Panda Q & A
Posted at 8:41 am October 12, 2006 by Ellie Rosenbaum
A number of questions about the pandas have come up lately and they are things that come up all the time at the panda viewing area at the San Diego Zoo, some I'll do my best to answer them.
Pandas, having digestive systems similar to other meat eaters, including us, experience many of the same things we (and our canine and feline housemates) do. They get the hiccups, experience flatulence, and, as we heard from Mei Sheng after one memorable nursing bout, burp - quite loudly!! Nursing cubs can even be seen sporting milk " moustaches."
There will always be variability is the sizes of animals, just as humans vary in size and body structure, even within the same family. This is a genetic characteristic in pandas as it is in people and it's always fun to watch a cub grow and develop and see whether it takes after Mom or Dad's side of the family. Tian Tian, who lives at the National Zoo, and Bai Yun share the same father, Pan Pan; he is a large bear for a panda. Gao Gao (pictured above) is small for any panda, especially a male, but populations of pandas in the wild have been located in which the average weight is closer to 160 pounds. Remember, Gao Gao was found as a youngster in his first year of life, alone and dehydrated, and so may be reflecting this difficult early time in his development, although it's believed he would never have been a very large bear.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a narrator/educator at the San Diego Zoo.
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October 12th, 2006 at 9:14 am
Adorable Gao Gao in the cave!
October 12th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Interestingly, I just read that Pan Pan just celebrated his 25th birthday in China.
October 12th, 2006 at 10:33 am
ellie, it has been a joy to watch the babies grow. I guess we all ooh and aah when we see a little one do different things and sometimes compare them to an infant baby. I remember when Su lin tried to get up on her wobbly legs, I think her little behind was a little too fat to lift. Yesterday we watched the Atlanta baby trying to push with her hind legs and yes we all oohed and aahed a little. I hope that Su lin grows to look like Bai because she is so pretty. Tai, on the other hand, is going to be a handful if he keeps up his antics, but they are all smart and wonderful bears. Gao Gao may be small, but good things come in small packages, just look at Su and Mei.
October 12th, 2006 at 11:52 am
If I remember correctly, the NZ and SDZ pandas are from different research facilities in China. So, from which research facility is Pan Pan (Tian Tian and Bai Yun's father)? How is it that Tian & Bai have the same father but are from different facilities in China? Is Pan Pan a wild giant panda? I think I read that he weighs about 300 lbs! As Barbara #2 pointed out, Pan Pan is 25 years old—is this elderly for giant pandas? Until what age can male pandas reproduce? It's just facinating to watch Pan Pan's grandchildren, Su & Tai, develop; they have such distinct personalities and traits. I think Tai takes after his grandfather!
October 12th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
Ellie, thanks for another very educational blog. Since Gao Gao is smaller than " normal," Su Lin may be following in his size footsteps and be a petit lass. However, as one of the few panda males who is a true natural Romeo, his ability and desire to mate naturally with Bai Yun is huge. Hopefully that trait has been passed on to Mei Sheng. With that trait and Bai's size in Mei, he will be some stud! The picture of Gao Gao in the tree cavity is priceless, the " king" sitting on his throne eating his beloved bamboo.
Like the hiccups, are the twitches and jerks of the small cubs common while they are growing so fast? It is amazing to see pictures of Su Lin a year ago when she was just starting to crawl and walk, and to look at her way up in a tree a year later. They are truly amazing and a priceless treasure.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Any way you slice it….they are all precious and healing to the heart and soul. Young and old!!!
October 12th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
I just logged in to the cam and for the first time in a long time, there was Su Lin down from her perch (that I rarely get to see) and she was very interested in the staff member who was cleaning up. She knows that there are treats to be had from these humans!! She came down, got a treat and the staff member is playing with her for awhile, it is so cute, I think they both are enjoying it. They are doing some tusseling around, does Su Lin have very long claws, she doesn't seem to be worried about being scratched by Su Lin? Su Lin doesn't seem to want to stop and is following her around. I saw some interaction between Su Lin and I think the same person some time ago, what a change in her size from that time! She seemed so babylike then, now she is a big girl. Just wondering, where is Mom while this is going on, do you isolate her while the exhibit area is being tended to?
