The Panda Decade, Part 4
Posted at 10:53 am January 5, 2007 by Ellie RosenbaumEllie recalls the first 10 years of giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous blog, The Panda Decade, Part 3.
It seemed to take forever, but February 2000 finally arrived and preparations were underway for Hua Mei's public debut. For this first surviving U.S.-born cub, the attention to detail, the care taken to insure that both she and mother Bai Yun would be comfortable and calm before the public, were extraordinary. Bai Yun's exhibit now contained a new den, the one that can be seen in our current right-hand viewing area. That side had been walled and gated to restrict access should the mother or cub show any distress. Small groups of employees from many departments were brought into the area as part of the acclimation process, allowing Hua Mei (pictured) to become accustomed to the sight and minor sounds of human viewers in large numbers. And then it was time!
Fittingly, the first outsiders to meet Hua Mei were the people who'd help turn her into an international celebrity: the media. For several hours before Mei's public debut they interviewed staff and photographed the little cub. Finally, guests were once again allowed to move freely up and down Panda Canyon.
That afternoon was my favorite day at the Zoo ever, ever. It was my job to greet passing visitors and invite them into the panda queue - without telling them why. So primed were people that The Baby, as she was known, would be " unveiled" the next day, many were reluctant to enter an " empty" exhibit, and it took a lot of convincing and cajoling to get some folks to go inside. Those who did, however, were overjoyed and there were many happy tears and hugs that day.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, a gorgeous San Diego day, and panda fans were out in force for Hua Mei's " official" debut. Many brought chairs for what they knew would be a wait and the lines extended down Panda Canyon and eventually up the Bird of Prey walk. It actually took some visitors as long as 90 minutes or more to meet Hua Mei.
Was she worth the wait? Absolutely! A small, awkward ball of fur, cocking her head at the guests, napping on the ground - every little twitch, every small shift produced a quiet murmur of excitement from the crowd. And each tiny, pink-tongued yawn evoked a collective " Aahhhh!" from her adoring public. The girl was a star! As the weeks passed, every detail of her development was carefully noted.
Bai Yun rapidly expressed her displeasure with the new " den," forcibly removing Hua Mei if she tried to enter it. The den was removed, and the little bear began to climb, much to everyone's dismay –the precious thing might fall! Well, fall she did, and we all had to learn that falling is a normal part of cub learning. One morning she rolled the wrong way off the horizontal part of the climbing structure and we had a momentary glimpse of a very puzzled cub face. That was the first and last time I saw her make that mistake: trial and error is a great learning method, and Hua Mei's climbing technique improved steadily. She headed for the highest branches even as she was still learning, and the plastic sleeves, or tree guards, placed on the trees in that area after a particularly long and frightening fall can still be seen. They did keep her a little closer to the ground and, we hoped, a little safer, although she suffered no ill effects from her many tumbles.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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January 5th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Hua Mei ever sustain any injuries from her falls? What would Bai Yun do?
January 5th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Thanks, Ellie, for a very memorable account of Hua Mei's " debut." She sounds like a darling girl, now an experienced mother with 4 sons. I am glad she got a well-deserved year off from cub producing and rearing in 2005. Hopefully she will have twin girl cubs this year.
I read that the injury Xiang Xiang sustained they think came from a fall from a very high place, likely a tree. Watching Su Lin and Tai Shan high up in trees with thin branches can sometimes be very scary. They are very nimble creatures when they are young and don't weigh so much. But an adult bear, over 150 pounds that has been chased up a tree may be a different story. Since Su Lin is still " small" she can climb higher and the branches still support her weight. As Tai Shan nears 90 pounds, it is frightening to see him bouncing upside down on what appear to be very small branches. I noticed that they both reach out for other branches to be sure they don't lose their balance and fall. Ouch, it hurts to think about it.
I look forward to more tales of Hua Mei's early days on exhibit and her reaction to her admirers. It appears sometimes that Mei Sheng plays to the galleries. One more reason he would not make a good candidate for the solitary world of a wild panda male. At least female pandas have the company of a cub for a year or more.
January 5th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Thank you for sharing your recollection of Hua Mei's debut! I love that little girl - well, not so little anymore! I'm hoping to visit her in Wolong sometime this year.
Margaret, Mei Sheng will not be released into the wild. They have to be selected from young and put into a programme to prepare them to be released into the wild.
January 6th, 2007 at 6:30 am
Thank you, Ellie, for sharing your memories about Hua Mei–you've really evoked the excitement of her first public appearance. And the picture of Hua Mei is so adorable, and looks so much like ones of Baby Su Lin.
When Su Lin was much younger and it was mentioned in this blog about her permanent separation from Bai Yun, it was very hard to imagine. But now that we see how independent and self-reliant Su is, it seems perfectly understandable. Bai has taught her little one well and the loving staff at SDZ has provided all the nurturance Su needs to move into the next phase of her life.
