up and ready to go. He came out and ran around the exhibit huffing and puffing, all of the things one might expect from a rhino. He went crashing through his pool and kicked water all over the exhibit. Anyone who walked by got an authentic rhino charge. He even charged the keepers at the back pipe fence when they walked around behind him.

But how things can change in a month or two. Now he is almost like Gram, our last Indian rhino who went to a zoo in Kansas last October (see blog, Gram the Rhino: Journey Begins). Whenever I call him, he walks over calmly to me for a treat. I have started training him with some basic husbandry behaviors, which he truly enjoys. At the Wild Animal Park they have so many rhinos in such a large area that it is difficult to give each one individual attention. At the Zoo, Soman gets one-on-one time every day with his keepers.

Even for their thick skin, rhinos love to be rubbed and brushed. It took Soman a few weeks to realize that when I touched his belly it wasn’t a bad thing. Well, now it seems he had too much of a good thing. When we are doing behaviors he will decide he is through and wants to be rubbed. He will back up his rear to the fence and just stand there waiting for me to pet him. It is too cute to resist, so I do give in for a bit. You can always tell he is happy because he lifts his tail a few inches. I have also started training him to lie down, which is a great way to check out his feet and abdomen. He receives a full brushing while down. A rhino spa!

Soon we should be getting another young male rhino from the Wild Animal Park as a companion for Soman. Training two rhinos, ages 3 and 2, will be a challenge but I am up for it. Rhinos are such great animals to spend time with. My favorite thing is showing the guests how different they are from what most people perceive: calm, relaxed, and attention-loving animals who can charge at 35 miles per hour if they get upset! Come and visit Soman next time you head to the Zoo. He’ll be in his pool under his fountain. Or getting a nice belly rub!

Laura Weiner is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

I have had the pleasure of watching ZZ from her first veterinary exam. I admit to finding myself cooing when she wiggled her tail or smiling when I heard her vocalize for the first time (see Yadira’s blog, Cooing over the Cub). I worried when she’d take a tumble and I laughed as she bit her mom’s ear. Unlike her dedicated keepers, I’ve only watched ZZ from behind a table or behind the scenes. For her safety and mine, I don’t get to touch or handle the cub. Still, I have to admit that I’ve been pretty lucky as I help to coordinate the documentation and publicity of this little girl. Yes, I have been ZZ’s own publicist and I couldn’t be happier. I have been in the exam room many times and been there before the Zoo opens to see her with no one but her keepers around.

Now it’s time to share! You’ll get to see what I saw during those exams, during her first attempt to climb a tree or the first time she played with a ball. It was caught and you’ve seen short takes on our Web site, but Panda Tales is a fun year in the life of Zhen Zhen. Great music was created just for Panda Tales. And of course, you’ll get a chance to see Bai Yun and Gao Gao as well. You’ll even get a brief look at the “making of” little ZZ!

So tune in Sunday at 8 p.m. and you’ll be the first to see Panda Tales. You’ll hear from Dr. Ron Swaisgood, co-head of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Unit, as he talks to PBS live about the Zoo’s work with pandas in San Diego and China. Dr. Meg Sutherland-Smith—whom I am very jealous of—will also be at KPBS live. Dr. Meg, as we love to call her, was the Zoo’s veterinarian who not only was the first to examine ZZ at two weeks old, she is also the vet who told us Bai was pregnant with ZZ before she gave birth last year.

Yadira Galindo is a public relations representative for the Zoological Society of San Diego.

For panda fans outside of San Diego, Panda Tales will be distributed nationwide, but will not be available for broadcast in other markets until November 30, 2008. PBS stations will be putting together their November and December schedules in a few weeks, so check with your local station after that to see when they have the show scheduled.