October 12th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
I, too, was delighted to log in around 4:15 PM San Diego time and see Su Lin interacting with her keeper. Work keeps me from watching too much during the day, I hardly ever get to see her out of the trees and active on the ground. I am jealous of the keeper that gets to clean up after these wonderful creatures and interact with them on a daily basis. At what age or size do you eliminate the interaction like we saw today?
October 12th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
What a lovely picture of Gao Gao, miles away in bamboo heaven! It does not seem a year ago we were all trying to catch sight of Su Lin on the cam and now we are trying again to see the Atlanta cub,which does seem to be visible a lot more than any of the 3 cubs born in the U.S. Do the zoos compare the mothers' skills in their cub raising? All 3 mothers seem to have different ways they care for their cub. Bai Yun seemed very relaxed but kept her cub close to her cheek, Mei Xiang seemed to be overprotective of Tai and Lu Lun seems to be a mixture of both those skills.The bears seem so human at times, the many photos I have seen where Bai Yun and Mei xiang are helping their cubs to climb trees by just giving them a helping paw is so sweet. At what age would you start keeping Su Lin in her den whilst you cleaned her other access areas? She seems sweet and gentle just like Bai Yun and yet you have to remind yourself that these are wild animals and have to be treated with that in mind. Do the bears give you any signal that it could be time to distance yourself if they get a little possesive of their bamboo when the keepers are cleaning up?
October 13th, 2006 at 6:17 am
I have been watching Su Lin for about 15 minutes this morning (6:00-6:15 AM PDT) and she appears to be " climbing" a hill possibly of dirt and " sliding" down and then climbing back up again. She is definitely going uphill and downhill into one of the tree cavities. It is dark so it is hard to make out what she is doing, but her back and side appear to be very dirty. Have you used wet soil again as an enrichment item like you did a few months ago? If not, what was she doing? Whatever it was she was having fun and repeated it over and over. It is the first time I have seen her up close in weeks. Bai doesn't seem to be around so my guess is she is eating or inside by herself.
October 13th, 2006 at 7:11 am
Oops. In daylight it appears to be a log resting on a rock, and there is now a pile of bamboo beside it. Maybe she was pacing for bamboo???
October 13th, 2006 at 10:02 am
We understand that Tai and Su Lin won't be mated to produce a baby cub because they are related. We know this because they are in our zoos, but if they were in the wild…do they know they have the same bloodline and go the other way???
October 13th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Ellie - Thank you for commenting about panda size after my questions about it. You people are wonderful with information and putting up with us. We know Gao Gao is a REAL stud of a bear! That picture of him above is PRICELESS!!
October 13th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I love the panda posts-thanks for doing such a great job! How long do pandas nurse their young? I was watching the NZ cam this evening around 6 PM (EST) and it looked like Tai was nursing.
These pandas are magnificent-doesn't matter what size they are! It's so nice that we can watch them on the cams-such an education.
October 14th, 2006 at 7:51 am
What fun it was this morning to see Su Lin come down out of her tree to interact with a woman who was bringing in bamboo, filling up the pool and rinsing down Bai and Su's area. I can't believe how big Su is- I was just there in August! Su definitely enjoyed the playtime. It was great to see her interacting with a human and appeared to be quite affectionate toward someone who looks after her.
October 14th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
How much longer will Su Lin be " up in the trees" ? At what age do pandas usually stop climbing and get " grounded" ? I enjoyed a play session tonight between Su Lin and Bai Yun. It seemed like Mommy was teaching her daughter a new nighttime dance. And they both had 2 left paws… wonderful choreography!
October 15th, 2006 at 8:52 am
GREAT camera work early Sunday morning, thank you! Su was following Bai around and appeared to want to play. A couple of times they interacted and almost seemed to be playing " follow the leader." It was adorable. I grabbed a couple of great webcam stills as a result.
October 15th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Ellie, thanks for taking time to share this info on my favourite adult male panda. There is just something special about Gao Gao, a sweetness and poignancy that tugs at my heart. I hope one day soon to be able to come out and see your beautiful zoo, and of course, the panda family!
October 15th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
Does Mei Sheng appear to take after Bai Yun or Gao Gao?
