Hua Mei Update
Posted at 6:58 am August 30, 2005 by Panda Research TeamJust a quick update to let everyone know that the Wolong panda breeding center is reporting that Hua Mei gave birth to twins yesterday, August 29! At this point we have no information about the sex of the cubs or how everyone is doing, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do.
Congratulations, Hua Mei!
Suzanne Hall is the panda research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Office of Giant Panda Conservation.
View Bai Yun and her cub on Panda Cam
See our slideshow images of the second exam
See video of the cub’s second exam
Editor’s note: See an image of Hua Mei and one of her cubs on a translated version of the Wolong Panda Club Web site.
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August 30th, 2005 at 7:04 am
Congratulations Hua Mei!! Two more babies. I can’t wait to hear more.
Victoria from Texas
August 30th, 2005 at 7:15 am
According to Wolong source, the second cub is possibly a male. Beause they are twins, second cub was immediately taken away from Hua Mei for safety. This made it easier to determine the gender of Hua Mei’s second cub.
August 30th, 2005 at 7:17 am
Awwwwwsome news and congratulations to Hua Mei on the birth of the twins born on my younger son’s birthday!! Will we ever see pictures of Hua Mei and the twins?
Thank you for posting the birth announcement. I really enjoy reading all the blogs. They have answered a lot of questions for me, and I’m sure for many others.
August 30th, 2005 at 7:17 am
Hua Mei! Again! How exciting. Please let us know if possible where we can find pictures of the wee, wee ones.
August 30th, 2005 at 7:30 am
Congratulations Hua Mei. Let’s all say a little prayer that the two little cubs are ok and grow up to be strong and healthy. Hurray
)
August 30th, 2005 at 7:39 am
Congrats to Hua Mei!! She’s quite the trooper. Where can we see pictures of her?
August 30th, 2005 at 7:53 am
Congratulations Hua Mei!!! I hope all goes well, does Wolong have Panda Cam? I was wondering-are these pandas that are being born being raised to return to the wild or to stay in the zoos/centers?
August 30th, 2005 at 7:53 am
Wonderful news!!! I’ve followed the Panda Cam through her birth, Mei Sheng’s and now your latest little girl. It’s so exciting keeping up with your new cub, the DC cub and now Hua Mei’s latest twins! I hope the twins will do as well as her last. By the way - how is Hua Mei’s Dad, Shi Shi doing?
August 30th, 2005 at 7:55 am
I think Hua Mei may break the record of giving birth to twins in captive pandas history
August 30th, 2005 at 7:56 am
How wonderful! This is surely, for the USA, the Year of the Panda!! Thanks so much for keeping us informed.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:10 am
That is wonderful news about Hua Mei. I am so happy to hear this news. Did she raise both of the boys she had last year or did they do the switch out like I had seen on a television? Thank you so much for giving us this news.
Congratulations Hua Mei!!!
August 30th, 2005 at 8:25 am
Congratulates Hua Mei!!! I went to San Diego to visit Hua Mei when she was one year old. Ever since then, I have kept Hua Mei in my heart and thoughts. I have been fancitated with Pandas since my early years when I grew up in China. Panda is our national treasure. I am very happy that this US borne panda is once again a proud mother. Thanks to all of you at Wolong and here at San Diego. Keep updating us with wonderful news about Hua Mei and her cubs.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:44 am
Hooray for some wonderful news! I have panda cams all over my desktop at work! It’s nice to have something to smile about after the recent hurricane tragedies..
August 30th, 2005 at 8:46 am
Thanks for the update on Hua Mei. I’m thinking about visiting Wolong later this year, can you give me some suggestions on how to plan the visit? Thank you so much!
Editor’s note: The San Diego Zoo’s WorldWild Tours has a trip to China in April that will include a visit to Wolong to see Hua Mei.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:54 am
Hua Mei is quite the reliable mom with giving birth to twins twice in a row! Thank you for sharing this momentous news. Panda cubs are everywhere this year. It would be wonderful to see some pictures of Hua Mei and her babies from last time and just yesterday as they grow up.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:57 am
Congratulations Hua Mei. Four babies in 2 years!! You are so great!
Can you tell me how many babies were born this year?
Elisa from Brazil
August 30th, 2005 at 9:10 am
Congratulations, Hua Mei!
August 30th, 2005 at 9:16 am
Congratulations Hua Mei. I am so happy for her that she is once again a proud mother of twins!!! Though I grew up in China, I have never been to Wolong. I’ll plan my next visit to include Wolong. Please update us with any news about Hua Mei and her cubs. I cannot wait to learn that both cubs and mum are doing well. Xinxin from San Jose, CA
August 30th, 2005 at 9:32 am
WOW!!! How wonderful. I remember watching little Hua Mei right after she was born.
August 30th, 2005 at 9:37 am
Oh wow! Twins again! Congratulations Hua Mei~!! You’re just an awesome panda and I can’t wait to get more news/pictures of you and your new little ones. Such fabulous news…!!