January 7th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I see that the panda in Japan has had twins. It looks as if the mother has both cubs and one
is very small. I have always read that a panda cannot raise 2 cubs because of lack of milk and energy.It is stated that they will usually abandon one of them. Are you in communication with the folks at the zoo in Japan? Are they going to help the mother panda raise the twins? As a panda watcher this situation is of concern to me. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Nancy Leavitt, Savannah, GA
January 7th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
I am curious as to how Hua Mei and Mei Sheng's names were chosen. Were they picked in a poll, like those of Su Lin, Tai Shan and Mei Lan?
January 7th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Calvin (1): I'm not entirely sure what Bai Yun would do if Su were to fall, but I do remember seeing Mei Xiang and Tai in an amusing situation about a year ago. They were indoors in the evening, and Tai fell off the rockwork at the back of the exhibit; there's a floor-level back passageway there, seemingly for the bears to have some privacy from visitors at the windows. We were watching the cam, and suddenly we heard this loud yelp–and Tai had disappeared! The camera operator pulled back into a more-widescreen shot that showed Mei Xiang begin a full-throttle rush to his aid. She had made it about halfway around the rockwork when he came shooting out from that hidden passageway–and yelled at her! He stomped toward the den, all the while giving her a piece of his mind! She was flabbergasted, simply staring! Here she was, this VERY protective mother who had repeatedly returned him to his birthing den long after he had gotten big enough to leave it on his own, all for his continued safety! LOL It was clear that he was just old enough to be embarrassed by his fall and was having a temper tantrum about it by being grumpy with Mom! Poor Mei Xaing….one day her cub looks like an innocent ball of fluff like Mei Lan does right now; then all of a sudden, that little ball has " attitude!"
January 8th, 2007 at 8:14 am
I was just watching a great shot of Mei Sheng eating his bamboo. What a beautiful content bear he has become. It is the first time I have had a great look at the elaborate climbing structure he has in his off-exhibit outdoor area. What a great place for a bear who loves to climb, and have naps perched up on one of the many " platforms" created by the intersecting " trees." It looks like it will prepare him well for the type of environment he will find when he goes to Wolong. With the misty morning fog, he looks right at home. Hopefully the transition will go as smoothly as it did for Hua Mei and he will become a model citizen in China of an immigrant male panda from the USA. I can't wait to see what his offspring look like, and if they will have the wonderful personality that he has. It must be a joy to work with him, and the Chinese are blessed to be getting such a well adjusted panda to add to their breeding gene pool. He has special parents and seems to have gotten the " good" genes from both of them.
January 8th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Su Lin is too cute! The camera was just switched to show her under some of the climbing structure. She looks like she is playing in a kids tree house or play house. Just sitting there calmly and finally got up and pranced out to walk around the exhibit. Haven't seen Bai Yun today. Have you begun separating them for short periods of time yet?
January 8th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Thank you for sharing precious information about Bai Yun's first born. Over the holidays, I got a chance to visit Mei Xiang's first born in DC. Tai and his parents look dirtier (the white parts are dingy looking) in person than over the cams — but are strikingly beautiful nevertheless.
January 8th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Christine, I too saw Tai's infamous fall….on of all days 6/6/06! Can't forget that bad-luck date.
That was a very scary thing to see, and his cries and yelps made it even worse. I cannot recall ever seeing Su fall, tho of course their habitat is far different. It is so great to see her spending more time down from her beloved treetops.
January 9th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Margaret, i think you are right about Mei Sheng; he is a ham with a capital H. He just loves attention, everytime i get a chance to see him there is a smile on that gorgeous face. Ellie, you always bring back fond memories when you write about Hua Mei. I remember when she was given her name and they proudly held her up. All of our babies have done very well this past year, they have become somewhat independent and now will be weaned from their moms. I think Tai will have the hardest time. Mei Sheng will be leaving us soon and so will begin a new year of hopes, maybe a baby for Memphis and for Bai and Mei and Su Lin will fare well. She is strong and independent and Mei Lan, that beautiful ball of fur, watching her today made me cry, she is going to be something, I believe like Tai.
January 9th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I was 'surfing' around on the Wolong website, and noticed that Bai Yun was loaned for 10 years, so I believe that would mean she goes back in 2008. Is that still true? That is TOO CLOSE! I will miss her gentle, beautiful being. If Su Lin is to go to China at around 2 years of age, will they send back both together? (Even though Su Lin will be weaned way before then). And, thank you for your wonderful story of Hua Mai 's time here. I missed that experience and am a relatively new pandaholic–just signed on since July 2005. =-)
January 11th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
From what I have read, and seen on the DVD about Hua Mei's weaning, it went very smoothly. She and Su Lin appear to be more independent than the boys, Mei Sheng and Tai Shan. Since Mei Sheng was such a momma's boy, was it more difficult to wean him? Did it take longer, i.e. weeks versus days? Does he ever appear to want to see Bai Yun since he was weaned? Apparently Hua Mei " never looked back" and has been very content on her own ever since. She has since had 4 cubs " weaned" from her at 6 months.
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Have you heard how Xiang Xiang (the panda released into the wild in China) is doing? I heard that he broke a leg in a fall from a tree and that they were looking for him, but never heard whether they found him and administered medical treatment….I even tried emailing the Chinese embassy to ask, but never heard back. Thanks!