Panda Cubs: Highly Motivated
Posted at 9:52 am April 11, 2008 by Suzanne Hall
As I ran out of my office this morning to attend to a few errands around the San Diego Zoo, I looked up in the trees at the panda exhibit and saw Zhen Zhen, happily scaling branches and playing with leaves above me. Yesterday, as I checked the queue to see how our bears were doing, Zhen was up in those trees, skirting around the obstacles she encountered and playfully enjoying her view of those below. As many of you panda watchers know, our cub spends a lot of her time above the ground, in places where neither the keepers nor her mother can get to her.
This is the norm for panda cubs. With each of Bai Yun’s previous youngsters, we have seen them take to the trees at about six months of age. Once their climbing skills come on line, they remain ensconced in high branches for hours on end, and at about the 17th month of life they begin to spend more time on the ground. There are two factors which are driving this trend in their preference for high places: evolutionary history and dietary preferences.
After abandoning the den, the female panda forages far and wide for the bamboo she needs to meet her caloric requirements. Her youngster may not be able to keep up with mom as she traverses her habitat. As such, mom can probably reach her objectives quicker if the cub is stashed somewhere safe while she satiates herself. To this end, young panda cubs are often left alone by their mothers. In some cases, wild cubs have been noted as being left alone for more than 24 hours at a time.
Historically, panda cubs are at risk of predation by animals such as tigers, leopards, and martins. In order to reduce the likelihood of succumbing to predation, solitary cubs climb high and remain several meters above ground until their mother returns. This makes them a harder target, since their clumsy, slow gait on the ground would be easier pickings for a stealthy predator. Additionally, cubs spend hours and hours asleep up in those trees. When they are resting quietly in the branches, they can be hard to spot. Even our cubs, sleeping in trees pruned to allow for better visibility for our guests, can easily be overlooked.
Today, pandas have fewer predators than they did historically. Tigers are generally not found in what remains of panda habitat, and leopards are found in reduced numbers. But the drive to remain safe is still the same and is exhibited even in pandas housed in zoos and breeding centers.
Since young pandas rely on their mothers for their nutrition, they are able to fill their bellies with milk. It seems a bit unfair, but as mom is stuck ingesting low-calorie grasses, the cub enjoys a highly caloric meal with fats to aid in growth (and satiation!). In fact, when our nutritionist aided the Wolong staff in the development of a formula for hand-reared panda infants, the mixture was a hybrid of human and dog formula substitutes—a richer food source than many of you might have predicted given the bamboo-feeding tendencies of the panda mother. This appetite-quenching meal from mom can help keep cubs content for hours on end, allowing them to wait patiently for mother’s return from foraging bouts.
At about a year of age, panda cubs begin ingesting bamboo. Initially, the quantities ingested are very small and can’t account for much in the way of meeting caloric needs. But within a few months, some of the burden for satiating themselves shifts to the cubs and their new bamboo feeding skills. Perhaps their ever-increasing size requires more calories than mom can provide, or perhaps as maternal fat stores become depleted, this alters the caloric content of mother’s milk. Either way, cubs begin spending more time on the ground, increasing their time spent feeding and focusing more heavily on bamboo consumption.
This, of course, is in preparation for life on their own. When weaning occurs, the cub is well equipped to feed itself and meet its caloric needs without its mother. Even in the final days of mother-cub association, nursing may be occurring, but not at a high rate. At that point, most of the young panda’s nutrition is coming from direct ingestion of bamboo and other plant materials.
Zhen Zhen is nearly a year away from making that transition. She hasn’t even begun to ingest bamboo yet and won’t for several more months. Which is why she will continue to enjoy spending most of her time in the high perches of her enclosure. As frustrating as it may be for our Zoo guests or Panda Cam watchers to have limited visual access to our cub at times, we hope you will understand that this is a normal and healthy part of our little one’s life, and we would expect no less from her. She is showing us that, like her siblings before her, her panda instincts are right on track.
Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician with the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Unit.
Note: Snow Day for pandas has been moved up to Sunday, April 27!
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April 11th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Oh my gosh… for a panda that isn’t interested in eating bamboo — our little miss fancy pants is sitting in the middle of a pile of bamboo and looking like she is really enjoying herself. She is really giving her fans at the SDZ a great show — sitting right in front of the glass — with mama not far away — and just sitting there playing, laying on her back and generally being the cutest little thing. What an adorable little panda - and so busy all the time. Thanks for the great shots of her today — she is really growing up fast.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
OK! First off, this article was very interesting and informative! Thanks, Suzanne! The pic of ZZ was just too cute! I did see the picture of the panda pileup on MSNBC yesterday. Now, that was a pile of sleeping pandas! Funny as heck, too! LOL!!! I also got on Flickr and saw some very cute pics of ZZ as well.
I just read the 4/8/2008 update from the Memphis Zoo, and it looks like Ya Ya is taking her sweet time coming into estrus! Last year, she came into estrus a lot earlier than this year, so now she’s keeping everybody waiting this time! That’s the panda mom waiting game for you! Will keep checking Memphis Zoo for more updates. Hopefully, Ya Ya will kick it in ASAP! Atlanta Zoo’s panda house keepers are also waiting for Lun Lun to come into estrus. Lun’s got a good reason for being a little later this time; she just weaned Mei Lan last month! So, I’m guessing that her hormones are a little bit slower to kick in this time. Just more waiting time for us, tho! No new updates about Mei Xiang at NZ. Still waiting for a pregnancy watch update that should be coming in pretty soon.
Little ZZ will literally be up in the trees off and on for quite awhile. Like Suzanne said, she’s taking after her older sisters and brother when it comes to tree climbing skills and getting up there as high as she can go. There’s been a couple of times that I’ve been on the pandacam, and I would only see Bai sitting and eating bamboo and no ZZ in sight. I figured that ZZ is up a tree somewhere–napping! She’s so cute when she’s all curled up on a tree branch, and all you see is just a fuzz ball when I do see her on the cam. Now, with spring coming in, alot of those trees will have new leaves on them, and spotting ZZ in a tree on the cam will be alot harder. Oh well, will just keeping watching and looking for her! She’ll eventually come down from a tree for us to get a good look at her fuzzy little self!
Well, gonna go and check the pandacam again. BYE!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
As always, Suzanne, your article is interesting, informative, succinct, and beautifully written. Thank you for taking time from your very busy schedule to educate and entertain us. The knowledge from a consummate, highly respected professional is pure gold to us Panda fans!
April 11th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Cheryl, #1, I agree. For a cub who is not ingesting bamboo, ZZ sure loves to play with it in her mouth. She is great fun to watch whether high up in the trees on one of her hammocks, or on the ground playing with mom Bai Yun, or her toys, or a pile of bamboo.
