The Bamboo Is Always Greener"¦
Posted at 9:31 am April 14, 2006 by Panda Research Team
Yes, Mei Sheng believes in this adage; well, if not greener, then it must be tastier! A few nights ago lucky guests viewing Panda Cam watched in awe (and some in horror) as Mei Sheng balanced precariously on top of the tallest pine in his enclosure and reached out to a huge stalk of giant timber bamboo Bambusa oldhamii just on the outside. Although it did look quite dangerous, he was not in any jeopardy. He has done this maneuver many times. Pandas are great climbers and tree acrobats. He was just expressing his independence at wanting to choose that species of bamboo for the evening.
You might be interested to know a bit of a secret, too. Mei Sheng wasn't the first panda reaching for the bamboo on the other side that day. His dear, sweet, independent sister, Su Lin, had stopped more than a few hearts earlier that afternoon while attempting the same maneuver in her enclosure!
But you are right when you say that they have a look of being pleased with themselves after such mischief. Don't we all remember adventures as youngsters that showed our independence and personalities?
Posted by the San Diego Zoo's giant panda keepers.
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April 14th, 2006 at 9:46 am
A wonderful article. When I visited the SDZ in December, Mei Sheng had climbed very high up into one of his trees. I was outside going to get in line but he was so high up that he could be seen from the road/walkway. I took several pictures of him as he sat warming himself in the afternoon sun. At one point, he caught the scent of something interesting and the pictures of it are amazing. I hang it in my home office. It reminds me to do as the Pandas and each day take time to sit, enjoy the sun, appreciate your environment and if something smells good, don't pass it up!
April 14th, 2006 at 10:27 am
Oh my gosh - what an incredible picture of Mei Sheng. Please replace the one of Mei on the Panda Cam home page with this one - never liked the one that's there now - he's much more handsome than that one shows. Thanks so much to whomever took this picture — what a beautiful, beautiful bear. I'm sorry I missed his treetop antics.
Thanks.
April 14th, 2006 at 10:46 am
Thanks so much for the information. Mei Sheng went bamboo shopping more than one day this week. Look at his picture-how handsome he is! And to think his baby sister Su is doing the same thing! I hope to see the kids up to these tricks tomorrow when I visit them!
April 14th, 2006 at 11:13 am
i really believe that these bears know the secrets of the cosmos…and it's a major joke on humanity!
April 14th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Love the photo of Mei Sheng–I don't remember seeing a full-face view before of the handsome fluffy guy with the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
I recall some recent mention of Mei Sheng as being somewhat docile. But his daredevil acrobatics don't seem to bear that out.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
I was very surprised to see our " young man" when I tuned in the other day! Pleasantly surprised. He has grown up to be a very handsome bear, and I truly hope I get to see him before he must leave the U.S.! I've been watching him since the day he was born, as I have with Su Lin, and always enjoy their antics and the reports from all of you wonderful keepers.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
What a great picture of Mei Sheng! I second Jeannie in asking you to replace his old picture on the panda cam home page with this current one. You might also consider selling it as a print in your gift shop.
Someone with a talent for poetry ought to write a poem about the pandas in the trees. It must be fun to ride a branch in a mild breeze and to feel safe from all the commotion on the ground.
Editor's note: Mei Sheng's bio photo has been updated. Thank you to you and Jeannie for reminding us!
April 14th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Yeah and I agree with all those great people above that this picture of Mei sheng is just too cute!~~ It looks like he is actually smiling at the camera and us!~~ I am from China but now live in NY and have been a pandaholic since I was a kid. I watch the panda cam nearly every day. I am so thankful that so many fans here love this precious and lovely animal from China. I really hope someday pandas can come to NY's zoo too!>
April 14th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
Thank you so much for updating Mei Sheng's picture. You are so quick! I noticed that Gao Gao weighs 174 pounds and Bai Yun 220 pounds. Tian Tian weighs 275 pounds (100 pounds heavier than Gao Gao) and Mei Xiang weighs 235 ponds. I had always assumed that Bai Yun is a larger bear than Mei Xiang. Guess I was wrong for a long time. No wonder Tai Shan is so much bigger comparing with Su Lin even though they have the same grandpa. Gao Gao's gene must be very strong and dominant.
