So exams to monitor her growth pattern have become opportunistic. If Su Lin comes down at a time when staff is watching and available, they will make an effort to get their hands on her to check her weight and growth. But even when Su Lin graces us with her presence, exams are not an easy affair.

I had the privilege of helping out a bit today when Su Lin decided to join her momma in the bedroom early this morning. I happened to be in the area when JoAnne and Lisa, members of our panda husbandry team, wanted to take advantage of Su Lin’s foray down from the treetops. They asked me to lend a hand and record the measurements they would take. I wondered why they thought they needed three people to complete this task.

Su Lin showed me why. She never stopped moving! Lisa’s job was to try to hang on to Su Lin as she wiggled and twisted in her arms. JoAnne was responsible for getting that measuring tape around the cub’s neck, down her back, or around her abdomen without getting the tape tangled around Su Lin or into her curious mouth. It was amazing to watch. These experienced keepers needed to summon all of their patience, agility, and efficiency to get the job done. Imagine if they had to pause in between to write it all down!

I enjoyed the opportunity to see close up the vigor and exuberance of our panda cub. I was happy for the others that they were well equipped with heavy boots, long pants, and thick jackets, all of which softened the playful bites administered by our energetic cub. And seeing her in all her youthful effervescence gave me renewed appreciation for what Bai Yun endures during those long bouts of play with Su Lin!

Suzanne Hall is the panda research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Office of Giant Panda Conservation.

Editor’s note: Su Lin weighed 25 pounds (11.4 kilograms) and measured 36 inches (92 centimeters) long today.

View pandas on Panda Cam.

Check out blogs from other areas of the Zoo and Wild Animal Park!

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The cubs were given a selection of plush toys to play with; just like kids in a toy store, they went crazy over them! The keepers lined up a variety of plush: a very floppy, soft husky dog; a stiff-standing mountain lion (just a little smaller than them in size); a small gazelle (their natural prey in the wild); and an aardvark (pictured). The keepers were pleased to see that the cubs were acting like real cheetahs. They exhibited behaviors of cubs their age in the wild, such as pouncing, stalking, and attacking their prey and biting the neck. A lot of this behavior is encouraged and taught by the mom. Since these cubs are being hand raised, it is nice to see that they still have their cheetah instincts.

Rachael Shay is a special events coordinator for the Zoological Society of San Diego.

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Mid-morning the rain began to come down with greater intensity and little Su Lin came flying out of her tree perch and began looking for shelter around Bai. Bai, of course, was completely content munching on her bamboo. Su Lin was not satisfied at all and began seeking other shelter. She walked around the lair and discovered the huge, fresh mound of soil and without hesitation dove in! Her rolling was delirious and for those of us watching, hilarious! It was soon difficult to make out what was Su Lin and what was soil. As timing would have it, the rain stopped. Su Lin came out from the shelter and walked passed Bai Yun. Bai took a hard look at her, then looked at the shelter, abandoned the cherished bamboo, and went for a roll herself (see photo with Suzanne’s blog, “Coat of Many Colors” below). We now had two very dirty pandas. For a panda that seems to pride herself on always being well groomed, Bai Yun seemed extremely pleased with her new “attire”. It wasn’t until the rain began again that either dirty girl became clean!

What great fun their antics gave us all on a very wet day in sunny San Diego.

Posted by the San Diego Zoo’s giant panda keepers.

View more photos of Su Lin and Bai Yun on that muddy day in the Su Lin Photo Gallery.

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The panda fur is coarse and thick, and has little odor under normal circumstances. However, if the coat gets wet it can have a bit of a musty smell. The fur can also take on other odors depending on what the bear has been doing. Sometimes the bears will scent anoint with objects the keepers dust with spices or cologne, or they might rub pine boughs on their coat, perfuming themselves with interesting scents which seem to linger in their fur. One of my favorite things is when the bears have been exploring nutmeg left by the keepers, as every time they walk by the scent reminds me of pumpkin pie!

Su Lin got pretty dirty in that rain, but it took only a day or so for her to appear mostly black-and-white again. We don’t bathe our pandas, and their coat condition is the product of their own grooming practices (except for Su Lin, who is groomed by her mother). If you dig your fingers into a panda pelt, you’ll notice a bit of an oily feeling, which probably helps the bears to slough off dirt and debris after a time without bathing. Bai Yun (pictured above), our “Teflon bear,” never seems to be too dirty, and her white is always quite bright.

