Life in the Den is Changing
Posted at 5:06 am August 23, 2005 by Megan OwenBai Yun’s cub is 3 weeks old today. (And no, we still don’t know if it is a male or female!) If you have been watching the Panda Cam since the cub was born, you’ve probably noticed that the cub is more visible more often than it was in the first couple of weeks. Of course one reason that the cub is more visible is because it is growing (we’ll know exactly how much tomorrow!). But another reason we are seeing more of the cub is because Bai Yun’s maternal behavior is changing.
Bai Yun’s ever-diligent attention has relaxed a bit. She is leaving the den more frequently to take care of her own needs and spending more time out of the den when she goes. The cub is handling these departures quite well and you can see it test its strength by pushing up on its front legs. Soon enough, the cub will be pushing up on all fours.
My favorite ‘new’ view is when the cub is nursing. During the first weeks of life, we would rarely get a good view of this behavior because Bai Yun would cover the cub completely with her paws and head. Now it is not uncommon to get a great view of the cub nursing. Just this morning I watched as Bai Yun sat up and back, helped the cub get into position, and then her arms went slack at her sides, giving a great view of the cub.
So, if you have been frustrated because you haven’t gotten a good look at the cub, don’t give up. You’re bound to get a great look soon!
Megan Owen is the research coordinator for the Zoo’s Office of Giant Panda Conservation.
View Bai Yun and her cub on Panda Cam
See our slideshow images of the first exam
See photos of Mei Sheng’s birthday
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August 23rd, 2005 at 5:23 am
As soon as I turned on the cam this morning, I had a great view of the entire cub laying in Bai Yun’s arms…What a change in just a week. I will be traveling to PA tomorrow and I hope that by the time I get there, you will have announced the sex. My first task will be to check the Panda Cam and then I’ll email my husband that I arrived safely. First things first I always say.
August 23rd, 2005 at 5:57 am
Thank you for all the updates and the wonderful experience of watching a beautiful mother and her adorable baby.
August 23rd, 2005 at 6:05 am
I have to agree with you, to see the cub nurse is beautiful. It just never stops amazing me at how gentle the mother is with the little one and just how small it is compared with the mother.
August 23rd, 2005 at 6:48 am
So cute!! The baby was all alone in the den and was getting up on its front legs. I loved the shot from the side as opposed to the top. You could really tell how big the den is and how much room there is for the pandas. A really neat view!
August 23rd, 2005 at 6:48 am
I was watching this morning (8/23) at 7:30 (your time) the baby trying out all 4 of his/her paws, lifting his/her head. Simply amazing. What a sweet, precious baby. And seems pretty strong already! Just like what Megan was writing about in her blog. I can’t wait to find out the sex. Thank you all so much for such an amazing peek into their lives.
August 23rd, 2005 at 9:24 am
In my “Field of Dreams” I planted bamboo, “If you plant it, they will come”.
August 23rd, 2005 at 9:58 am
So great of you all to keep everyone updated. I LOVE to watch the cam and look forward to checking out the cam every morning. Can’t wait to find out the sex of the baby and can’t wait to see its eyes open. THANKS!
August 23rd, 2005 at 11:05 am
I am looking forward to tomorrow to find out the sex of our baby!!!. Still hoping for a girl.
Thanks for all you do and share with us web cam addicts!!!
Sandra - Ontario, Canada
August 23rd, 2005 at 11:39 am
Having been a panda lover since I was a child, I am forever grateful for this opportunity to watch Bai Yun and her cub every day. Just watching them together and how gentle Bai Yun is with her baby is amazing. What a great mother she is! Great job to Bai Yun, her cub, and to all the team members there in San Diego. The giant panda mother and her cub are obviously surrounded by a very loving and nurturing environment. Thank you!
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:08 pm
Wow, s/he has grown so much in a week! Loving every minute.
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:09 pm
Thanks for the web cam. I just love to watch Bai Yun with her babies. She is such a wonderful Mom. I just saw her licking and loving her baby, what a joy it was to see her love her baby so much!
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:27 pm
I’m hooked! I absolutely love watching the baby grow and change, which it has done quite a lot of over the past 3 weeks. Can’t wait to hear if it’s male or female. How long will you keep the camera focused on the den?
