And then there was the particular scent that was not supposed to be enrichment: the alcohol used for his blood draw training. On his first session of cleaning his arm with the alcohol, Mei Sheng took one whiff, removed his arm from the sleeve, and proceeded to have a great roll around the crate while rubbing the scent all over his body, paying particular attention to his head! Of course, he was supposed to be in a “serious” training session, but we all had a great laugh and gladly waited for him to finish.

Speaking of training, he is a superstar in this regard, and his trust in his trainers is amazing. From his blood draws to the hand injection with anesthesia for his recent pre-shipment exam, he was perfect; he willingly participated in all without so much as a flinch. This training has also paid off toward getting him comfortable in his travel crate for his upcoming departure. He spends up to an hour a day in his crate calmly eating bamboo while all sorts of noises, movements, and staff are all around him. He readily goes into this crate on a daily basis and hopefully it’s a happy place for him where he gets treats and lots of keeper attention.

The keepers have also made other preparations for his departure. We offer him bamboo bread daily, which is what he’ll eat in Wolong, and which he greatly enjoys. We have made a short video for his new keepers in Wolong; we’ve shown them a typical day in the life of Mei Sheng, from the daily weights we get in the mornings to the foods he eats to all of the behaviors that make up his training program. We are even sending a few of his favorite enrichment items with him. We hope all of these preparations will help Mei Sheng adjust easily to his trip and to his new home in China.

With only a few days left with our bear, this is a bittersweet time for us all at the Panda Station. We will miss Mei Sheng dearly but know he has a significant role to play in the survival of his species.

Farewell Mei Sheng, you are off to bigger adventures!

Angie Fiore is a keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

Note: Mei Sheng will be on exhibit through Saturday, October 27.

Watch a compilation video of Mei Sheng’s first four years…

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The classroom was once the exhibit space Bai Yun greeted her public in. Exhibits are kept trimmed and tidy to ensure the public has good visual access to the animals. Since the classroom became an off-exhibit space during our facility remodel several years ago, the area has generally been left to grow wild with vegetation. The Photinia and Chinese elm have done well in this space and provide Bai Yun with cover and environmental texture. There is a lot of shade and long grass. And as it is off exhibit, it is a quiet place to rest. High up in the climbing structure central to the enclosure, Bai Yun must feel particularly secure, an important consideration for a female caring for a young cub.

I was surprised to see how little investigating Bai Yun did after re-entering her classroom on Friday. She didn’t stop every two feet to sniff everything in her path, as Gao Gao might have done. Instead, she ambled directly to the climbing structure, hauled her 97-kilogram (214-pound) frame up the deadwood and settled into a nap about 8 feet (2.4 meters) above ground. Occasionally, she lifted her head and looked around or sniffed the air with her eyes closed. It reminded me of someone coming home after a long time away: she seemed to be saying, “Ahhhh. Home.”

As of yesterday (October 25), Bai Yun will have access to this space on a daily basis, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine while her keepers are on duty. At times, she will be unsupervised, as staff is busy and no one is watching her constantly. It is possible that she may take the cub out into the classroom with her once in a while. She has done this with past youngsters, as if to show off the place to her offspring. It’s not of great concern if she does this, since even if she puts the cub down and walks away, the little one is in no danger out there with momma. Without the legs to propel itself yet, the infant can’t get itself into too much trouble. Here again, we have learned to trust Bai Yun.

Watch for Bai Yun resting and enjoying a little free time in the classroom. Though she is about 30 panda body lengths from her cub while she is out there, she can still hear the youngster if she squawks loudly and repeatedly (hey, we can hear that from just about anywhere in the facility!). She always maintains access to her infant, and can choose to return at any time. In the meantime, she is taking advantage of this phase in which the cub is generally very inert as it pours all of its energy into growth. In the not-too-distant future, she will be fending off an exuberant youngster who wants to bite her and climb on her and steal her bamboo. Enjoy it now while you can, Bai Yun!

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician with the Giant Panda Unit of Applied Animal Ecology/CRES.

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The cub weighed a whopping 9.7 pounds (4.4 kilograms)! I was there for her first exam and each week have seen her blossom into the round little panda she is now. At 20 days old she was only 23.5 ounces (666 grams). Her features have changed so much and continue to transform her appearance. Dr. Clippinger said she could feel her teeth just starting to grow in, but it will still be a while before they emerge. Her front legs are getting stronger and have coordination but her back legs still don’t seem to have the strength to support her on all fours. Still, the cub was propping up on her front two legs and she was gripping Dr. Clippinger’s hands very well! She is moving around a lot more than ever before.