I love to watch both mommy and daddy pandas as they go about their day napping and eating bamboo. To Gao Gao: it doesn't matter if you are small because great things come in small packages! From what I've read about Gao Gao he seems to be a really sweet panda bear. Please send my love to Mr. Gao Gao. I love to watch him on the panda cam!
p.s. LOVE those furry hands (er, paws)!
p.p.s. I read on the panda pages back when Mei Sheng was a baby and still in his birthing den that either Gao Gao or Shi Shi was hurt and treated at Wolong then released back into the wild but he came back to Wolong because he liked (or become habituated) to the people working there. Was it Shi Shi or Gao Gao? I cannot remember. Maybe both?
Editor's note: Gao Gao had been found as an injured cub and taken to the Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve where he was nursed back to health and released back into the wild. However, Gao Gao had become " people oriented" and took to wandering into villages looking for food. He was recaptured and returned to the Fengtongzhai facilities where he lived for over eight years before his transfer to Wolong.
October 16th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Hello Fellow Pandaparents!! I know this is not about our current SD pandas, but it is about one who was/is still ours. I received this from the zoo in China where our wonderful Shi Shi is. I know some of you remember him and love him as much as I do.
Dear Candy,
I am very glad to receive your letter again. Those panda pictures you sent me are very cute and beautiful. It is exciting news that Atlanta Zoo has a baby panda. I wish pandas in Guangzhou will breed their offspring in Guangzhou Zoo some day.
The old kind gentleman Shi Shi is already adapted to the climate in Guangzhou. The weather is rather mild, except for the hot summer time. But in summer, we offer a effective measure to lower down the temperature around the Panda House such as the Big Air conditioner, swimming pool, fans, ice and balanced diet. In Fall, the weather is pleasant, usually around 20℃ <68 degrees Fahrenheit> in the day time and around 10℃ <50 degrees Fahrenheit> at night. Not much difference in temperature between day and night. A couple days ago, Shi Shi was not well, didn't feel like eating. After the treatment of the vets, he recovered very soon. He likes wandering around; I think proper exercises are very important for the old gentleman, it also can lead to better digestion.
October the first is the birthday of China. The whole country had one week of holidays, except us. Even though we had to work on national holidays, we felt very happy to see many visitors from around the country in the zoo.
Thank you for your letter, I will take some time to take some pictures of Shi Shi for you.
October 16th, 2006 at 9:48 am
Debora #4 - Pandas from both SDZ and NZP (and Memphis too?) are from Wolong. Atlanta pandas are from Chengdu. Both Bai Yun and Tian Tian were born at the Wolong facility.
Now, speaking of Gao Gao, I wonder if he still recognizes his keepers at Fengtongzhai, especially Mr. Yang. If Gao Gao was shown a video of his keepers from Fengtongzhai now, how will he react?
And how does Hua Mei react when SDZ staff who cared for her visit her at Wolong? Does she still say hi?
October 16th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
Candy (#20), Thank you so much for maintaining contact with the Chinese zoo and passing on the information about Shi Shi. It is good to know that the old gentleman is still with us and in reasonable health, given his advanced age.
Joy (#16), From what we can see of our American zoo Pandas, they are never completey 'grounded. The adults climb trees too. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian at Washington are both still playing in trees, and Bai Yun has occasionally climbed up to join Su Lin. Mei Sheng is an absolute daredevil sometimes when he climbs!
Tami (#12), I think Suzanne discussed possible inbreeding in the wild on one of these blogs. I believe she said that after a cub separates from its mother and establishes its own territory, that the mother and cub probably wouldn't recognize each other as relatives, nor would a brother and sister; therefore, inbreeding is possible.
October 17th, 2006 at 7:06 am
Candy, Sayuri, and Pamela G,
Many thanks for the informative updates, especially about SDZ's old gentleman. He may have only had one offspring, and not been particularly romantic, in fact somewhat hostile, but he already has 4 grand-offspring. Quite a bit of genetic material being shared in the captive Wolong population.
I have often wondered what became of the venerable older pandas when they were no longer of breeding age. I know the Chinese value all pandas, so I assumed they were taken care of. It is nice to have an update on where they are and how they are doing. Basi will be 26 this year. I wonder if she will have another big celebration with " cake' like she did last year?
