Up in the Trees
Posted at 10:09 am January 11, 2006 by Ellie Rosenbaum
It's been a busy few weeks here at the San Diego Zoo, with lots of visitors to the Giant Panda Research Station. Bai Yun and Su Lin have taken this all in stride, even their 9 a.m. to noon viewing schedule. After the area is cleaned around noon, the pandas have access both to their viewing area and their exhibit bedrooms, and Su Lin often chooses to nap inside so visitors to both the Research Station and Panda Cam are seeing her on camera as she snoozes.
Su Lin (picture here during her exam on January 4) has been a careful and meticulous climber, trying a few of the same routes each day, until a few days ago. Up and down the trees and climbing structures she went, eventually settling in an area of the climbing structure and Chinese elm tree that was a favorite napping spot of her brother, Mei Sheng. It looks as if she's following in the path of all previous panda cubs: up into the treetops! It's going to be fun to see how high she goes and how quickly. The Chinese elm is losing its leaves, so she'll be easy to spot until spring, when the trees leaf out again and we'll all be playing " Where's Su Lin?"
We also heard Bai Yun vocalizing to her cub and eventually climbing up to gently but firmly pull Su Lin from her perch for some mother-cub play before lunch - a great treat for everyone to see!
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
View pandas on Panda Cam.
Read about another youngster, Cinta the orangutan.
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January 11th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Yes, I have seen Bai Yun taking Su Lin off the tree and she appeared to drop her close to the ground. Was wondering why at the time but did not see them engage in play. In fact, have not seen them in play like I have Tai Shan and his mom.
January 11th, 2006 at 10:44 am
Thanks for the latest pic of Su Lin. But where did the little baby go? She looks so big and long-legged (and feisty), but still absolutely darling.
January 11th, 2006 at 10:56 am
What a great picture of Su Lin! Look how long her limbs are! And how dirty her tummy is - no doubt from exploring. No wonder she's such a good climber - and she's getting so big. She almost looks like she's saying " hello" to everyone. Or maybe " let me go… I want to go climbing!" . Thanks again for the update… I really need to get myself over to the zoo - soon!
January 11th, 2006 at 11:01 am
An Interview with Su Lin
Reporter: " Good morning, Su Lin. How are you today?â€
Su Lin: " Good morning. Please "scuse me for yawning, I just had breakfast and I'm a widdle..oops… I'm a LITTLE sleepy.â€
R: " Could you tell me a bit about your Mom?â€
S: " Mother is AWESOME! She is big and strong and warm and she smells so good, and she's a VIP – a Very Important Panda – you know. I have a big brother and a big sister and Mother says that all of her children have Important "Sponsibilities. She won't tell me what they are, though.â€
R: " She's probably waiting until you're older.â€
S: " I'm pretty old now. And I'm a REALLY good climber. I can go really high! I like climbing most of anything. Except for snuggling with Mother.â€
R: " Yes, I've seen you up in your trees. You even sleep up there.â€
S: " Mother says that a cub is safer up in a tree. " What is "safer'?â€
R: " It means that nothing can hurt you.â€
S: " Mother would never let anyone hurt me. She would make sure I'm safer. When Mother barks, EVERYONE listens!â€
R: " You seem to be a rather serious little bear. Why is that?â€
S: " Well, Mother says I do have a lot to learn, but we have fun, too. She likes to tickle me and make me giggle, and she's teaching me her somersault trick, and sometimes she nibbles on my tummy or pulls me out of my tree for a hug. And sometimes we just like to sit and chew bamboo or sleep in our tree together. I like to go off on my own to play and explore sometimes. But Mother says I have a Destiny. That makes me feel important…and serious, too.â€
R: " I notice that you listen very hard to what your mother says. Have you talked to any other Pandas?â€
S: " No. But Mother knows EVERYTHING. Except that she says that boy Pandas are important, too… But you know what I think?â€
R: " What do you think, Princess Su Lin?â€
S: " I think that girls rule, boys drool.â€
R: " Thank you, Su Lin.â€
S: " You are welcome. Good-byeâ€
January 11th, 2006 at 11:34 am
Wow look how big our little girl is!!