The San Diego Zoo’s animal residents seem to be just fine despite the smoke from the San Diego County wildfires, and the pandas are no exception. Dr. Clippinger listened to the cub’s heart and lungs and gave a thumb’s up! And so, I cooed and smiled watching Dr. Clippinger and the panda keepers at work. She is pretty sweet.

Stay tuned for details on her naming. Unfortunately, with the fires we have had our hands full getting the Wild Animal Park back in order and so our little cub’s naming is taking a little longer than we expected. Please be patient. We won’t forget your voting rights!

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

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It could have been devastating. Hillsides along the outskirts of the Wild Animal Park, where visitors don’t go, burned everything from shrubs to cactus, stopping in most cases just short of animal housing, in some instances because of the heroic work of our dedicated staff and other times it may have been sheer luck. The fire was sweeping downhill quickly, making its way towards areas housing endangered species such as dholes (wild dogs), cheetahs, and a variety of birds such as clapper rails and hornbills. Using hoses and any other resources available, our animal care staff tried to keep the dholes safe as the fire closed in. Two members of the garage team drove past in a water truck; they stopped immediately to help. They drove circles around the enclosure pouring water into the dholes’ housing, hoping to saturate it with enough water to reduce the impact of the fire. The team stopped only when the fire was unsafely close. Miraculously, the fire pushed past the dhole and cheetah enclosures, burning only the vegetation and dirt paths between the two areas while leaving the animals untouched.

As the fire moved past the dholes, it crept up to the off-exhibit bird compound. Some of these critically endangered species had been evacuated to a safe zone at the Park (the Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center), but others stayed behind. The loss would have been disastrous. The fire burned right up against the Bird Breeding Complex, causing damage to one evacuated aviary. But the rest of the complex was left untouched. The fire continued on the west, sidestepping the hub of the Park and moving alongside the outlying areas. If you visit the Park, you will see burned hillsides resting against the Park’s large field enclosures. But the animal enclosures housing rhinos, giraffes, antelope, birds, and others are still green. Irrigated and clear of heavy vegetation, it was the safest place for these animals.

As the fires approached, most animals headed to the other end of their enclosures and simply watched. They didn’t seem to panic, say keepers. In fact, some animals simply stayed where they were and merely glanced in the fire’s direction. Unfortunately, we did lose two of the Park’s 3,500 animals as of Wednesday, October 24: a kiang (wild ass) and a clapper rail. They were not burned but likely were stressed by the fire. We did everything we could to keep them safe. Both animals are a significant loss to the Park, but the actions of our staff and firefighters saved thousands of other lives.

When the fire threatened the Park’s Conifer Forest, firefighters came to our side, stopping it before it could do any critical damage. Had they not, this story may have had a very different ending. We didn’t come out of this completely unscathed. We lost one of the California condor breeding facilities, but once again no animals were lost. The California condors had also been moved to the Park’s safe-zone. We lost Festival of Lights fixtures and decorations, but these are material items that can be replaced. The vegetation will come back and the buildings rebuilt. So I breathed a heavy sigh of relief seeing that the 600 acres that burned on the Park grounds will not change the heart of the Park: the animals and our staff.

It amazes me hearing the stories of the Park’s employees. So many of them did not know if their homes were still standing. Their homes were directly in the path of the fire, many had been evacuated themselves, and still they stayed for hours fighting to keep the animals safe. They stayed until they were asked to leave when the fires threatened the Park and returned as soon as it was safe. There was no hesitation on anyone’s part and that’s what made the Park lucky!

Even San Diego Zoo staff was at the Park helping in whatever way possible. As I walked through the Park I ran across one of our CRES researchers cleaning chairs. Everyone was working as a team, even if meant doing a job that is completely out of their field. Sigh. This is truly a wonderful and dedicated family. I am proud to be on this team.

As for the animals, it was life as usual for most of them Wednesday. The animals in the fields grazed, slept, pranced, and simply lived. The last of the animals evacuated to the safe zone moved back to their homes Wednesday and so the Park is returning to normal, just a little charred but safe.

Thank you to the dedicated Park and Zoo staff for all you do, as well as the emergency services units that assisted us during this crisis. Thank you all for your support!