With three offspring, three parents, and Basi and her fellow visitor in 1987, there are many young and " old friends" to keep track of and wish well. And, we are all looking forward to another young'un next Summer from romantic Gao Gao and his lady love, Bai Yun. I hope Bai enjoys the break she will have when Su Lin is completely weaned.
October 17th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Candy, thank you for the update on Shi Shi and to the others for their info also. I would like to think that since China values the panda so dearly that they would have the american version of senior citizen housing for our elder pandas. What a great way to honor the elder pandas. A place of comfort where they could wander under trees in a park-like setting with all the bamboo they can eat in their own yard.
October 17th, 2006 at 6:53 pm
Barbara (#24), I raised that same question a couple of blogs ago. I am also concerned for the fate of the elder Pandas. I remember reading that scientists think that a viable, stable captive breeding progam will require about 300 captive Pandas. I assume that means Pandas of, or approaching, breeding age. We are going to accumulate a lot of older Pandas getting there. And with so many breeding age Pandas taking prime space at the Chinese facilities, what will they do with the geriatric population? Will they be able to afford to keep the elderly Pandas? Would the Chinese government be willing to lease these oldsters to zoos around the world for just the price of their upkeep? I dread to think that, as extremely pragmatic as government officials may be, they may opt to euthanise the old bears rather than lease them cheaply or go to the expense of housing them as senior citizens. The 'famous' bears, like Bai and Gao and our Meis, might be safe, but what about the unsung bears in the Chinese breeding programs who have spent their lives producing offspring? Do we know if the Chinese have a plan for their old age? I, too, hope that they value all Pandas and will choose to honor the elder bears who have given their lives and freedom to the program.
October 18th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
What about Wolong breeding age, or past, males and females that were not successful as breeding adults? Do they go to other zoos in China and the Asia region? Might they consider sending them to SDZ and NZ, both of whom have built facilities that can purposely hold 4-6 adult pandas simultaneously? It would allow more up-close study of geriatrics of pandas in captivity that could help with the plans to release them in the wild.
I seriously doubt (hope big time) that the Chinese would allow euthanasia unless necessary for medical or behavioral reasons. However, with limited space and the baby boom, where will pandas like Shi Shi, Gao Gao, Bai Yun, Tian Tian, and Mei Xiang go when they are beyond breeding age? Since captive adult pandas are kept in solitary enclosures, it limits the space even further. Maybe the older ladies would like to have bamboo tea around a common courtyard, or the older gentlemen would like to have a bamboo chew together like the native tribes do around the world. It might brighten their " declining" years.
October 18th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
I am watching the new cub in Atlanta. Lun Lun seems much more nonchalant about child care than was Bai Yun. Does each Panda Mom adapt to the needs of the cub in a different way, or is Bai Yun just more experienced???
October 18th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Candy (#20): Thank you so much for keeping us abreast of Shi Shi's health and welfare. My young daughter thinks about him quite regularly, and these updates mean a lot to us all. I'm so glad that your contact is charmed enough with you that s/he is now even going to take some pictures for you to share with us! Doubtless, we all worry about geriatric bears, and knowing of Shi Shi's vision problems specifically only gives us more reason to worry especially about him.
I've been watching the nursing situation both at NZP and SD with some concern. Zoos opt to maintain conditions as close to those in the wild as possible, but I fear that prolonged weaning will preclude ovulation in Bai and Mei this coming spring. Wouldn't possible pregnancies–and resulting cubs–warrant even a premature curtailment of weaning for both Su and Tai?
Suzanne, I've also been wondering why there have been no headlines in the general media–or even updates here–about the 2006 panda " crops" in Wolong and Chengdu? Did Hua Mei have a cub? Was a good year for reproduction there? What is Wolong's total number of reproducing-age bears now? Also, I continue to wonder if any further efforts have been made to partner with Chapultapec's female pandas to produce a cub? I believe these girls are the only breeding-aged females in the world who are not owned by China. It would seem like a terrible thing to waste an opportunity for the world to have a chance for future generations of pandas not under Chinese control, ie prohibitive leasing fees. I had heard that Shi Shi's sperm had been forwarded to Mexico for an AI attempt, but it was not successful. Could another attempt be made with Gao Gao's [much more-successful] sperm? If not, why not?