Thanks Suzanne, for most educational information. It is amazing how much nutrition pandas can manage to suck out of bamboo.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Our princess ZZ has been fun to watch lately. She is enjoying rolling around the bedroom floor and her platform. She’s discovering the many ways that she can curl up into a ball - as if she was training to be in a circus. Today, I noticed her lift her little feet and put them behind her ears - too funny!! Pretty soon she’ll be turning somersaults and hanging by her ankles!! I can hardly wait!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Dear Suzanne,
You updates are always such a pleasure. In Fact, All updates by all staff are a pleasure.
Naturally, today I missed Little Miss playing to the fans! Why? Because I was working on a photo project for my Mom
Boy did we both miss out today!!! 4 trips to the SDZ since January have made for some fun video and photos….however, Zhen has been high up each trip doing what she is supposed to be doing 
For those panda fans who also missed Zhen’s show today, the time lapse video will give you all a chance to: See Zhen Zoom 
who is not online and lives in the midwest. She gets to see the SDZ Pandas because I can take the panda cam photos( for those of you who have not sent yourselves a postcard…make use of this feature! Also, if you have Adobe photoshop 3.0 you can lighten the shadows and adjust the color) and place them onto a DVD just for her
April 11th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Suzanne - thanks for another informative blog about our beloved pandas - amazing how cubs know how to climb trees to be safe - & that’s my question - I could understand if Mommy dragged her cub up there but how does a cub know what to do?? Climbing must be in their genes.
ZA reports that both Yang & Lun are spending time in their pools splashing around - hope to see that on their cam- another sign that breeding season is approaching there.
April 12th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Suzanne, another valuable, informative and beautifully written blog for all of us panda lovers, thank you so much. Now we know why these youngsters spend so much time high up in the trees, not only for fun but also for protection. Zhen Zhen being a bit older than Fu Long in Schoenbrunn is lucky to have such high trees. When visiting Fu Long two weeks ago I watched him enjoying a nap on a platform unfortunately being rather low off the ground. Mind you, that was in the inside den. Therefore I hope that once being able to spend time in the outside den FL will be lucky to have higher trees to climb on. Zhen Zhen’s nickname zoom zoom is more than suitable! She is so adorable. Please answer my question which I asked some time ago. Does it often occur that pandas feature white spots on places of their bodies which are “supposed” to be black, i. e. Fu Long “sporting” half a white right rear foot? Thank you. I think it looks awfully cute, though!
April 12th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Thank you, Suzanne! I am so appreciative that you take the time to address the concerns and the curiousity of all of us pandaholics and help us to learn more about our beloved pandas. They are such a wonderful source of entertainment and enlightenment!
April 12th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Suzanne, please refresh my memory about pool splashing. As I recall you mentioned something about that in last year’s blogs about Bai Yun’s coming estrus. I think I read that females splash around in the water about a week prior to full estrus. The thinking being that she is trying to saturate her scent through the water and get it in more places. I don’t remember reading that males also splash in the water, but it would make sense that they are both doing it for the same reason. Besides they seem to have fun. Maybe they are having “hot flashes” and are trying to cool off. That makes sense too since their hormones would be at elevated/different levels than pre-estrus and post-estrus.
Mei Xiang was also seen spending time in her pool shortly before her estrus this year.
Whatever the reason, we are all patiently waiting news from NZP in a month or two about Mei Xiang’s hormone levels and possibility of pregnancy, and Lun Lun’s estrus arrival and hopeful mating with Yang Yang. He has patiently been waiting for two years like Gao and Tian also had to do. Ya Ya in Memphis is being fickle again and apparently has very unpredictable estrus’s. I recall that her estrus was in late January last year, which is very abnormal for pandas. She is known to “cycle” in a very wide 6 month window, so MZ patiently watches and waits.
April 12th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Thanks for the up-date Suzanne. Makes me wonder how ZZ can get comfortable to sleep high in the trees. Amazing how she doesn’t fall off from the branches whilst sleeping.
It’s so hard to believe that ZZ is now 9 months old, how fast have those 9 months gone?
Maureen #7, you say how does a cub know what to do?, well when you think of it it’s the same for our babies, how do they know when and how to crawl?, then walk. How alike we are but at the same time so far away. When you stop and think there is so much that will make you think about how and why these things happen. Life is just one big adventure for all of us and it begins the day we are all are born, both humans and animals.
Moderator’s note: Zhen is still 8 months old; she’ll be 9 months on May 3.
April 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
The Climbing Cub Song
Climb on the log, my little one. It’s two paws high. Isn’t this fun?!
Now grip with claws and walk along. Your paws will soon be very strong!
Whoops! Down you tumble! Never mind….that’s why a cub’s padded behind!
Now sprawl out in the nest you’ve found, asleep just five paws off the ground.
Awake again? This is a tree. It goes up very high. You see?
Now put your paws up, here and here, and pull until your claws…Oh dear!
Another tumble! That’s all right. You’ll learn that you must hang on tight
Especially when you’re climbing high. You’ll soon be sleeping in the sky.
Now where has that cub gotten to? I napped a bit, then had some ‘boo…
My cub was playing at my side…where has my baby gone to hide?
My ears are playing tricks on me! Do I hear giggles from that tree?
Oh my! How did you get up there? So high for such a little bear!
It’s time for denning and bamboo. Don’t make me come up after you!
And cubs who hang by tiny toes should expect to land on their nose!
Now, now…no crying. After all, a climbing cub must learn to fall.
So climb back up your tree and play and show me what you learned today.
And I will watch and eat bamboo. My cub, I’m very proud of you!
April 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
i have watched with love and amazement the cubs since 1999.
the keepers, researchers. volunteers et al have been so giving of their expertise to those of us who love the pandas, and i thank you all.
joan
painted post, n.y.
April 12th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Thanks for another great update Suzanne. As I am writing this, I cannot help but think how blessed SD Zoo is to have such a precious treasure as little princess Z. All the other American zoos are trying to duplicate this amazing feat. I am hoping with all my heart that they will get their own little miracles this year. But for the time being, I am counting my lucky stars that I get to come here and witness one of life’s greatest moments. And for that, my day is transformed.
April 13th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Thank you Suzanne for another very interesting blog about what Zhennie is doing and why. I love the way she does acrobatics and seems to enjoy herself, whether she’s up in a tree or down on the ground. It’s nice to see her growing up as a normal panda cub, but I wish she wouldn’t grow up so fast!