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

For more fire updates…

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The fires are burning both to the north and south of the San Diego Zoo. They are still quite a good distance away, and are not posing any threats at this time. Though the air quality is quite poor in many parts of the county, here at the Zoo it’s not too bad. We are all so grateful that, at this point, the Zoo and our animal collections are safe. However, we are closely keeping an eye on our sister facility, San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, which has been impacted by the fire. We are a family and will assist the Park as needed. Thankfully, the Park’s animals are okay.

The fires have impacted some of our employees who work here at the Giant Panda Research Station. Many have had to evacuate their homes, but everyone is safe. The pandas are doing fine. Our dedicated keepers continue to provide excellent care for them. None of the pandas have been moved to other areas, and none of the animals appear to be impacted by the air quality. Su Lin (pictured above) and Mei Sheng remain on exhibit for public viewing, and Bai Yun and cub are doing just fine in their off exhibit areas.

Last week Bai Yun and cub were given access to an additional area we call the classroom. It’s a large, outdoor exhibit with lots of trees and climbing structures that Bai Yun historically enjoys spending time in. This area is still off exhibit (meaning closed to the public), which maintains a quiet, private setting for Bai Yun and cub during this postpartum period.

And a final note: Thank you to all of you for your warm wishes during this very difficult time. I know I speak for all of us here at the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park when I say how comforting it is to read all of your concerns and well wishes.

Pamela Crowe is a research technician with the Giant Panda Conservation Unit of Applied Animal Ecology/CRES.

For updates about the fire conditions at the Wild Animal Park…

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This is a big adjustment for our little Kinah, and she seems fascinated by her new sibling. Kinah has spent a lot of time staring at the baby, and Bunzi has even allowed her to groom the newest member of the troop. Already showing signs of being a good mom, Bunzi only lets Kinah near the baby a few minutes at a time. I’m happy that Kinah had been spending the majority of her day away from Bunzi these last few months, as this may make it a little easier when most of Bunzi’s attention is directed at the baby now. After Kinah has her “baby fix” she jumps up and runs off to play. Jaribu and Kinah are still fast friends and do most everything together. Kinah’s very lucky to have older siblings to teach her the ropes, and now she can do the same for her little sibling.

It won’t be long now until our newest little swamp monkey can join the rest of our kids for some fun times on exhibit in Ituri Forest. Bunzi will have her hands full with two rambunctious kids to run after and the rest of the swamp troop can enjoy one more little friend to play with.

Nerissa Foland is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

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I first arrived in Wolong in August of 2000. The primary purpose of my visit was to conduct research, observing panda mothers with their newborns for our bear maternal care study. To that end I spent about four hours each day watching bears with names like Yue Yue, Ying Ying, Fei Fei, and others with their neonates. It was an excellent year for the study, because not only were 12 cubs born, but several were born to first-time mothers, an underrepresented group in our study.

Observations in Wolong were quite different from observing Bai Yun with Hua Mei, who had been born just the year before. Bai Yun was sequestered in a den that we observed via camera image. In Wolong, I sat quietly in a corner in a little room with the panda dam, who was typically nestled on a woven mat on a floor in the room. Though separated by bars, I was only about 10 feet (3 meters) from most of the pandas during my data collection sessions. For this reason, I put my stopwatch in my coat pocket to muffle the sound, sat still on a stool, and essentially did everything in my power to be as nonobtrusive as possible. It was an amazing experience to be so close to the dams with their infants, though at times it could be deafening: a panda cub’s cry can be very shrill and loud, and I did not have the option to turn down the microphone in this case!

In February 2002, I returned to Wolong to work on another aspect of panda biology: male reproductive behavior. I spent many hours each day watching the males as they reacted to the changing estrus status of the females housed near them. When mating introductions occurred, I filmed each copulation. This trip was exciting for me because I felt it really helped me flush out my understanding of the range of behavior seen in males and females. It was also the first time I met Gao Gao, who was being considered for replacing the San Diego male Shi Shi at the time.

With each of my trips, I stayed in Wolong a little over three months. I was amazed at the range in temperatures there: from -3 degrees Celsius (26 degrees Fahrenheit) to as warm as 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). I saw snow, rain, fog, and wonderful sunshine. Eating in the hotel restaurant daily, I learned how to order my favorite Chinese staples, largely consisting of rice, eggs and tomatoes, soups, chicken and dumplings. I did innumerous loads of laundry in my bathroom sink, hanging the clothes to dry on a line I hung from my bedroom curtain to the heater that (usually!) kept the chill out of the room. On my first trip to Wolong, I was the only westerner at the breeding base from mid-October to the end of November, when I left. I didn’t speak a word of English during that time, which was a very odd feeling. The things I missed the most? Family and friends, of course, but also milk and my favorite pillow!