Pamela, you continue to shine with your great analytical mind, in addition to your creative mind. Your idea of using geriatric bears as exhibit specimens would bring the joy of the giant panda to countless zoos throughout the world who could otherwise never afford to have this joyful, but exhorbitantly expensive species to share with visitors. I can speak from long personal experience with NZP's Hsing Hsing; even by age 28, I never tired of seeing him and simply cherishing him. Hear, hear! I hope ears are ringing in China with this wonderful suggestion!
October 18th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
Candy (#20) - I too, thank you so much for the Shi Shi updates! I can't count how many times I've thought of him since he left the States! His contribution ( our priceless Hua Mei & now her 4 cubs ) will be an extremely important part of the gene pool in this program. You can't help but worry about these animals after they are no longer able to contribute reproductively. It's so hard to believe that Bai Yun will in the not-so-distance future be entering that stage also.
To Jo (#27) - I've really noticed a difference in the 3 mothers here, too. Lun Lun seems ALOT more relaxed than Mei Xiang was. She does not seem to have to have the cub in close contact all the time but she is still a very attentive mother. Bai's den is so much smaller that she just naturally had to have her cubs close to her alot more but she has obviously relaxed more with each cub. Mei was SO protective of Tai that it will be interesting to see how much she relaxes with her next one. It's amazing how humanlike their mothering instincts are!!!
October 19th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Gao Gao is doing the tongue thing again. I see him doing it from time to time. Is he licking his nose? Is he bored? Is it too hot? Is he teasing us?
October 19th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
According to an entertaining and educational Chinese account of Bai Yun's marriages to her two Chinese " husbands" Shi Shi and Gao Gao, " Gaogao became a popular TV star in China due to his good looks and tender personality."
This was prior to his being such a Romeo for Bai Yun and his quick natural breeding with her to produce Mei.
He is quite a panda! We are privileged to have him with us for his stay in the US, and to bring us such wonderful youngsters as Mei and Su.
October 19th, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Are Basi and Yuan Yuan still alive? And after gao gao, su lin, mei sheng, and bai yun go back to china what will happen to the panda exhibit - will it be destroyed?
October 20th, 2006 at 7:22 am
Candy (20), thank you very much for the info about Shi Shi!
October 20th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I think I can speak for most women - but don't we all want a husband with " good looks and a tender personality" like Gao Gao?
October 20th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
Cheryl #34 please reserve my place in line for one of them, they are far and few between, but you are right - Gao Gao is one handsome boy with a beautiful smile and loads of personality.
October 20th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Cheryl, I have more than once thought how lucky Bai Yun is to have such a great husband
October 20th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Golly, gals, I'm not so sure that I'd want to be married to a guy who knocks me up every two years, then leaves me to take care of the kids all alone. Studmuffin though he may be. LOL! For a Panda husband, however, Gao Gao is just about perfect.
October 20th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Conversation with Gao Gao #14
Gao Gao:
(sings Chinese folksong " Daban Town's Maiden," loosely translated by P Wong)
Daban Town's stones, so solid and flat,
Watermelons, so huge and sweet.
And over there is a maiden
With long, long braids.
Oh, her two eyes, so very beautiful.
If you want to marry,
Don't marry any other,
Since you must marry ME!
Bring your money! Bring your little sisters!
Come onto my horse cart, ride with me!
Gao Gao's Festive Costume Ball Audience: Bravo! (applause)
Mei Sheng, Su Lin: WOOOooHOOoo!!! (Bai Yun grins)
October 23rd, 2006 at 6:38 am
P Wong, you got my Monday off to a great start with your interpretation of that beautiful folksong. I can hear the roar of the audience and the colored costumes and i do believe there is a slight hint of blush on Bai Yun's beautiful white cheeks. It would be wonderful to be wooed by such a romantic.
October 23rd, 2006 at 7:17 am
Hi,
I live on the other side of this planet in the netherlands and have downloaded the widget with the live webcams.
I enjoy watching the pandas, also at night (here in local time it's daytime then for me). Recently I noticed that one of the pandas is pacing its cage back and forth at night. Is this normal for her or something she hasn't done before? Also a young is with her, sometimes playing…
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:49 am
Just want to say the camera work this morning is fantastic. I seldom see the pandas drink and today's pictures are beautiful. Meerkats, you rock!