April 14th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
That picture of Mei Sheng shows what an incredibly handsome panda he is. The whole family is tops in the looks department. And also in independence. Bai Yun has always been a panda who follows her own mind and has raised three cubs who share that trait with her. Look at the number of times she has tried to get Su Lin down from the tree without results. She has taken to sleeping frequently on top of the lair to be near her youngest, rather than in the comfy bedroom platform where she might prefer to be. Gao Gao has been lucky to not have to deal with the cute but often recalcitrant offspring.
April 15th, 2006 at 5:24 am
i'm not sure where to post this…it's a question about the pandas rolling in the mud. besides being fun for the bears does it serve some camouflage purpose? if you've answered this somewhere else, just point me to it. i just noticed that it makes the panda harder to see in the tree against the foliage. looks like just another part of the tree. ain't nature grand?
April 15th, 2006 at 6:00 am
I am going to visit the SDZ the first week in May. I hope to get a glimpse of Su Lin but will settle for any Giant Panda! The panda cam has been in my 'favorites' for years and I check in several times a day. The babies are sooo tiny but grow so fast. Can't believe Mei Sheng is nearly ready to leave us. Hope I get to see him!
April 15th, 2006 at 9:08 am
Mei Sheng was my first baby panda and seeing his latest picture confirms the amazing work that the SD Panda team is doing in insuring the survival of these beautiful animals. Doesn't he look like he knows we watch him? Is there a timeline for his return to China? Even as I write that it breaks my heart!
April 15th, 2006 at 11:25 am
Would you please update Mei Sheng's weight too? He's pretty big now. He might be bigger than his daddy…
April 15th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
I discovered the panda cam when Mei Sheng was a baby. On his two year birthday I was recovering from chemo. Looking at the pictures when I was having a down moment helped lift my spirits. Mei Sheng will always have a special place in my heart. Truth be told, all of these pandas have a special place in my heart.
April 15th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Rita wanted a poem about a Panda in the trees. I took a shot at it:
See the little Panda cub, high up in the trees
Asleep in cradling branches rocked by Springtime's errant breeze?
Does she dream of misty mornings that greet the light of day,
Of the clear, clean air of Panda Home, lost and far away?
For every Panda mother tells every Panda child
Of the dream that every Panda dreams, of living free and wild.
Of the mountains' bamboo forests where bears are free to roam,
And their children's children's children will return to Panda Home.
So dream the Panda Dream, Su Lin, high up in your trees,
And catch the scent of Panda Home on Springtime's errant breeze.
April 15th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Has Su been down from the tree today or have I just missed her? Maybe you should put Bai Yun and Su Lin in Bai Yun's bedroom at night for a few days. Her original bedroom, where Su was born. This would give them time together to work out some of their issues. Just a thought.
April 15th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Thank you, Pamela. The poem is beautiful.
April 15th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Pamela G–
Your poem is lovely–it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for writing it.
April 15th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
Pamela, What a wonderful poem, brought tears to my eyes. Just love the blogs and of course our Pandas.
April 16th, 2006 at 7:52 am
While I missed the antics of Mei Sheng the other day, I loved the new picture. It is adorable and shows Mei Sheng's mischievous side.
Thank you
April 16th, 2006 at 8:07 am
Thanks so much for updating Mei Sheng's pic on the home page. This one is a gorgeous shot of this most handsome young gentleman panda. I can really see the family resemblence to his lil sis!
I hope to catch some of their derring-do acrobatics on the cam soon…..
April 16th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
Pamela G.~ Now you've gone and done it!! You have the pandaholics weeping!! (Including me.) Thank you for the poem. It expresses so much and is so hard to read because we all are thinking of the day they will leave their mothers, their trainers, and their homes. It is for the good of all pandas I know, but what a heartbreaker for us.
April 17th, 2006 at 5:40 am
Around 5:30 this morning, San Diego time, I caught a glimpse of Bai Yun sitting on the lair trying to groom a squirmy Su Lin. I imagined Bai thinking, " I've waited outside all night for you, missy, and now you're going to get a bath!"
April 17th, 2006 at 6:12 am
Pamela, I love the artistry of your poem–and the focus on The Panda Dream even more! You're a wonderful reminder to us that the most rewarding of all should be seeing a healthy panda population in the wild in China, safe from endangerment. I'm so glad my daughter is home today to read this with me! Thank you! You leave us all with wonderful panda dreams, the lower-case variety!