It was a very worthwhile sacrifice, however, because I learned and experienced so much while I was there. I made some good friends among the Wolong staff, and they were kind enough to take me out for Sichuan Hot Pot, a spicy local specialty that I still occasionally seek out at a restaurant here in San Diego. I collected a tremendous amount of data, and helped collect samples for other aspects of panda research: scent mark and urine samples for chemical analysis by our endocrinologists. I collected samples that were used in behavior experiments to determine the length of time panda signals persist in their environment. And I helped to invigorate and improve the enrichment program for the Wolong bears.

If offered the chance to go back, I would jump at it. Traveling to Wolong always opens up opportunities to learn something new about the pandas. And any future visits there would allow me the chance to check in with Hua Mei, our first born, and Mei Sheng, her “little” brother. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them again!

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician with the Giant Panda Unit of Applied Animal Ecology/CRES.

See Suzanne’s previous blog, Homeward Bound, Part 2.

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Now, for some welcome news. I contacted officials at John Ball Zoo, and got some details about our girls’ future there. There is a very handsome young male lion named Docha waiting to meet them: he cleared his quarantine shortly before Abena and Bakari’s arrival. Once the girls are out of quarantine, the introductions will begin. All three lions will live in the present lion exhibit there; but the best news ever is that their new exhibit, “Lions of Lake Manyatta,” is presently under construction and will be complete in the spring of 2008. The exhibit is modeled after an area in Tanzania where lions have been observed climbing trees. There will be a large tree structure that will be heated in the winter and cooled in the summer, rolling hills, heated rocks, indoor dens with skylights and cubbing areas complete with heated floors, and neighbors in the form of chimps, African hoofed animals, and various birds. In short, our girls will be living in the lap of luxury!

It’s very gratifying to hear about the excitement caused by our beautiful girls in far away Michigan. I’m sure that they will be as cherished in their new home as they were here in San Diego. We wish them a long and happy life - and when the time comes, the patter of little lion cub paws!

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

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Meanwhile, in Su Lin’s (pictured at left) elm tree, a rainy nap didn’t last long. Branch climbing and rocking became play solicitation–with the visitors in the viewing area! Once again, her arboreal domain had to be modified for eveyone’s safety, including and especially hers. She still shows us regularly that she’s a youngster, not yet full size and far from maturity, and still lots of fun!

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

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The pumpkins were placed about 50 feet from the lion house and were easily visible to the lions as they exited the bedrooms for a fun-filled day on exhibit. As soon as the lions came out they ran straight to the pumpkins and began to play. I don’t think they even noticed the meat treats inside! The adults were playing as if they were cubs again, chasing each other around with pumpkins dangling from their mouths, batting the pumpkins around as if they were soccer balls, and always thinking that the pumpkin another lion was playing with was better than their own! Mina was the funniest of all: she was batting her pumpkin around like a soccer pro; when it started to roll down a hill, off she went full speed after it. She caught the rolling pumpkin with such finesse a summersault was the result! Izu had much more fun chasing the girls around than actually playing with the pumpkins himself; his biggest problem was deciding which of his girlfriends he wanted to go after.

The pumpkins kept the lions busy for about an hour, giving much amusement to Michelle and me as well as to the lucky first visitors to the Park. Unfortunately, as those of you familiar with Lion Camp know, the exhibit is surrounded by a moat or, in this case, an evil pumpkin trap! Mina and Oshana inevitably knocked two of the three pumpkins into the moat where they smashed upon hitting the concrete. Luckily, a broken pumpkin was not very interesting, and after a moment of looking into the moat, the cats were off to explore and investigate the exhibit properly as they do every morning. After such an exciting start to the day, what could we expect from our lion pride other than to do what lions do best: rest! The rest of the day was spent leisurely relaxing on the Range Rover, maybe dreaming of pumpkins and the fun they had.

Oh, and if you were wondering…all four cubs received pumpkins inside the house, hidden in boxes and bags with treats inside. It was a fun day for all of Lion Camp’s residents!

Kym Nelson is a keeper at the Wild Animal Park.

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