Milestones
Posted at 11:13 pm August 20, 2005 by Pamela CroweAs you all know, yesterday was Mei Sheng’s 2nd birthday, and boy…did he have a wonderful day! There were presents filled with treats and spectacular ice cakes filled with apples and other goodies. He had a blast busting open the gift boxes and attacking his enormous ice cakes. While I was watching Bai Yun and cub on one monitor, I was also watching Mei Sheng on another monitor gnawing on his birthday cake. Sometimes, I still can’t believe that they pay me for this?!?
Well… tomorrow we have yet another very important birthday to celebrate. Hua Mei will be 6 years old tomorrow! Can you believe it?!? I can’t. Back when she was born I was just a volunteer myself…working my way through college and coming in on the weekends and such to help out. As a volunteer I felt so privileged to be working with the Panda Team, and it was so gratifying to know that, even in a small way, I was helping the pandas. And even now… six years later…I still feel that way. I’ve been lucky enough to be here for all three of the San Diego Zoo’s panda births, and it really is an amazing experience. It’s both challenging on an intellectual level and extremely rewarding on a personal level.
So as I sit here on a quiet Saturday evening, watching Bai Yun and her cub sleep, I’m thinking back on all of the progress we’ve made, and all of the milestones we have crossed. Our first born, Hua Mei, is 6 years old and already a mother herself. Mei Sheng is a healthy 2 year old, and he’s thriving. And now we have this new little wonder who is growing quickly and delighting us with every squawk and croak.
Pamela Crowe is a panda researcher 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 20th, 2005 at 11:41 pm
Watching Bai Yun and her new baby is truly amazing. Like you, I’m watching the third baby grow and mature. Bai Yun is such a good Mom! It is amazing to sit and watch her as she cares for her baby. She improves with each baby she raises! I have a couple of questions. At what age do the baby’s eyes open, and what happens to the tail it currently has. It looks very long at this stage. I’m sure I knew the answer to both these questions, at one time, but I have forgotten.
Thank you for sharing Bai Yun and her new baby with all of us!!
August 21st, 2005 at 2:17 am
The pictures of Mei Sheng’s party are so cute. I hope one of the pictures will be added to the postcards that can be sent. Before he received his name when he was born, we nicked named him CHOW (Chow Mein). While we wait for a name for the new baby, we are calling it NOODLE. There were some wonderful views of the baby (Noodle) this morning. Thank you for all that you do to promote the preservation of this awesome species.
August 21st, 2005 at 2:55 am
Don’t get me wrong, me luvz Bai and the new baby.. but how about a second feed with Mei? We’ve grown accustomed.. now addicted to watching the lil guy grow and play and other than his birthday pics and vids, haven’t had much of a Mei fix to speak of lately. Kinda going through withdrawl here.
August 21st, 2005 at 4:37 am
Happy Birthday Hua Mei! I love you and miss seeing you on the Panda Cam.
August 21st, 2005 at 5:10 am
I SO envy you. And I know I am not alone; most of the people making comments feel the same way. We love these precious creatures. Thank you so much for all your information–and feelings.
August 21st, 2005 at 8:43 am
That job must be so exciting ! All of you seem to be doing an excellent job with the pandas! I live in Florida and it’s amazing to be able to watch live feed of the bears everyday. Keep up the amazing work and I look forward to watching the baby grow up!
August 21st, 2005 at 9:51 am
so glad to see mei-sheng had a great birthday you guys are so good with the pandas and we are so lucky to know you’re always there for them if they could talk they thank you too thanks for all your hard work thanks for the pictures i copy them to keep of course i am like a new mom i love mei-sheng he is so cute but then they all are i just love pandas
August 21st, 2005 at 4:01 pm
My husband and I have enjoyed celebrating both special birthdays this weekend. We put some of our many pandas on our kitchen table, put down our panda placemats, and toasted Mei Sheng and Hua Mei.
Would you please find out from Wolong exactly when BaiYun was born?
Thanks,
Cindy Ferguson Sacramento, California
August 21st, 2005 at 6:01 pm
As an animal watch volunteer at our Zoo I too feel privileged to watch animals, do ethograms & feel I am contributing. Your blogs brighten my day, add to my knowledge and make me miss San Diego alot (can’t wait for Feb.) .Glad all is well & that access is better at S.D. site than the Nat Zoo site. NO questions just pride.