January 11th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
Thanks, Pamela (#4), for the wonderful " interview" - made me laugh out loud! And what a pretty " big" little girl our Su Lin is becoming. You really get a great perspective when you see her with one of her handlers as opposed to seeing her with mom. She still looks soooo small next to Bai. I'm sorry I missed mommy pulling her out of the tree. Give our little girl some time and she'll catch up with sweet Tai and his mischievous ways - remember, Girls Rule, Boys Drool!!!!!! Thank you, Ellie, for the update on our special little girl.
January 11th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Last Sunday morning Su Lin was climbing on the elm tree, all the way out to the small branches. However, when she was ready to get down she couldn't coordinate her front and hind legs to get back to the main tree branch. We all stood there holding our breath as one as she slowly bent the branches over holding on with her front paws until she couldn't hold on any longer and fell to the ground. We all let out a gasp and Bai Yun ran over, picked her up, turned her upside down to inspect her from toe to head and then just set Su Lin back down and went back to her bamboo. None the worse from her head first plunge to the ground, Su Lin was back exploring within a couple of minutes.
January 11th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
I was wondering when Su Lin will get toys to play with. I watch Tai Shan and he has a great time with the tub and ball. I would love to watch Su Lin play.
January 11th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Su Lin is a real cutie. Maybe some day she and our Tai Shan will meet and mate.
Editor's note: Per a previous posting by Suzanne Hall dated August 13, 2005, " What you may not realize is that these two cubs are actually related to each other! The NZP adult male Tian Tian, father of their cub, is a half brother of our very own Bai Yun. Their father, Pan Pan, is one of the most successful captive breeding males ever at the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China."
January 11th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
I had a pleasure watching Su Lin feeding just now. Bai Yun is terrific and extremely patient. She fed Su for 11 min..that's much longer than Tai ever got from his momma.
January 11th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
Eileen (#8),
Su Lin has access to " toys" in the form of enrichment items from time to time. The keepers set such things out for Bai Yun, and Su Lin always has the opportunity to interact. I have seen her batting at a PVC feeder left out for Momma. Of course, she always has access to the two best types of enrichment around: the complex surrounds of her exhibit, and Bai Yun herself!
January 11th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
What a cute photo of Su Lin!!! Wow! she's getting so big now!
January 11th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
Thank you, Ellie, for the update. The picture is adorable. I am planning to come to San Diego the first week of February to see our baby and mom. You are all so much appreciated. Loved the interview from Pamela. Paula
January 11th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
Suzanne (#11) is clearly right about the stimulation provided by such well-thought exhibits as Bai and Su's. Perhaps this is why we don't see Su Lin playing with her toys outside. Perhaps she would play more if she had her toys in her bedroom area?
Thank you so much for the picture! Su Lin looks SO much like Bai with that broad smile! How quickly the time has gone; Su and Tai no longer look like babies…..
January 11th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
To #4. I wish you could hear me applaud! Thank you for sharing your interview with Su Lin. I SO enjoyed it! I hope, as she gets older, that you interview her every now and then, and share with the rest of us.
January 11th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
So good to hear from you again, Ellie. I plan to brave the possible showers on Saturday to see our little girl and mom. And though I dearly love Gao Gao, I hope Mei Sheng will be out too — haven't seen him for a while. Thanks so much for the update!
January 11th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
To #4 — Thank you for sharing the " reporter's" interview. It sounds just like Su Lin talking. (;-) Also, thank you Ellie for the updates. We all enjoy anything you, Suzanne and the other SDZ staff members tell us. I'm glad to know that Bai Yun went to check on her cub when Su Lin fell out of the tree. It makes her seem like a human mother.