August 30th, 2005 at 9:41 am
My vote for “Mother of the Year” goes to Hua Mei! Wow! Four babies in one year. She alone is bringing pandas back from near extinction!
August 30th, 2005 at 9:47 am
I am absolutely thrilled to hear the news. Apparently Wolong has done a super job in raising Panda twins..I hope US zoos can have more frequent in-depth communication with Wolong.
August 30th, 2005 at 9:50 am
BRAVA, HUA MEI!
And congratulations to Bai Yun and the San Diego Zoo Panda Team for raising such a healthy, beautiful and prolific panda.
August 30th, 2005 at 10:26 am
Let’s not forget that Hua Mei happens to be Bai Yun’s first little one. There must be something in the genes. Both mother and daughter show signs of developing twins and of course congratulations Hua Mei and to your twins! You are such a great panda bear! Hua Mei you are my first love too! Please, could Sandiegozoo.org update the website to include more pictures of Hua Mei and all her cubs? It would be really wonderful as Hua Mei really represents the inspiration and hard work of the people (and of course Bai Yun and Shi Shi’s sperm) who have committed themselves to giant panda research and conservation.
August 30th, 2005 at 10:38 am
Hua Mei appears to be on her way to becoming Wolong’s Super Mom — four cubs within 12 months and she is only days over 6 years old. I predict that little brother, Mei Sheng, will be Wolong’s Super Stud within a few years — after all, he could do a handstand scent mark at 18 months.
August 30th, 2005 at 11:10 am
I’m so excited to hear that 15 cubs were already born at Wolong this year and five mothers gave birth to twins including HuaMei!
August 30th, 2005 at 11:11 am
Thanks so much for the update about Hua Mei. We got to see her as a young one on exhibit in the newly opened panda research center. It is so nice to hear info about her…and the 2nd set of twins no less!!
August 30th, 2005 at 11:25 am
OOOOH ALL THESE CUTE PANDA BABIES!!!!! 2 MORE ADORABLE BALLS OF FUR TO READ ABOUT…AMAZING THAT SHE HAD TWINS AGAIN..AND EXCITING. WISH WE COULD BRING ALL THE CUBS TOGETHER IN A FEW MONTHS AND WATCH THEM INTERACT…THAT WOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING….OOOOH I LOVE MY PANDAS..CONGRATULATIONS TO GRANDMA FOR GIVING BIRTH TO HUA MEI, AND HUA MEI FOR CREATING MORE PANDAS AND DOING A GOOD JOB…MOM RAISED YOU WELL….
August 30th, 2005 at 11:43 am
Is this the year of the “Panda” or what!!! One on the east coast…one on the west coast and now Hua Mei with twins! The USA is surely doing its part to bring the Panda back from extinction. I’m really disappointed that we never saw pictures of Hua Mei and her twin boys last year. Surely, Wolong must know how special Hua Mei is to all of us. Our first born panda cub. Please let them know that we would like to see some pictures of her with these new babies. Love and Kisses to all of our panda moms and their cubs!!!
August 30th, 2005 at 11:47 am
Here’s a link to the photo of the second baby on Wolong’s website! Congratulations HuaMei!
August 30th, 2005 at 11:51 am
CONGRATULATIONS HUA MEI! I know you will be a wonderful mom (again)! So what is the total so far of the baby pandas born at Wolong this year? Just curious….
August 30th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
Congratulations Hua Mei!!
I had a feeling that she would repeat the feat twice in a row. Obviously, she and her mate get along very well and produce adorable cubs. I adopted and named the first cubs through Pandas International. What a thrill. Guess I’ll have to do that again.
Rita Yokoyama
August 30th, 2005 at 12:13 pm
For those who want to check out HuaMei and other pandas photos, I reccomend to visit Wolong panda club web site. Most contents have English translation, too.
August 30th, 2005 at 12:50 pm
Wow, fantastic. That makes four babies in just under a year. Is that OK for Hua Mei? She’s proven that she’s a great mother but is there a danger to her when she has so many babies so close together? She’s too precious to squander.
August 30th, 2005 at 2:27 pm
Horray for Hua Mei, the #1 panda mom in the world!! She could be saving pandas from being extinct alone and best of all, she is a new international symbol.
I wonder if they will make a special about her life in China? If they are, then please show us a sneek peek of it.
August 30th, 2005 at 3:35 pm
Congrats to Hua Mei- she has always been my favorite panda and I was lucky enough to see her in person and watch her grow up. You go girl!!!!!!
August 30th, 2005 at 3:59 pm
Wow - I think San Diego alone will be able to bring the Pandas back from the brink of extinction!! I definitely vote Hua Mei “Mother of the Year” - I’m very happy to hear the news of her 2 new babies - and I am sure that everyone at the SD Zoo feels like proud Grandparents. Thanks again for all the hard work and dedication to give the pandas and the rest of the creatures living at the SD Zoo and beyond. We really do live in the greatest place in the world! Kisses to the babies XOXO
August 30th, 2005 at 4:08 pm
Congratulations to Hua Mei!!! To think we watched her from birth and now she has had 4 of her own! Fantastic news!