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:26 am
Hello!
Wonderful work that you and your team do for the Giant Pandas @ S.D. Zoo and we do appreciate the opportunity to be part of it! My comment is this: How about an update on Gao Gao? Before the birth of the newest baby, we could catch Mei Sheng and Gao Gao on the cam. Since the new birth we are thrilled to watch the newest addition and Bai Yun, but how about some credit to the alpha male panda there in S.D.? While it is thrilling to watch any panda on the cam, please post an update periodically about all the pandas including Gao Gao. Many thanks - regards: Alexandra, NJ
August 22nd, 2005 at 6:31 am
I have been watching both the National Zoo and San Diego Zoo Panda Cam for both panda babies. I think the most harsh job on earth is being a panda mom for the first month after birth, especially an inexperienced mom like Mei Xiang.
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:04 am
DO WE KNOW IF THE BABY PANDA IS A BOY OR GIRL- I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING MENTIONED IN THE BLOGS YET.
THANKS!
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:06 am
How exciting for you and the rest of the research team! It’s also exciting for us, the crazy people who love to learn about and watch the pandas as much as you.
Happy birthday to Hua Mei! The birthday boy is so much larger than I had imagined… what a fine young giant panda! 
August 22nd, 2005 at 9:10 am
Those pictures of the birthday presents are seriously the cutest things I have seen in a long time, besides, of course, my own two cats. Happy birthday, Mei Sheng!! You lucky panda, you…
August 22nd, 2005 at 10:05 am
When will you tell us the sex of the baby panda???? Unless you already have and I missed it….
August 22nd, 2005 at 12:09 pm
Thanks for the great pics of the cub during its vet exam. We are enjoying the cam in the birthing den.
Aloha, Bob
August 22nd, 2005 at 2:58 pm
I have been checking in every day, anxiously awaiting the news of whether the baby is a boy or girl….I hope a girl since the D.C. baby is a boy!
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:03 pm
To what extent is there cooperation vs. competition between San Diego’s Panda folks and those at the Washington Zoo? There’s gotta be funding competition, no? Or did somebody get smart and put both programs under the same person?
Also, I have both panda babies on my screen and would love for some expert to do a “compare and contrast” of babies and Moms.
How do I get sound from the San Diego video? I’m only getting it from the D.C. one.
The San Diego web site is more consumer friendly, as evidenced by this blog.
Thanks, Pam
August 22nd, 2005 at 4:55 pm
What an awesome job you have! It must be so touching and rewarding to watch over the pandas as they grow and thrive. So many happy milestones - congratulations to everyone!! A big hug to my special panda Bai Yun…she is a lovely panda and I love her fun and mischievous personality.
August 22nd, 2005 at 5:01 pm
The baby is alone and I was amazed to see how much it has developed, even since the last exam. When do you excpect to be able to determine the sex? I have seen all three of the babies via the cam and everytime I wish I was in San Diego! Love the blogs, please keep them up.
August 22nd, 2005 at 7:27 pm
Has anyone seen the videos of Hua Mei and Gao Gao (from 1999 to early 2003) that are listed at the bottom of the San Diego Zoo videos page http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/index.html? I really want to see them but all I get is a black screen. I have no problems with the more recent videos of Mei Sheng and the new cub. Thanks!
August 22nd, 2005 at 8:56 pm
It’s amazing that in six years, three pandas have made their entrance in the zoo. I can’t believe Hua Mei is already 6 and Mei Sheng’s 2. Where does the time go? My daughter’s amazed that the panda’s are so big. We can’t wait to come see the little bundle next spring. Thanks for giving the panda population a hand in its survival. Oh, yeah, is there any way to get an audio feed so we can hear the little squirt’s squawks? I’d really love to hear them, as I’m sure those of us that are Panda Cam addicts would agree.
August 23rd, 2005 at 5:19 am
Happy Birthday Mei Sheng. xox
August 23rd, 2005 at 11:16 am
I’ve been watching the panda cam and Mei Sheng in his birthday party was so cute. His face with a “make up” inside the box was funny. He is a smart little boy. Can you tell me how many pounds is he weighing at the moment? Thank you.