Because she doesn't have to search for bamboo daily, Bai Yun usually seems near enough to know what her baby is doing. Pandas in the wild probably don't have the luxury of watching their cubs and nursing or playing with them as they chose (or as the baby demands). Thank goodness that China and American zoos have become partners so we can help make sure there are more and more and more healthy pandas. What a lovely way to foster global understanding!
January 11th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
kb, Tai may get shorter feeding sessions with Mei, but judging by his size, nourishment is no problem LOL. Su Lin is getting so big, I cannot believe how fast she is growing. Go Su Go!
January 11th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Wow! Our baby is growing up so very fast! It is probably due to all the stimulation she is getting from her environment. I wish Tai had the same outside area to play in as Su does. But he does look so cute playing with his tub and the rest of his toys. Both of our babies are so intelligent and so beautiful.
January 11th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
I see that what happened to Su Lin (her falling from a tree) can't happen to Tai Shan because the National Zoo staff put metal around the trees in the outdoor yard so Tai Shan can't climb very high!
January 11th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
I recall seeing Bai Yun playing with Su Lin on the Panda Cam a few weeks ago. Bai Yun kind of just twirled and rolled Su Lin in her arms and avoided Su Lin's bites or swats by keeping her arms straight out of her face. It was very touching and fun to watch how the mother and daughter interacted and played. Bai Yun was gentle and loving yet playful with Su Lin. It demonstrated again how loving, wonderful, and an experienced mother Bai Yun is.
January 12th, 2006 at 3:51 am
#10KB
There's no need to compare the mothering skills or styles of Bai Yun and Mei Xiang. Mei is feeding Tai Shan quite enough. Have you seen how big he is? He's not missing any meals. I believe BOTH Bai Yun and Mei Xiang are doing an excellent job of mothering since both cubs are thriving and are developing skills constantly.
January 12th, 2006 at 6:27 am
I got to see Su Lin in December and she was such a cutie; she was asleep in the tree with Bai Yun and although they both had their backs to us, it didn't matter; we took many photos of them and also of Mei Sheng (asleep!). We watched them for ages and it was so nice that we were allowed to take our time; we returned again a little later and there was hardly a long line; we were so lucky, Su Lin had turned around and her face was towards us, WOW what a cutie! Many photos later we moved on to Mei Sheng, who was having a midmorning noisy snack! He looked so cute and much smaller than I expected; he had his back to us most of the time but we managed to see his face as he went for a drink, just as cute! We had a fantastic day at the zoo, the weather was perfect as were all the animals. A lady that works in a little kiosk near the skyfari gave us tips on the best times to see Su Lin and the quickest route to the panda enclosure; she did enthuse about the little cub and everything she said about her was true…incredibly cute! Thanks to the dedicated staff of the zoo, this makes a good day out..a fantastic day out! We now have many more panda items in our house, but most of all some great memories.
Joanne Broughton..U.K.
January 12th, 2006 at 9:06 am
The little Princess is waking up! I just love that picture of her! I save every single photo of Su Lin on my computer. Is there any way the latest photo of her can be made bigger?
Editor's note: We keep the images small for quick downloads and to avoid unlicensed reuse.
January 12th, 2006 at 9:57 am
What a wonderful pic of Su Lin! Looks like she's waving at all her adoring fans.:) One thing I've learned is that timing is everything when viewing these panda cams and I have to admit to being unlucky when looking in on Bai and Su.:( The fact that both these cubs are thriving so well speaks volumes of the jobs their mothers and keepers are doing.
Hopefully I'll get some better glimpses of Su next week when my work hours change but I'm really enjoying all your eye-witness accounts.:)
Long live the Panda!!!!!
January 12th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Tai Shan does have an outside area to play in-a big grassy lot with rocks and trees and hills. But you have to catch him early to watch, usually between 7 and 8:30 or 9:00 EST. Speaking of falls, did anyone see him fall one day last week? He was on a ledge inside the exhibit area and trying to climb up the wall. He lost his balance and fell backwards into the pile of leaves on the floor. He got right up and headed towards the den. Mei came over to check him out and he barked at her! I could almost hear him thinking, " Go away and just leave me alone!" Kind of like humans when our pride is wounded more than anything else. He was back climbing shortly so I guess he wasn't hurt too bad. Whatever his bark said, Mei backed off and left him alone. Anyway, it was just one of the many times that I was able to see something I'd otherwise never see because of the Panda Cams. Thanks to everyone at both NZ and SDZ for making this possible for us!