As we roll into spring, we can anticipate more regular showers. For the pandas, these showers mean an opportunity to get really dirty. Keep one eye on the weather forecast and another on the Panda Cam, and you may be rewarded with some interesting sights!

Suzanne Hall is the panda research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Office of Giant Panda Conservation.

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My first few days were spent getting to know my assigned area. Each gardener has his or her own area that they are responsible for. This includes the planting, pruning, weeding, irrigation, watering, and, in some cases, the design and layout of the plants as well. My area is in Nairobi Village from the Petting Kraal thru Lorikeet Landing, Hidden Jungle, and up to the Fishing Village bridge. Compared to others, mine is one of the smaller locations to tend.

In the second week, I assisted the arborists and other gardeners in removing acacia tree branches overhanging the pathways. These are beastly trees! Although beautiful to look at, the trees grow very large, sharp thorns approximately 3 inches (8 centimeters) or more in length. They also have a toxin, so when you get jabbed by them it’s painful and makes you swell like a puffed marshmallow. I know, because I have been so lucky! But, it’s all part of the job and you just learn to be very, very careful with them. I was also able to attend a Plant Show in Del Mar and visit various local nurseries to see what plant stock is available. Because I purchase plants for the Plant Trader shop at the Park, it was a valuable excursion for me.

Today was a pretty normal day of trimming and weeding and I find that today, as most days, I was smiling as I looked around at where I work, who I work with, and what I am able to do.

Deb Erickson-Morris works in the Plant Trader gift shop at the Wild Animal Park when she’s not “on loan!”

Read another blogger’s loan experience with the San Diego Zoo’s Horticulture Deparment.

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Upon arrival to the Phoenix Zoo, veterinarians gathered data from blood samples that revealed dangerously high levels of lead in the condor’s body. It is unclear where the lead poisoning had originated, but now time was of the essence and a blood transfusion was the chosen treatment at this critical stage.

Phoenix Zoo has no condors available at their facility from which to obtain the much-needed blood, so their veterinarian contacted Wild Animal Park Condor and Veterinary Services departments, urgently requesting donor blood for the emergency transfusion. The departments acted quickly and with as much concern for the bird as they would have if it were still in our care. The critically ill bird was hatched here at the Wild Animal Park in 1996, so being given the opportunity to participate in its treatment is considered a privilege by our animal care staff.

Arrangements were made by Wild Animal Park staff to get another condor’s blood to Arizona first thing this morning. Condor “Simerrye” was chosen as the donor, and quickly brought to the hospital where veterinarian Jack Allen and hospital support staff prepared for the emergency procedure.

Simerrye’s blood was drawn and carefully bottled in preparation for overnight shipment to Phoenix. The bird was monitored for a time and then released back to his enclosure, unaware that he was contributing, along with HVMC and Phoenix Zoo hospital staff, to the rescue of his distant cousin so far away.

The blood was delivered this morning, and the transfusion scheduled to take place immediately. We don’t yet know the outcome of condor “9601” in Arizona, but are anxiously awaiting word from Phoenix Zoo medical staff. No matter the outcome, the many people reaching across hundreds of miles to help one free-flying condor has been a valiant effort.

An update of the condor’s condition will be available in the next HVMC blog.

Valerie Stoddard is the senior administrative assistant at the Wild Animal Park’s Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center.

Here’s more information about the California Condor Recovery Program.

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A typical Animal Express program has two educators and four animal “ambassadors” (animals who have the special job of meeting people). When we arrive at the facility, we bring the animals in (along with dustpans, brushes, and paper towels for clean-up) and get ready for the presentation.

Once we make sure the animals are in a secure place, we greet the participants and introduce ourselves. Then one of us leaves to get the first animal while the other gives an overview of the program and the guidelines for making sure the animals are safe and comfortable during the presentation.

For the next 50 minutes, we take turns talking about an animal and walking around with it so that everyone in the room can get a close look. Many of our ambassador animals can be touched, so we carefully bring them from person to person to allow one-on-one meet-and-greets.

Many of the facilities we visit are assisted living centers or nursing homes for seniors. We often present the program to a group of seniors who are in wheelchairs or even in beds. Occasionally, there are patients who don’t seem to respond to our presence and we sometimes need to lift their hands to help them feel the animals.