It’s going to be fun to see what she does in the snow at the end of the month. That should be quite a day either to be at the Zoo or watching the panda cam!
April 13th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Dear Suzanne,
Thank you for your wonderful article about “cubs in the trees”. Alot of the things you
you mentioned I have noticed myself on the panda cams from NZ,ZA, and of course
San Diego Zoo. I really didn’t have a timeline in my head of when we would see the
various climbing stages the cubs would go thourgh. You are a great teacher! I can
tell you understand how interested we all are in the pandas. I don’t know if you
know what the updates mean to people who aren’t able to get to the zoo very
often because of illness or many other reasons.
Bobby Wood #6 wrote about the timelapse feature we can use. Am I missing
something about this feature? It goes by so fast I have a hard time focusing and
comprehending what I’m seeing! I keep wishing there was a pause button! Any
computer thing I should know?
Well thank you to all at the San Diego Zoo! What great organization because of
the wonderful people who make it that way!
Linda
April 13th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Thanks Suzanne for doing such a good job educating us about our panda friends.
I think it’s amazing how zoo animals retain their wild behaviors. But, it’s good that they do, so we can study how they survive in nature.
Your blog made me hungry, I know what I’m going to have for lunch now… a nice salad and a glass of milk.
Love, Joy
April 14th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Pamela G Thank you for a beautiful poem, You certainly have spoken what mama Bai would have said to her little bundle of energy. I really wish that you would write a book of your poems. Pamela you are so talented and a inspiration to all of us Thank you again
April 14th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Pamela G what a beautiful song/conversation/advice from Bai Yun to ZZ. I can just hear Bai’s soothing motherly voice speaking with her precious cub. It speaks very well to what I observed to be Bai’s reaction to ZZ climbing so high in the first couple of days in their new yard.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Yes, for some reason I read Pamela G’s poem and imagined Bai Yun saying it in a “Mrs. Butterworth” voice! She just seems to be a gentle soul, but I wouldn’t want to upset her either. I have seen Bai Yun suddenly perk up and get very still, with ears straight up listening intently for whatever startled her. She would protect Zhen with her life. She is just an amazing creature and watching her with Miss Z is a learning experience from someone with alot of it! Thank you Pamela G for another great work.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Pamela - what a beautiful poem.
I noticed that panda snow day isnow Sun. Apr 29 - has it been changed?
ZA reports today that Lun is rapidly approaching estrus - her bamboo consumption has dropped off & Yang was very interested in her through the mesh - maybe we’ll have good news there soon.
Moderator’s note: Yes, snow day for pandas is now Sunday, April 27.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Pamela G — I must echo the laudatory comments of the others about your Climbing Cub song/poem. It is beautiful.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Dear Linda #16
The time lapse is VERRRRY FAST! However, if you make a point of watching it on a regular basis and a couple times in a row, for some reason the brain begins to ’see’ a little better
When you get to watch the panda cam in real time, you learn where the pandas like to spend much of their time and what rocks, logs, etc are located. This, I think, helps the brain find the moving Stars 
On the time lapse, if a shadow and a white ball moves, you are not looking at a rock….it’s Zhen 
This morning at 8:45 Pacific Time, Sweet Su Lin was facing the glass and eating bamboo…waiting for her fans! Loved it!
April 14th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
As the all the zoos do studies of panda behaviour I wonder if someone can explain my all time favorite panda Tai as he drags a “panda pool” into his hideout - check out ” Tai & his hideout” on you tube - not only did he drag the pool into “his hideout” but when Mommy leaves the the enclsoure he follows her out but then a short time later we see “the panda pool” moving across the exhibit with Tai under it -He drives Mei Xiang crazy but when she checks under the pool he tells her “dis is the boys hang-out” Of all the panda cams & videos I’ve watched this is by far the funniest. Wonder if anything like this has happened before.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Suzanne , thanks for another piece of fascinating information about these precious animals. The picture above of the little princess got busy in the tree is very cute.
#8 Ruth, I believe Fu Long’s half white foot is unique; got to love this special little bear.
#12 Pamela, you are so talented. I can visualize this greatest mommy love fills the atmosphere.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Thank you very much for your kind remarks about my little rhymes. In her lullabye, Bai Yun promised to teach Zhen Zhen some of the old Panda Songs. Thus, the Song of the Trees in the previous blog and the Climbing Cub Song in this one. So now I will don my Panda ears and nose and listen to the Song of the Wind. Hope I can hear something good! And I’m sure Bai and Lun Lun and lovely Mei Xiang and the diva Ya Ya will help!
Thanks to the Zoo staff who allow me to post these rhymes, and Panda Blessings to you all.
Moderator’s note: We enjoy them, too!
April 15th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Good news - I just read that one of the red pandas that escaped from the zoo in Galloway has been found and seems to be in good health. She has been reunited with her mate - her daughter is still missing but officials hope she may be found in the same area where mom was.
April 15th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Dear Maureen in Michigan #24,
Thank you for telling us about Tai Shan & his hideout!!! I agree completely that it is the funniest Panda Video I’ve seen
……and I’ve watched quite a few 
Somehow, of all the Grand Baby Pandas, I do think ONLY Tai Shan would have done this! Well, perhaps Mei Sheng would have 
Can you imagine those two playing together? What a Trip!!
April 15th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
To All:
Just a note to all of you who have zoomed to you tube to view Tai Shan and his hideout. Tai was born 7/9/2005. Thus, that video which has the NZ pandacam date of 2/8/06 makes Tai 7 months old at the time. At the end of the video his age is mentioned as 13 months.
April 15th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
To #29 Bobbie — NZ’s panda cam date is formatted as — day/month/year. This does make Tai 13 months in the Tai and His Hide Out video.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
#24 Maureen and #28 Bobbie - I so enjoy that video of Tai and his hideout. That is one of my all-time favorites - it just shows how full of mischief that Tai is. No wonder he drove Mei crazy. But speaking of Mei and crazy - have you seen the video “Mei Xiang and the Tire” on youtube? It is a hoot!! The tire is very small, much smaller than the ones that Tai played with, and poor Mei just looks so confused as to what she can do with this small round black thing besides wearing it around her nose. Have a look. It is funny, funny. Like mother, like son, I say.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
#28 Bobbie - unfortunately I missed Mei Sheng growing up - didn’t know there were panda cams until Tai was born & then watched almost every minute of him - & he sure lived up to his staff nick-name” Tai, the terror”. I watched the night he climbed out the window of the exhibit, the day he climbed through the window of the indoor exhibit from outside (where Mei had to go outside & drag him down) , the day he used Mommy’s back to climb over a tree guard on one of the trees, the night his poor keeper was there until after 11pm trying to lure him down from high up in a tree, the night of a terrible storm & he was sound asleep high in a tree (and on he went) . And when he was on the ground he hassled poor Mei - he climbed, chewed & tugged on the poor thing while she tried to sleep. While all of the panda cubs are fun to watch I still think Tai was the most active & into trouble all the time. I can see Mei Xiang thinking ” I’d love another cub but please don’t give me another Tai - I can’t stand it”
April 15th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
My goodness! I can’t believe how quickly ZZ is growing! I can’t wait to see what she does on snow day!