January 12th, 2006 at 10:35 am
The panda cam has definitely changed my life. I'm amazed at how the relationship between mother and child is similar to human interaction. We can also learn alot about love, patience and humor by watching their daily interaction.
Some questions I have are:
1) Are these pandas considered " domestic" as they respond to their name and have training?
2) Will they be able to survive in the wild being domesticated?
January 12th, 2006 at 10:49 am
#20: LOL It sounds as if you wish Su Lin had those metal sleeves to prevent her from climbing and falling! I wouldn't worry–one of the Atlanta pandas learned to climb a tree in 3 days, only to find that he couldn't get down. He ended up falling on his head from a considerable height–and was just fine, returning to play immediately! It seems that pandas are " built" for just such mishaps!
It's funny: We have no mandate for quiet at the NZP, and even now, when Tai falls only a foot off a log, the gasps and aural horror are loud enough to drown out Asia Trail construction sounds on the cam! LOL, Tai is probably learning that climbing is associated with lots of human outburst, and when he actually does get a bit further off the ground and falls, I predict that the panicked outcry will be loud enough for you to hear in SD!
January 12th, 2006 at 10:56 am
What a privilege it is to be able to see Su Lin and watch her growth and development. I enjoy starting my day by checking in on Su Lin and Tai Shan. They are growing so fast. Will the San Diego Zoo be getting another female panda at some point?
January 12th, 2006 at 11:30 am
#26, Judith: Isn't it a hoot how Tai climbs the inside rocks and then tries to continue on up the painted wall mural?! I've been noticing that both of those back " passageway" areas in exhibits 2 and 3 have been filled up with hay and then big toys and boxes. But your post makes me wonder now if those two areas suddenly received all these items as " fall-breakers" after the incident you witnessed! Thanks for telling us about this! I haven't heard Tai bark since his last rabies shot, and even that was on tape! What an assertive, strong-willed little/big bear Tai is!
January 12th, 2006 at 11:33 am
#9: I hope the pandas in Atlanta and Memphis are not related to the pandas in SDZ and NZ. I also hope the pandas there will also give birth this year, so we'll have lots of baby pandas in the US. Then perhaps they can mate!
January 12th, 2006 at 11:42 am
I agree with Christine (#28). Pandas are made for climbing!
January 12th, 2006 at 11:59 am
I just want to say THANK YOU so VERY much for providing the cam for viewing mom and her cub. They are both simply adorable. I watch them several times a day at work just to lift my spirits. You feel as if she's " your" baby and from reading the other viewers' comments, most of America refers to her as " OUR baby." Thanks and keep up the Great work.
All the way from South Carolina!!!
January 12th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I saw Su Lin fall from the bedroom and was worried that she might have hurt herself. I noticed a flurry of activity but was relieved to see her playing again. Thank you for the enjoyment you give us.
January 12th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
#32 Eugena: LOL I meant pandas were made for falling! That must be what God made those big, diaper-like rear ends for! If Tai doesn't get some practice before his gets any bigger, he's going to need an elevator!
January 12th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
Why can postcards not be sent? There is some kind of message after you click on the link under the panda cam. Thank you.
Editor's note: We are working to fix the problem.
January 12th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
When Hua Mei was a baby, Bai Yun gave her a bath every night before putting her to bed in the den. I've never seen Bai give Su Lin a bath, and I'm wondering if she does that. Maybe she was overly " mothering" to her first baby.
January 12th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
January 12th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
I've seen Bai Yun bathe Su several times actually - mostly during the night when they're in the den/bedroom together… Comment#38 - I know! I'm amazed at how clean Bai Yun keeps herself! I think Suzanne, in a previous post, mentioned that the keepers call her the 'teflon bear'.