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:50 am
I was just reading the blogs and I believe the NZ and SDZ both work with Wolong, it is the AZ that works with a different facility. Please correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that the zoo staff does a lot of studying and research back and forth with Wolong.
October 23rd, 2006 at 6:01 pm
P Wong - another romantic ballad. Let's hope the vibes are reaching Bai Yun and Gao Gao. I hope Bai enjoys her few " free" months when she and Su are separated. Hopefully that will allow her body to rest and recoup before she and Gao Gao are once again united to fulfill their " marriage" and produce another 3rd (and maybe 4th) wonderful born-in-the-USA cub. It would be fantastic if they had twins and we could celebrate two births at once.
The wonderful mature mother that Bai is, with her biological clock winding down, deserves to have her day with twins and add more lovely genetic offspring at doubly quick pace. Too soon, she will come upon her permanent breeding rest, to enjoy her geriatric years in peace.
October 24th, 2006 at 8:42 am
It's so great to see Su Lin right now! What is that green stuff Bai is sitting in?
October 24th, 2006 at 11:44 am
Conversation with Mei Sheng #11
Mei Sheng: Tweet, tweet, tweety, tweety. (blowing through stick of bamboo)
Tourist: Hello, Mei Sheng.
M: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: What is that you have there?
M: Oh, I'm learning how to play bamboo flute.
T: Wow, that's a nice idea. You certainly get a good supply of bamboo.
M:
(sings/performs Chinese lullaby " A Stick of Purple Bamboo," loosely translated by P Wong)
A stick of purple bamboo, straight and long,
A gift to Bao Bao a flute to become.
Flute to the lips, lips to the flute,
Popular modern songs perform.
My little Bao Bao,
Yee-dee yee-dee fluting a song!
My little Bao Bao,
Yee-dee yee-dee fluting a song!
T: Bravo! Bravo!
M: Thank you. C-R-U-N-C-H! (eating flute)
T: Oh, no. STOP! What are you doing?
M: It's lunch time and bamboo makes me hungry.
T: So will you have another flute ready for Gao Gao's Costume Ball?
M: Oh, don't worry. I'm getting to be an expert, am I not?
October 24th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Mei Sheng eating his bamboo flute-P Wong, I love it!
October 24th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
For panda fans in the UK, today's Daily Mail had a spread on the pandas of Wolong, including a lovely picture of Hua Mei cuddling one of her five-month-old cubs in the snow. I checked but it doesn't appear to be on their website.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:56 am
There are two photos of Hua Mei playing with her cub.
It is so exciting to see the third generation growing up. Hopefully one of her cubs may end up in the US when Bai Yun is returned to China in a few years??
October 25th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Debbie #47 I was finally able to find the pictures you saw in the Daily Mail. Hua Mei is so beautiful she seems like a great mom, it brought joy to my heart to be able to see her again.
Margaret #48 It would be wonderful to have Hua Mei back here to her original home and if it's not to be, then one of her babies.
October 25th, 2006 at 5:11 pm
I am sure some of you have commented on this before, but this thought came to me just now as I was watching Bai Yun eating bamboo. Bai Yun not only is a wonderful mother, but she is also a beautiful bear!!! Even her sitting pose of eating bamboo is beautiful!
October 25th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
I may be mistaken, but I did not think that Hua Mei had cubs this year. Does that mean that the photos in the Daily Mail are old or did she in fact give birth again?
October 26th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Sarah #51 - Looks like they used old photos.
October 26th, 2006 at 11:01 am
They must be from last winter, because she gave birth in September last year, and no cubs this year.
October 26th, 2006 at 11:43 am
Seeing the photos of our first baby Hua Mei with her little one brought tears to my eyes - I love her so much!
October 26th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Sarah#51. Looks like Wolong had only just released the photos, which must have been taken last December. In my excitement at seeing Hua Mei with her cub, I didn't do the math at all.
October 26th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
I meant February, still struggling with calculations, lol.
October 27th, 2006 at 11:48 am
Suzanne, Ellie, Where are you? We need a new topic to give us a reason to comment.