Bobbie #29 - For a period of time, the NZ cam dates were displayed in the DD/MM/YY format… As a result, the video you watched was from August 2, 2006, not February 8, 2006, and Tai was in fact 13 months old at the time. I remember the day well — I have screen shots from that memorable day.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:06 am
The NZ pandas are sure having fun outdoors today - sleeping sprawled out in the grass, sleeping draped over a rock or inside a rock den. Now they are outside eating their ‘boo. Reminds me of the song: “Grazing in the grass, it’s a gas! Can you dig it baby? Whoooooo!!!”
April 16th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
#31 Pandafan - about Mei and the tire… one word… HONEY!!! I’m betting that tiny tire was smeared with honey! For Mei to go on and on with it, and almost always by her mouth… our girl does love her sweet treats! Can’t wait for ZZ to discover HER sweet treats!
April 16th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I just read online where the Stuttgart Germany Zoo introduced it’s new polar bear cub, Wilbaer, to the public today. He was born a day before Nuremberg’s Flocke, but they kept it a secret due to all the publicity with Knut last year. Unlike Flocke, who was hand-raised, Wilbaer was raised by his mom. Can’t wait to see some video. Germany is having rousing success breeding polar bears - c’mon SDZ.
April 16th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Weel, did ZZ get the memo that she is pretty safe in her enclosure?
April 16th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
ZA reported today that Lun’s behavioral signs of a pending estrus have now been backed up by hormones. Her estrogen started to increase this past Sunday, and her progestins started to decrease Monday. These changes indicate that estrus has started. Now they just have to wait for her to ovulate. Yang seems more than ready & interested Lun in so let’s hope this year they can figure out how to mate.
#35 Suzanne - I also bet the tire Mei Xiang was so fascinated with was smeared with honey. I watched one day when both Mei & Tai had plastic crates smeared with honey - what fun that was.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
In case anyone is interested the web cam at Wolong is wroking again. The best time to see the babies playing is around 6:30pm pacific time.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Hi, panda fans! Just got off the NZ website and their panda page, and just read the April 10 update on Mei Xiang’s pregnancy watch. Looks like her progestines have been on the increase with some small ups and downs in the last week or so, and her estrogins are pretty much baseline after looking at the latest chart on the site. If any of you are interested in reading their updates, go on the NZ website, click on the pandacam. Then towards the bottom of that page, click on the statement about recent panda updates, and you’ll find the March 20 update that has a link to the 2008 pregnancy watch updates. I know that it’s kind of a long way around to get to it, but it’s in there. (They need to put it on the main panda page.) You’ll find their written updates and the charts pretty fascinating. I also read that the waiting time for a possible baby is 3-6 months. So, my guess is that if and when Mei Xiang is pregnant, she should have her baby anytime between June and September. Also, after looking at past updates from 2007, Mei Xiang had her AI procedure about 3 weeks earlier this year than when she had it done in 2007. Keep your fingers crossed and do a lot of praying, you all! It’s a long waiting game!
Have also been reading AZ’s panda updates. They’ve been watching Lun Lun every day on her upcoming estrus. They are waiting for the right time to put Lun and Yang Yang together or do an AI on Lun. Still waiting on more updates about Lun. No more news about Ya Ya and Le Le since the early April update at Memphis Zoo. I still keep checking their website for new updates about Ya Ya and when she’ll be in estrus.
About the polar bears at SDZ, oh yeah! I’m waiting to see if Kalluk and Tatqiq will get it together real soon! Would love to see one or two baby polar bears this year! Hope the polar bear keepers will keep us informed of what’s up with those bears as often as possible!
Been on SDZ pandacam off and on the last few days. I’ve been missing out on some of the funny antics that some of you have been writing about. I’ll have to check out those time lapse videos to see what little miss ZZ has been up to! And yes, Miss Su Lin is always her gorgeous self when she sits so pretty eating her boo. I’ve saw Gao Gao in his bedroom a couple of days ago eating his boo in quiet solitude and leaving his usual mess all around him.
Well, gonna go. Will probably check the pandacam tomorrow.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 17th, 2008 at 8:17 am
What is Su Lin communicating through her scent marking? It can’t have anything to do with her breeding schedule because she is not sexually mature. Is it territorial marking? Her scent marks must have some meaning.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Sharon#36 CNN had a video on it’s web site and he is gorgeous, he stayed close to mama when he first came out and was right between her legs, next they were in the pool and he was really enjoying it, but right next to mama, beautiful
April 17th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Shock, horror. I’ve just been watching what I thought was Bai eating, only to find out it is ZZ!! I know I haven’t seen much of her lately, but boy, has she grown!!
April 17th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Meerkats, may I say a big thank you for the absolutely wonderful pics you are showing now of ZZ. Perfect.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Did anyone else catch Su “riding the tree” just now (about 2:15 PDT)? I was sure that the branch was going to break.
Saw several people getting good photos of her. I’m sure she had a lot of fun showing off for everyone.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Bai and Zhen sitting together at the moment, it’s a beautiful sight to watch, as Susan (UK) (hi fellow UK pandafan) Zhen is growing so big. She looks huge when she’s sitting there next to Bai looking all grown up as Bai is munching on her bamboo and Zhen is sitting trying to copy her. Awwwwwwwwww a heart warming sight.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Hi, you all! Has anyone read the newest update about the pandas on the Atlanta Zoo website yet? It’s getting a little bit more interesting over there in my neck of the woods in the Southland! Here’s the lowdown on the Mon., 4/14 and Wed., 4/16 updates. Panda keepers had Lun Lun and Yang Yang outside for some “howdy” mesh gate time together. Lun has had a decline in her boo appetite, there have been some “conversations” between Lun and Yang thru bleats and chirps, Yang rubbing his fur on the mesh gate to impress Lun, Lun walking around her exhibit and scent marking. Lun has been active in the mornings, but will slow down and take naps in the afternoon. Yesterday (4/16), Lun’s behavior signs of impending estrus are now being backed up by her hormone levels. Estrogin levels started to increase as of this past Sun. (4/13), and her progestin levels have gone down on Mon. (4/14). According to that info, keepers have determined that Lun has started her estrus phase! Now, they are waiting for Lun to ovulate, at which time the keepers will make the decision as to when they will bring Lun and Yang together physically for breeding or do an AI procedure on Lun. The wait continues! Mei Lan is doing her own thing eating boo and napping. She’s not even fazed one bit by her parent’s commotions in the next yard!