April 17th, 2006 at 7:52 am
Sayuri, when I visited last Sat. the narrator said that Mei Sheng is now bigger than Gao Gao! He weighs about 170 lbs. Mei is 2 years 8 mos. old and still growing. He'll be full grown at age 3. I hope everyone has the opportunity to see His Handsomeness before he leaves. Mei even seemed to be posing for a photographer Sat. morning, first looking straight at the camera, then turning his head for a profile. He even held the poses long enough for the shots! Mei has always seemed to have a sly sense of humor. The narrator also said the Su Lin is long from head to tail, and not as round or roly poly as Hua Mei & Mei Sheng were. Dear panda keepers, please correct me if any of my info is wrong!
Kay, according to the info at the zoo exhibit, Bai currently weighs about 250 lbs., perhaps because she is lactating.
Pamela, thanks for the poem! Su was up in her tree all day Sat., safe and sound like she would be in Panda Home.
April 17th, 2006 at 10:58 am
Greetings,
I've just had six days in Washington DC and visited Mei, Tai, and Tien four times. They send their greetings to you, too!
On only one day I was privileged to find all three bears quite active and that was when I managed to get to the zoo before 9 a.m. I think Tien would like a play date because he kept coming up to the big round " window" in the fence and tapping it. He was also bleating.
If you have tickets to visit Tai, they aren't using them right now, but bring them to use the discount coupon at the panda stores.
I learn so much from all of you, especially when you've caught Su Lin being so cute so I can try to catch it on that day's " reruns!"
The web cams are great. I have a digital camera but it doesn't come near to what the web cams can pick up. (Seems that my best shots are hampered by bright sun on the viewer.) Although the National Zoo's webcams don't have the postcard feature, I zoom it up to full screen and then whip out my digital camera for a cute shot. I send postcards of Su Lin to myself for my scrapbook of her.
I enjoyed the excitement of the people trying to catch a glimpse of Tai Shan and his mom. I was able to share a little knowledge of these amazing creatures because of both zoo's web features.
For those not having a chance to view the baby pandas in person, know that they are much loved by the people who care for them and by the zoo's visitors. And you are probably seeing better pictures on the web cams than if you were there in person.
April 17th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Oh what a cute photo of Mei Sheng!!! He IS the perfect Panda! round face, full of sweetness and absolutely ADORABLE! Mei Sheng is the epitome of cuteness! My favorite Panda!!!
April 17th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
love the poem!
April 18th, 2006 at 6:27 am
The picture of Mei Sheng is so appealing. Thank you for posting it.
April 18th, 2006 at 7:17 am
Just came across your poem Pamela G. - how sweet! Got goosebumps and tears in my eyes reading it! I guess she really inspired you! Tx for that!
April 18th, 2006 at 10:30 am
I heard it through the grapevine that Mei Sheng, through the Zoo's work sharing program, doubles as a landscaping staff. Everytime I visit him, he clears at least one tree branch. When he's not trimming, he's always on the lookout, just making sure that all the trees in the exhibit are in good shape. Yet, he still works fulltime on exhibit. He should get one of those " Employee of the Month" plaques!
April 18th, 2006 at 11:51 am
Hurray, I just saw Su for the first time in months. She's squirming on a branch next to mama. Too cute.
Just another quick word on panda pictures. Would it be possible to replace Gao's picture on the main page with the beautiful one of him that was on the old web site format. It's the one where's he's peeking around the corner of a building. If my memory serves me, that picture next to the new one of Mei will show just how much father and son look alike.
Reading all the blogs above reminded me, and brought on a few tears, that we're going to be losing Mei soon. Have you ever heard a heart break? Mine's doing it right now. I can't even imagine what all of you there at the Panda House go thru when you lose one of these incredible angels.
Does anyone know if a date has been set yet for Mei to go to China? I found this site just as Mei was born - he'll always be my favorite.
Thanks to all!
April 18th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Dear Mei Sheng,
This is Tai Shan your cousin in DC. I just came across your picture at your zoo website and WOW you truely are a handsome fellow. I think good looks runs in our family DNA. When I grow up I want to be just like you..handsome, independent, adventurous and of course clever. Got to run, my mom is calling me to come inside. Talk to you later.
Love,
Tai Shan
April 19th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
LOL! Dolly, Love your Tai Shan Letter to our Dear Mei Sheng!!
April 19th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Dolly,
Thanks for delivering Mei's message from his amusing and rotund cousin. Too cute!
April 19th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
Pamela G, that's just beautiful…………..
I love that picture of Mei Sheng! He was my first baby panda…what a big handsome boy he is now!