Recently, my coworker/friend Nancy and I were visiting just such a facility. Nancy had finished introducing the residents to Norman, our tiny but charismatic African pygmy falcon. Then it was my turn with Myakka, our two-and-a-half-year-old American alligator. Myakka doesn’t say much. She doesn’t do much. But on this day, there was something about meeting an alligator that meant something to one particular lady.

Throughout the presentation, a frail-looking, silver-haired resident was slouched in a chair, looking off to the side as if she didn’t even know we were there. As we usually do, I came around to her with Myakka, crouched down in front of her, and asked her if she’d like to touch the alligator. One of the staff approached and told me I needn’t bother because this lady never talked. In fact, Nancy had been told by the staff that this resident didn’t speak English.

Well, before I even had a chance to stand up, something rather amazing happened: the lady said something! Actually, she said a lot of somethings! I only recognized the words “no” and “alligator,” but clearly, she spoke English and clearly, she did NOT want to touch an alligator! Whatever her reasons, whatever emotions or memories were triggered by the word “alligator” or the question or maybe the sight of the animal, whatever she was thinking or feeling at that moment, I can’t say. But Myakka the baby alligator had broken through one lady’s silence…much to the amazement of the staff who had just heard her speak for the very first time.

Mary Zanotelli is an educator at the Wild Animal Park.

For more information about the Animal Express program, please call (760) 738-5057.

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Amy’s group met at the Flamingo Lagoon, where we learned about the Caribbean flamingos, scarlet ibises, a crested screamer, and Matilda, the guinea fowl. All of the animals in this exhibit (that belong to the Zoo) are South American species that would be found in habitats that overlap. Matilda is NOT an official resident of the exhibit, but tends to hang out here with her peafowl friends because this is where the food is!

While Amy fed the ibises, we discussed the impact of wild birds on the Zoo’s collection. We learned that open exhibits like the Lagoon and the Marsh are heavily affected by interlopers. Local birds are aggressive with the Zoo’s animals, take their food, swipe nesting sites, and introduce disease. In fact, our little exhibits are like microcosmic mirrors of the world at large. Any time a species is introduced into a delicately balanced habitat, the potential for disaster is high. Consider what has happened to most of Hawaii’s native bird species with the introduction of cats, rats, snakes, and mosquitoes, and nonnative birds that compete. Many of Hawaii’s indigenous and endemic species have become extinct because they couldn’t compete with the introduced species.

Our time with these bird keepers was truly enlightening! Thanks, Anne and Amy, for taking time out of your busy afternoons to meet with us!

Cindy Spiva-Evans is an educator at the San Diego Zoo.

Girls In Science is a program for Roosevelt Middle School girls which creates science-based experiences with professional women at the San Diego Zoo. The program is funded through the generosity of the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Read Weblogs about the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program.

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The first big news is that Koza is officially weaned. He now eats carnivore diet as the big lions do, and seems to enjoy it immensely. This is a product that is specially formulated for zoo carnivores, and comes frozen in plastic wrapped chubs, just as you sometimes see ground beef offered in the grocery store. While the main ingredients are ground beef and beef hearts, it has many other ingredients added to make it a complete carnivore diet. The only additional item that is needed are bones to keep the teeth healthy.

The next big change in the pair’s routine has been the addition of field trips to the cheetah enclosure in Heart of Africa. This exhibit has been vacant for some time: construction has begun on the Wild Animal Park’s new transportation system and the resulting commotion and noise would be too much for the sensitive cheetahs. They were moved to the peace and quiet of our off-exhibit cheetah compound. Koza and Cairo have no problem at all with the construction activity. They love having a grassy play yard with hills to run up and down. So far these trips are not on a schedule, but may be sometime in the future. Until further notice, however, there will always be a sign at the Animal Care Center in Nairobi Village to let visitors know where they can be viewed.

Koza and Cairo will eventually have a change of address: they will move to Lion Camp permanently at some point. Beforehand, there will probably be lots of field trips to allow them to become accustomed to the exhibit and facilities.

It’s hard to predict how long the two youngsters will be able to remain together, but for now they are getting along just fine! I will post any future developments in the lives of these busy youngsters. Come in and see them soon - they are growing up fast!

Marcia Redding is a senior mammal keeper at the Wild Animal Park.

Watch video of Koza and Cairo playing together.

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