Did get on SDZ pandacam tonite and saw Gao Gao in his bedroom eating his dinner boo and leaving his usual mess! Then, the cam switched to Su Lin who was walking around probably looking for more boo to eat. Didn’t get to see ZZ today, tho. I did watch the latest video of ZZ and saw the newest pics of her and Bai today. As usual–CUTE!!!!
Have not checked Memphis Zoo panda page for updates this week since the early April update. Will probably check them out next week to see if there’s a new update about Ya Ya and Le Le, and how their breeding season is progressing.
Panda breeding season stats so far:
Mei Xiang, NZ–artificially inseminated on March 19;
Lun Lun, AZ–in estrus phase;
Ya Ya, Memphis–still waiting!
Bai Yun, SDZ–still being the fantastic mom to ZZ every day!!
WOW!!! It’s beginning to get interesting, pandafans! Ya Ya is the wildcard right now. She’s keeping everybody waiting!!
Well, that’s all for now! Gonna go back and check pandacam before California gets into nighttime and I can’t see anything! BYE!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 17th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Is that Miss Z I see high up in a tree while Bai is casually eating bamboo at 9:30pm EDT?? Unless I see Zhen & Bai together it’s hard for me to know which panda I’m watching as Zhen has grown so.
April 17th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Be sure to listen to the latest izoofari chat with Suzanne Hall - Panda Conservation - she has great hope our beloved pandas will survive with all the Chinese government is doing.
Moderator’s note: Here’s a link to the iZoofari Chat with Suzanne: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress2/2008/uncategorized/izoofari-chat-bear-awareness-days-giant-panda-conservation/
April 17th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I’ve been working so hard lately, I’ve had very little Panda Cam time. But today around lunchtime, I got very lucky. Bai was sitting eating her ‘boo and then there was the incomparable Miss Z, with a humongous piece of super-leafy ‘boo — it looked like a young sapling. She determinedly carried it over to a climbing tree and, after dropping it once and going back for it, got it up to her little “saddle” and settled down to mouth it. Had herself a great time, totally devoted to the task at hand. Then she dropped it and went straight back down for it. She is just so adorable and funny! Her determination was so evident and she was completely absorbed in her “mission.”
For someone who’s been wondering if she had run away to join the circus, because I haven’t seen her in such a long time, this really made my day! I hope you all got to see it and that all my fellow pandaholics are well and happy!
Rock on, Little Zhen! The world loves you!!
April 18th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Dear Lil # 33, Thank you for explaining the date set-up on the NZ Panda Cam. Gosh, how fortunate you are to have photos of Tai as he played with the little swimmming pool
To All: On Wednesday the 16th, I was at the SDZ for another visit. We made three trips to the Pandas that day and hit the jack-pot on the third visit arriving at noontime. Zhen was pretending to eat bamboo right in front of her fans, and Bai was circling the exhibit area, walking through her pond and coming back over and over again to check on ZZ
We also viewed Su eating bamboo up close on the first arrival around 9:30 
provided fine video. The main Flamingo exhibit visit provided us with a view of even larger mud nests and three of the Flamingos were sitting on nests 
Three Peacocks were ‘chatting’ in the trees right near the Flamingos. We also walked down one of the canyon roads…I think Cat Canyon…and saw and photographed some amazing cactus plants along the way. The SDZ is an adventure and total pleasure each time one visits 
In between panda visits we went to Elephant Mesa and got to see a baby kangaroo sitting in its mother’s pouch! We saw three camels also; And! a whole Mob of Meerkats sunning, leaping, digging, teasing each other
April 18th, 2008 at 8:28 am
I am so happy to see that Zhen Zhen has quite alot of awake time each day spent playing and exploring. Su Lin slept so much of each day high in the trees that I seldom say her.
Now I have a question for everyone. Do pandas eat fish (if they ever lare ucky enough to catch one)? This morning I popped in to the NZ cam and one of the pandas (I can’t tell the them apart anymore) was spending so much time walking in the big pool in a very zigzag pattern as if it was following something - a fish maybe?
Anyone who knows please tell me.
Thanks in advance.
Lee
April 18th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Hi, you all! I hope you all are not too upset with me about panda updates from other zoos, but Atlanta Zoo is starting to get really busy now! Newest update on Friday, 4/18: Lun Lun is in full estrus mode, and the keepers at AZ are waiting for her to go into ovulation. AZ panda keepers and vets will be getting a ton of help in this process, and these people are flying in this week. AZ will be getting help and assistance from a number of specialists that are coming in from National Zoo in DC, Chengdu Panda Research in China, University of Georgia, and Georgia Tech. They will be there to help monitor Lun’s hormone levels and breeding behavior to determine when she’s starting to ovulate, then make the decision to have Lun and Yang naturally mate or do an AI procedure on Lun. They are the same special people that were at AZ to help out in 2006 that resulted in Mei Lan’s birth. They are very hopeful that Lun will be a mom for the second time later on this summer! AZ also has a link on today’s update that will get you to a chart of Lun’s hormone levels in pdf format. Hope you all have Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 in your computers!
I got on the pandacam between 7:30 and 8pm EDT, and couldn’t see a thing on Cam 5! It was dark, and I thought that California was still in daylight at around 5pm PDT! Oh well……!! Will get on the cam today before it gets dark so that I can catch these lovely bears in action–or sleeping! I love Gao in his bedroom eating his dinner boo, tho! It’s like all of us people sitting in our dens in our homes eating our dinners, so Gao must be very content to be in his room eating his dinner and making his messes without anyone bothering him. EATING MACHINE!!
Gonna go. Gotta get on the pandacam to see what’s up with the pandas and also check the elephant cam to see if I can see any of the baby calves on there.