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:34 pm
I know China has naming rights on the cub and they don’t do it till later but do you have a pet name for the baby? Something you call it/her/him other than “it/her/him”?
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:46 pm
GOSH I SPEND SO MUCH TIME WATCHING THE BABY AND MOM. JUST CAN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. WELL WORTH THE TIME. WHAT A WONERFUL SIGHT TO SEE JUST HOW CARING MOM IS. SO GIVING, NOW I KNOW WHY I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED PANDAS. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN MY LEFT ARM TO HOLD THAT BABY, LIKE YOU GUYS GET TO DO. AND TO THINK YOU GET PAID TO DO THIS. HOW LUCKY CAN YOU GET! KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB. ALSO ENJOYED THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. HOW CUTE. THANKS, GAIL
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:49 pm
I have been watching this precious baby for about a week now. It is the highlight of my day. Thank you so much for making this possible. How long until its little eyes open?
August 23rd, 2005 at 12:57 pm
I was watching the cam this morning and could see the baby trying hard to stand on all fours! He/she is a really strong baby to be able to do this at such an early stage in development. It’s so cute watching him/her trying to move. I can’t wait to be able to see it playing with Bai Yun…just wish I could hear it!
August 23rd, 2005 at 1:25 pm
i am so obsessed with getting home from work to check out the new baby and great mother. today i got to see the baby really close. thank you for providing the world with this opportunity!
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:12 pm
We found a way to deal with the he/she/it problem. We saw the first exam picture of the pink, hairless cub, and the name Pinky was born. It’s great to see fur growing on a daily basis, and it’s looking more like a panda every day. I know Pinky’s not a noble panda name, and per tradition the cub won’t be named until it is 100 days old, but it works for us.
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:43 pm
Glad to see other Panda Cam addicts are out there! My co-worker and I keep tabs on Bai Yun and her cub all day and tell each other “go to Panda Cam!” when the cub is visible. Not doing much for productivity, but our morale is through the roof! Thank you so much for making this available.
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:53 pm
I’m so delighted that Bai’s letting us get more opportunities to see this precious cub.
I watched Mei Sheng a lot more when he was born but my husband has retired since then so I don’t get to watch as much since we’re now doing some of the projects we didn’t have time for when he was working 
Maybe I’ll tell him to get a part-time job instead !! LOL
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:02 pm
What a joy it is to be able to observe the way Pandas raise their cubs.
Without your Cams and a computer this would not be possible.
I only wish there was sound. Thanks.
August 23rd, 2005 at 4:22 pm
As a watcher of both the East and West panda moms and cubs, I have many questions about similarities and differences. For example, I am curious about the differences in their “dens.” Mai’s looks bigger and made of cement, while Bai’s looks smaller, round, and made of wood. Could you explain the differences and their rationales?
Thanks, Panda Addict Pam
August 23rd, 2005 at 4:25 pm
Oh my goodness that baby is so cuteeeeeee ! What will his or her name be? I can’t wait to see how much he or she weighs. Bai Yun is such a good caring mama! I wonder how they communicate their feelings to each other. Wish we could understand panda talk. lol Carol
August 23rd, 2005 at 8:52 pm
I continue to be completely captivated by Bai Yun and her baby. Where can I learn the proper pronunciation for panda names (especially Bai Yun, Mei Sheng, and Hua Mei)? When I brag about them at work I want to pronounce their names correctly. Google isn’t much help.
(Editor’s note: Bai Yun is pronounced by-Yoon, Mei Sheng is may-SHUN, Hua Mei is wa-MAY, and Gao Gao is gow-gow)
August 23rd, 2005 at 11:32 pm
To Pam Daly,
For details about Bai Yun’s birthing den, take a look at the panda weblog archives for August. There is an entry specifically about the den. I don’t know the particulars about the development of the NZP den.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:36 am
Just a comment on the pronunciation of Hua Mei’s name - the first word should be pronounced ‘Hwa’ (as the panda’s names are all ’spelled’ in Mandarin Chinese). ‘Wa’ is actually the Cantonese pronunciation.
August 24th, 2005 at 11:05 am
Mei Sheng literally means “Born in the USA” right?
August 25th, 2005 at 10:16 am
Yes it does. But it can also mean “beautiful life”.