August 30th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
That is awsome!! Like everyone else can’t wait to hear more.
August 30th, 2005 at 5:09 pm
What wonderful news! Do we know if the same male panda sired the second twins? I hate to hear that Wolong takes the cubs away from the mother after 5-6 months. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it just seems that may be too soon.
August 30th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
I read Hua Mei’s romance story from Wolong web: Hua Mei was given the opportunity to know both Ling Ling and Lu Lu. For some reason, Hua Mei did not love Ling Ling, her partner of last year. She screamed at him and did not allow him to get close. She liked Lu Lu. Their romance turned into a nasty fight. In the fight, Lu Lu injured Hua Mei’s ear. People use bread, apple and pear and tried to lure Lu Lu away from fighting Hua Mei. Hua Mei somehow managed to turn the battle around and drove Lu Lu away from her area herself!
August 30th, 2005 at 5:21 pm
In the wild, she’d still be taking care of her first set of twins. Is it healthy for her to have been bred so soon after the birth of her first? I know they were removed from her early on (a practice I still can’t understand), but is it physiologically a good thing for her to have been pregnant twice in one year?
August 30th, 2005 at 6:02 pm
Congratulation Hua Mei…Wish the baby pandas happy and healthy!!
August 30th, 2005 at 6:09 pm
I hope Hua Mei gets a break and is able to raise the new cubs for a while! Congratulations to her and Wolong for another successful year!
August 31st, 2005 at 6:16 am
The camera has been on Bai Yun in her bedroom for quite a while now and she’s not really moving, is she ok?
August 31st, 2005 at 6:33 am
Actually according to the Wolong site, it seems like this year she preferred a different male to the one she mated with last year
August 31st, 2005 at 10:08 am
LOVE HUA MEI! CONGRATULATIONS!
WONDERING WHO THE ANIMAL WAS IN THE PANDA DEN WITH MOM & SWEET BABY, ABOUT 10:40 AM ON 8-31-05? MUCH LOVE
August 31st, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Wow, congrats to Hua Mei and to all the dedicated Panda scientists & keepers! And many thanks to the San Diego Zoo for your generous updates, photos, videos of our beloved giant pandas. You have no doubt done much to quench the thirst of panda-addicts everywhere!
The Google-translated page might be hard to understand so here’s my translation of the main news on the Wolong Panda Club Web site (one of Hua Mei’s newborn cub is clearly visible). Enjoy!
REPATRIATED BEAUTY HUA MEI GAVE BIRTH TO TWINS AGAIN
At 5:40 p.m. on August 29, 2005, repatriated beauty Hua Mei gave birth to the long-awaited first cub, and she delivered the second cub 20 minutes later. This is the second time repatriated beauty Hua Mei gave birth to twins since last year when she delivered the first set, Hua Ling and Mei Ling. Scientists and researchers quickly removed the second cub and sent it to the nursery, where we found that it’s probably a male and it is very healthy. Up until August 29, 2005, China’s Panda Conservation and Research Center has brought to the world 15 giant panda babies - very exciting news!
September 1st, 2005 at 6:15 am
What great news but 3 days later, no updates ?!?! Additionally, with all the wonderful panda cubs arriving, China cannot possibly continue to charge $600k/cub — the money needs to be sent to New Orleans!!
September 1st, 2005 at 12:29 pm
I heard that Hua Mei and her babies are both doing well. I can’t believe she had two sets of healthy twins within a single year! Are there any more pictures of Hua Mei with her babies? we can see?
September 1st, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Thank you so much for the news of our darling Hua Mei’s second set of twins! We always knew she was special and she sure is proving us right! I hope we will be able to see pictures of her babies as they grow. I still feel like she belongs to San Diego, not China
By the way, the translations on the Wolong Panda Breeding Center site are hilarious (unintentional, I’m sure!) I loved the photos but also got a good laugh! Thanks so much for your dedication and willingness to share your experiences with us.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:56 pm
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! wow another set of twins…this is wonderful!!!! This has been a great year for the pandas. Is there a site we can go to see pictures of the pandas at Wolong?? that would be great!!
September 4th, 2005 at 3:11 pm
I saw some wonderful pictures of the pandas at Wolong. This is the scientific area of the Wolong panda club web site. While much is not translated, you will see Hua Mei’s name several times and see several pictures of her. I found if I methodically clicked on each item on the right side, I saw a lot of wonderful pictures and translated information about many of the pandas. It took a while but was a lovely experience. I believe the bottom entry is a picture of the “kindergarten cubs.” I don’t know if Hua Mei’s first twins are in the group, I am sorry to say. They were all so cute!
Anne in Knoxville,TN