Bye,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 18th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Does Su Lin ever “play” with her enrichment items, or act silly like her brother? She has grown so much physically, and is so much more mature, behaving like a adult panda, that I have a hard time realizing I am looking at Su Lin and not Bai Yun. She appears to be a bamboo eating machine like both of her parents, and when she is not eating she is sleeping. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of difference between her behavior and Bai Yun’s except Bai has a nursing cub around some of the time. It is really hard to remember that it was only a year ago that Su Lin was weaned, and that two years ago she was the size of ZZ, sleeping high in the trees only coming down when she was hungry or thirsty. I don’t recall seeing Su Lin “playing” with Bai at all, but ZZ sure does her best to get her mom to interact with her. How times do change, and how fast babies of all species grow.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
#52 Lee…There are no fish in the NZ pools but sometimes Tai plays with floating stuff. Do you know which Cam you were watching? Usually it’s Tai on Cam 2, and Mei on Cam 1, but they will put Tian on 1 if he’s doing somethign fun or if Mei is “busy”. All 3 yards have pools so it helps to know which panda by which cam.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Bobbie # 51 — are you sure you don’t work for the SD Zoo — because I just love reading the stories about your zoo adventures. They should hire you as their honorary Zoo Ambassador — everytime I read one of your blogs — I immediately want to stop what I’m doing and take a trip to the zoo to check out what you described. Thank you for making my work day a bit brighter — since I can’t just leave to go to the zoo — I get to take imaginary trips via your descriptions!!
April 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I am also hoping that someone will post news about Fei Fei. Now that I have read her story, I am anxious to know if the mating was successful. Would love news about the cub if one is born. Oh yeah, and what Lee says (#52) - thanks in advance!
April 18th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Thanks Dawn (55) for the who’s who on the NZ cameras. It was camera 2 between 8 & 9 am PST today.
Now I know it was Tai and he spent at least 20 minutes in the large pool and used his paw to try to pick up or move something in the water. Then he would leave the pool and make a loop of his yard then go back in again.
I bet he would have fun if some small fish were put in.
April 18th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
#58 Lee, But the fishies wouldn’t, lol!
I have to get on pandacam more–I keep missing all ZZ’s fun adventures
April 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
#51 Bobbie - thanks once again for telling us about visit to the SDZ - am so envious - so keep telling us what you see. Sure sounds like things at ZA are just about ready for Lun & Yang to try mating again. They will have all their panda experts in place Sat - can’t wait to find out what happens - maybe now that Yang is a year older he’ll know what to do. As ZA said it’s much easier if pandas mate naturally.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Dear Cheryl #56
No, I do not work for the SDZ
I live about 75 miles north (1 1/2 hours driving time). I was blessed (?) is Sept 2007 by having a 29 year career end due to the mtg. mess and after spending 6 months looking for a replacement career….I’m old 
…I decided to ‘retire’ and spend a lot of time visiting the SDZ 
I have such a wonderful time on each visit and I love to share about the visits because there are many who read who do not have such a marvelous Zoo nearby or even if they do, they also may be working and unable to visit their zoo or the SDZ 
I’m so pleased that you enjoy the written words of my adventures….I plan on getting down to the SDZ a couple times each month, and Heaven help you all…I shall continue to share 
The Zoo has over 4000 animals…I don’t think that counts the birds. I’ve been there 5 times this year and probably have seen one tenth of the creatures. It’s a beautiful day each visit 
The SDZ is one of those locations where one…and everyone… has a fantastic DAY! It is a blast to listen to old and young and in between become very delighted to see the animals! The staff at the zoo are ALL so very nice and helpful! Truly, the SDZ visitors may be arriving to see The Stars; however, ALL visitors leave with the knowledge that ALL the gorgeous animals are STARS
April 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
#52 Lee - I missed Tai in his pool today but have seen him there many other times. I know the staff puts enrichment toys there but I also think he is fascinated by the ripples he makes as he splashes around.
April 19th, 2008 at 1:34 am
#51 Bobbie - those peacocks didn’t get you this time then? Next time you go give all the animals a big imaginary hug from me. I’m soooo jealous.
Watched the giraffe video - had me in stitches. What a gorgeous little thing.
April 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Our little precious ZZ is doing acrobatic stunts! She was climbing a branch and was hanging upside down while trying to go from one branch to another! Love that little girl!
April 19th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
How exciting that ZZ has been so active lately! I have seen some recent pictures of her, and she looks like she’s gone through a serious growth spurt since the last time I saw her in person. I can’t wait to visit her and the rest of her family again.
Lee (#58), a friend of mine was at the NZ yesterday, and said that the keepers chopped up some apples and tossed them into the pond for Tai… He was probably bobbing for apples when you saw him! LOL
April 19th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I can’t wait for “snow day”- to see how pandas react - check out “Mei’s snow craziness ” on youtube - Mei Xiang is usually a laid back panda but she was full of it that day.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Hi! Have to apologize, ok? On one of my earlier comments on April 16, I mentioned the March 20 update on the NZ website panda page that had the link to Mei Xiang’s pregnancy watch updates. My boo boo!! I doubled checked, and the link to the pregnancy watch updates is on the March 17 update on the NZ panda page. Sorry about that! I just checked that website tonite, and there isn’t anymore news about Mei Xiang right now. They will probably write a new pregnancy watch update sometime this next week. On the AZ website panda page, there probably will be a new update about Lun Lun on Monday, especially if Lun has started ovulating. Nothing new about Ya Ya in Memphis yet. She is still making everybody wait!
Susan, UK–I watched that giraffe video also. The baby giraffe was really cute running around like a little kid! That was fun to watch!
Not much else to say right now. Haven’t been on the pandacam today because I was busy. Gonna get on there tomorrow to check on the pandas. BYE!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 21st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
ZA reports that while Lun & Yang were put together last night & again this morning mating did not occur so they performed 2 AI with Yang’s semen - now we just wait like we’re doing with Mei Xiang.
April 21st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Go Papa Gao Gao! You gotta love him more every time you hear panda news (for getting it done au natural!!!). ZA just announced AI (love the acronyms). Apparently, Yang Yang and Lun Lun tried, but didn’t manage. So, 2 AI’s were done. Now we wait again. 2 down (NZ and ZA), 1 to go (Memphis). Maybe SDZ could send tapes of Gao Gao and his lovely lady Bai succeeding with no assistance? Kind of informational videos for the other guys?
April 21st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
OK, pandafans! Great news from Atlanta Zoo! They just posted a new update for today, Mon., April 21, 2008, about Lun Lun’s estrus progress. Well, guess what? A lot has happened over there in the last 48 hours or so. On Sun., April 20 (yesterday), Lun’s hormone results showed that she had ovulated that afternoon. The panda keepers made a decision yesterday to put Yang Yang and Lun Lun together for some breeding time together that afternoon and again this morning (Mon., 4/21), but didn’t successfully breed. The vets, along with the extra specialists that had flown in late last week, did two AI procedures on Lun with Yang’s semen today. They were able to monitor Lun’s hormone levels very closely, running hormone essays on 2-4 urine samples every day for 3 days. That’s how they were able to estimate when Lun ovulated quite accurately. Now, they are hoping for conception and Lun becoming pregnant! Keep your fingers crossed, you all! Now, it’s waiting time, this time for both Mei Xiang and Lun Lun! Will check the Memphis website to see if there is any new updates about Ya Ya. Hopefully, there will be significant news from them that I can share with you all! At least for now, there are 2 female momma pandas that have been artificially inseminated about a month apart, and I don’t know about you all, but I am hoping and praying for 2 baby pandas by July or August, 2008! Fun time on the pandacams coming up soon!!
Gonna go and do some things. Just wanted to write in and let you know the great news from AZ’s panda house! Will write back later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pm
The SDZ certainly has stars in Pappa Gao & Momma Bai- must be his wild born genes that lets him know how to mate - but you’d think Tian & Mei & Yang & Lun are getting frustrated that they can’t figure things out. If either female has a cub this year it will be another 2 years before they get another chance at mating. Get those mating tapes ready.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I always thought it was pretty amazing when they showed male pandas “panda porn” and the males figured out how to mate successfully. Maybe they need to try that with some of the male pandas in the US. Although, I know sometimes it was actually the females that “did it” wrong. Maybe they need the 5th grade Sex Ed Assembly program.
Gao has proven his mating prowess many times, it does make you wonder what he saw in the wild that helped him in that department.
Well, at least we know how to do AI successfully now. Hopefully we’ll be hearing the pitter-patter of little paws this summer.
Love, Joy
April 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hello pandaholics,
Lots of new videos of the panda prince Fu Long in Vienna on youtube - really cute ones. I especially like the one of him trying to figure out the best way to take a drink from the water bowl and getting drenched in the process. Lots of climbing and acrobatics, too, plus a “rescue” from high places by his keepers. I recommend searching by typing: “fu long” -shaolin as your search words. This will weed out most of the other videos that don’t have anything to do with the pandas.
Also, I don’t know if any of you have come across a form of reality show from Japan that has their celebrities taking on assignments to train young panda cubs. They are put in charge of three to five cubs and they are supposed to accomplish an objective within a specified time frame. While the video is showing the cubs and their “trainer”, you see insets of people in a studio observing the celebrity trainer - I have no idea what they are doing. As I said, I’m not really sure what’s behind this program and what these celebs are supposed to accomplish. The latest one is called “char shu men” (type your search with the quotes). It looks really amusing and the cubbies are oh so cute!! If any of you know more about these shows, I’d appreciate your sharing the information with the rest of us panda addicts.
Haven’t seen much of the zoomer lately - I’ve mostly seen Bai chomping away. Will have to check again tomorrow. Happy panda viewing to all! If all goes well, there will be even more pandas to view come July or August. How cool is that???
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:20 am
#70 Chari, you are doing a great job keeping us pandafans inform. I just learned from you that the Memphis zoo do post panda updates. Interesting, thanks.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
Conversation with Su Lin #5
Tourist: Hello, Su Lin.
Su Lin: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: Hey, I thought I missed you the other day.
S: Oh, nice to be back.
T: You mean you’ve been away?
S: Oh, but only for just some few moments.
T: You mean you went pursuing those real estate foreclosure ads?
S: Not quite. But I did meet with a some developers.
T: So are you buying something soon?
S: I think not yet.
T: How so?
S: Well, I also saw ads for mystery shopping.
T: Oh, but you’d better be careful…
S: Oh, don’t worry. I didn’t pursue those ads.
T: So what did you do?
S: I offered to mystery shop for Mei Sheng’s restaurant chain.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
AC from NYC, thanks for the feedback! Yes, Memphis Zoo does write panda updates, but they are not as frequent as SDZ, NZ, AZ panda updates are. So, just keep getting into the Memphis Zoo website, click on the pandacam link, then click on the regular keeper and panda keeper update links to get their news. I just checked the MZ site last nite, and there was no new updates about Ya Ya. She is one funny female panda when it comes to breeding season. She has had a history of going into estrus in all 4 seasons–winter, spring, summer, and fall! Ya Ya is still making everybody wait right now. So, just keep checking their website, and hopefully some good news will pop up very soon.
To all of you that think that doing AI procedures on female pandas is a bad thing or not as natural as natural breeding, I’m a little bit upset about your attitudes on this issue. Yes, Gao Gao and Bai Yun have had alot of success in breeding naturally over the years. But, you all have to remember that Gao was wild born, and both Gao and Bai are much older pandas than the other 3 pairs of pandas at NZ, AZ, and MZ. Ya Ya and Le Le are the youngest pair of pandas here in the US, and they have had only one year of mating season under their belt from last year. The jury is still out as to how well Ya Ya will do as a first time mom if and when she does have a baby panda this year. That’s a wait and see deal right there. There is a lot to be said about AI procedures. A lot of zoo vets use this procedure on a lot of zoo animals when natural breeding does not go so well, especially in animal species that are on the endangered species list. A lot of zoo animals do pretty well with natural breeding, such as the naked mole rats, meerkats, golden lion tamarins, and some others. But, AIs are very important as well when the zoos are having to strive for the best gene pool in a lot of the animals that they care for. Elephants are a huge example of having AI procedures done in a lot of zoos. Shanthi, an Asian elephant at NZ, had 2 AI procedures done on her this past January, but it will be a 4 month wait before we all know whether it took and she’s pregnant, then there’s the 20 month gestation period before a baby elephant is born. Now, that’s a long wait! Plus, there was no male elephant at NZ to do natural breeding with for Shanthi. I did find out from AZ that their new warthog pair, Vern (male) and Shirley (female), naturally mated and Shirley is expecting a litter of piglets sometime this week or next week. That’s an example of 2 animals that have adapted to life at a zoo in a short time (they came to AZ late last year) and being able to breed naturally without being prompted to do so. All of this depends on the animals and how well they have adapted to their living situations at zoos and sanctuaries, and the zoo keepers in charge of their animals and zoo vets have to make their decisions on whether to let the animals do it naturally or go on ahead and do an AI procedure on the female animals. So, please do not put down AI procedures, ok? That procedure is just as valuable as natural breeding, and yes, the vets have been able to get this science down to almost an art now. Plus, bringing in specialists to help out is also valuable, and that was evident at NZ and AZ when they did AIs on their female pandas. AIs are especially important when the female animal is at one zoo and the male animal is at another, and that’s when the SSP and AZA get together to develop the necessary gene pool for every animal species that the zoos and sanctuaries have on their lists. That prevents inbreeding from what I have read and understood up to now.
Anyway, the breeding season results are:
Mei Xiang (NZ) AND Lun Lun (AZ)–both are artificially inseminated!
Ya Ya (MZ)–still waiting on her!
Bai Yun (SDZ)–still being her usual motherly self to ZZ, and doing a great job at that! Will have to wait until sometime in 2009 or 2010 to see if Bai will be able to have another baby panda or not after ZZ gets weaned.
Well, gonna go and get on the pandacam to see if I can spot little ZZ! I know what you all mean when you are telling everybody that you haven’t seen ZZ on the cams lately, just Bai chomping on boo! My guess is that ZZ is way up a tree taking her nap all day long! And with the trees getting their new leaves on them, it’ll be much tougher to spot ZZ in the trees now. So, I’ll just keep on checking the pandacam and hopefully see her on it! You all will do the same thing! I did see Gao eating his boo in his bedroom again last nite! All he needs now is a TV in there, and that will be an equivalent of having TV bamboo dinner for Gao! He must love being in there for his boo dinners!!
Well, gotta go! Will check back later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Sorry for another long dissertation again! When I have a lot to say, then I’ll write it down! I’ll try to shorten my writing next time!! Anyway, love all the pandas at all 4 US zoos, and hoping for at least 2 successful panda pregnancies this summer!
BYE!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
PS: P Wong, when are you going to write up another one of your wonderful panda conversations? We all love reading them! Hope to see one real soon!
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
To Chari Mercier: about your long dissertations, I do appreciate your enthusiasm for the pandas and other animals, as well as your support of AI as a tool in the preservation of endangered species. But most of the true pandaholics here know about the 4 U.S. zoos that have giant pandas and probably visit their websites frequently. I know I check SDZ, NZ, & ZA daily; Memphis only occasionally due to their lack of updates and the fact I cannot view their pandacam. Ironic since that is the zoo closest to me & the one I have actually visited & seen giant pandas.
So I think we do not need to have the updates from the other zoos repeated back to us in every detail. We can & probably will read it there for ourselves. Just a brief comment about an update will suffice. Posting other info we might not have seen or heard about such as news from other zoos or other websites or animal videos is always appreciated. And helping a newbie learn more is also great.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I read today that China is building a new & larger breeding center at Wolong, They have such sucess in breeding & live births that more space is needed.
#73 Pandafan - thanks for the info about the latest videos of FuLong - too cute.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Off the topic — but I really want to make sure that all the animal lovers read the newest blog on the “Other Blogs” page about the new little cub Nyack at the WAP. It is an amazing and heart-warming story — and another tribute to the dedicated staff at the WAP. Warning… it will bring a tear or 2 to your eyes — but a big smile at the end!!
Moderator’s note: The lion cub blog is in the blog section’s Animal Stories category http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/category/default/animal-stories/
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Be sure to listen to the izoofarichat with Kathy Hawk for some great info about the lives of our beloved pandas at the SDZ.
Moderator’s note: Here’s the link to all chats with bear keepers (including Kathy Hawk’s), and bear researchers: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress2/category/izoofari-chats/bears/
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Hi Chari (#76)
You’re so right that AI is a great thing… After all, it gave us TaiShan, MeiLan, and MANY of the cubs born in China.
I think it’s great that for the most part, the pandas are allowed to try mating naturally. It’s like my friends used to say, at least they had fun trying…
But as we have learned from the superb blogs here, the window for successful pregnancy is very limited. So the decision to do AI needs to be made quickly and the pandas need to be prepared for the procedure.
Re: message from Sharon (#78) Chari, I REALLY don’t want to hurt your feelings, but we were asked to keep our comments here mostly about the SDZ pandas. I do appreciate that you spend a lot of time making sure everyone here knows about all the pandas. Again, I don’t want you to feel bad about this… maybe the moderator has changed that and I missed it. (Quite possible!)
Anyways, Thanks to everyone here who shares their enthusiasm. I love hearing about the joy that these extremely precious animals bring to others.
Happy Earth Day!!!
Love, Joy
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 am
Chari, I completely agree with you on the AI thing. We must help those animals that need it.
P Wong - I dread to think what ‘mystery’ items Mei Sheng is going to end up with in his restaurant, never mind what the guests will be served!!!
I can’t find ZZ either, like many of you. She must have discovered hide and seek!
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Bobbie Wood - Do you ever get to WAP? If you or someone else goes there soon, please give us a vivid report on your visit with the lion pride. I am excited to hear some tales of the interactions of the 7 cubs and their new “cousin” Nyack who has been welcomed by the young cubs and gets to play with them on exhibit. It doesn’t sound like the lionnesses have met, and maybe will not meet, the sweet little guy. For those that haven’t read about him yet, please go to the “Other Blogs” and read his story. It is very amazing and a testament to his will to live, and the loving care he received in the hospital.
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Hi, to all of you! Yes, I know that I go on a lengthy writing spree off and on, so forgive me, please? Also, I do try to let you all know about those zoos’ websites and where their blog updates are located so that you all can get on their websites to read about their panda updates. Sharon in Ft. Worth, Texas (YEA!! My home state!!)–I do get on the Memphis Zoo panda pages myself, but they are not writing as many updates as the other zoos with pandas are doing. I’m going to give them a call sometime soon to see if they can write up more timely updates a little more often about Ya Ya and Le Le. Keep your fingers crossed, ok? Sorry that you can’t get their pandacam. I’m lucky to be able to get it on my computer right now. Got on the SDZ pandacam yesterday and today, and I only saw Bai eating her boo and no sight of ZZ! I agree with a couple of you–ZZ has found her hide and seek spots—IN THE TREES THAT ARE BECOMING VERY LEAFY!! And, ZZ is getting all of her naps up in the trees! All we can do is just keep checking the pandacam, and we’ll get lucky to catch ZZ doing something cute!
P Wong, another cutey from you! You answered my request for another one of your “famous” conversations of the pandas and the tourist! This one very cute! Keep those up, ok?
Gonna go and keep this one short for once. Please don’t be mad at me, ok? I love all of the pandas, and I love to share news about the other zoos’ pandas when they are interesting, like it has been in the last month! Can’t help myself, I guess!! Oh well…………….
Bye you all!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 24th, 2008 at 11:08 am
We are heading over from Phoenix to see the pandas. My kids are really excited. They can’t wait to see them.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
ZZ is becoming quite the handful isn’t she! But probably a joyas handful!
I hope to see her grow up into a wonderful mother!
Wich bides the Question are you guy’s gonna keep her when she grows up?
And are you going to breed Su lin?
Oh and sorry to go of toppic but has everyone herd about our beutiful Simang Kiram pasing away?
Well sorry to hold ya up!