She is so pretty~
January 13th, 2006 at 2:45 am
I'm baffled by the repeated references on these boards to Tai's lack of climbing ability - am I watching the same cub?! He has been climbing the rockwork indoors for weeks (I vividly remember switching on one morning to find him teetering above the level of the doorway!) and he makes a beeline for the pile of cut logs and branches in his yard every morning, climbing and maneuvring with great dexterity.
I read that the SDZ keepers used to hide treats in the trees to encourage Gao Gao to climb as he was reluctant to do so, presumably something to do with the trauma he suffered in the wild; I wonder if this still happens? Considering Gao Gao's painful start in life, he is truly a lucky bear - he certainly landed on all four paws when he arrived in San Diego!
I love reading everyone's thoughts and observations on 'our' wonderful pandas - thanks for sharing them!
January 13th, 2006 at 9:13 am
I love the pandas, both Su and Tai, although I seem to catch Tai playing more than I catch Su Lin. I was going through a really " angry" period in my life when I discovered these two and I can't tell you what an amazing difference they have made in my life. Crazy as it sounds, any time I am having a bad day, all I have to do is look at Tai sleeping or look at his picture and my heart floods with joy. I can't help but smile when I look at how beautiful all the pandas are. I have definitely become a panda cam addict!
January 13th, 2006 at 10:03 am
Brad and Angelina who??! It's all about the Giant Pandas! (Christine #41) I know what you mean. They've made a very huge difference in my life as well and no matter how bad a day I am having, all I have to do is look at them and then peace is once again restored.
January 13th, 2006 at 10:12 am
#40 Amanda, I agree with you — I suspect that many of our California friends are not trying to see Tai at his most active at 5 or 6AM PST. When the West Coast folks start watching him, it is usually his nap time. We have a bit of an advantage on the East Coast, when Tai crashes for his nap, we can switch cams to watch lovely and energetic Su Lin for a while. Both our baby pandas are wonderful.
I love reading all the comments about our wonderful pandas — what a joy they have brought to all of us!
January 13th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Greetings Panda Staff, It is always amazing to watch the rapid growth of babies- - -all babies. But animal babies change so much faster than human babies that I always feel a bit of loss when I seem Su Lin growing and changing. Thank goodness for your wonderful photo album that gives the opportunity to review the changes and savor each event of her babyhood. We are so blessed with the work that is being done to save these magnificent creatures and with the privilege the USA has in sharing with China's program. Keep up the good work! JK
January 13th, 2006 at 11:16 am
Is it just humans that can't handle falls easily without injury?
January 13th, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Bai Yun is sitting on a rock in her exhibit munching away right at this moment. Her back is to the camera so it looks as if she's wearing a black bolero sweater from the back with that black pattern going across her back:) she's such a sweetie!
January 13th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Hi! I love Su Lin! Have you stopped videotaping her weekly checkups? I am getting worried because the last two haven't been put up! What's going on?!
Editor's note: As our panda cub continues to grow, she is becoming more independent and the opportunity to schedule weekly health exams has diminished. We will post video and new photos whenever possible. Thank you.
January 13th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Perhaps one of my fellow pandamaniacs can answer a question for me. I haven't caught Su Lin nursing for quite some time, but see Tai nursing frequently. He moves from nipple to nipple and back again. Does Su Lin do that, too? I Joke that Tai is looking for chocolate!
January 14th, 2006 at 8:12 am
This morning at 8:05am, when I turned on the panda cam, I caught Su Lin climbing up the tree! She started from somewhere lower and climbed up high! When the camera moved a little, I could see it is really a tall tree. The camera did a great job following her up-up-up antics! Then she stopped and thought for a second and decided to come down a little bit. What a great Saturday treat! (plus, I still think she is braver than her cousin in DC)
January 14th, 2006 at 10:11 am
Su Lin looks so cute napping on the tree!
January 14th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Woo…Su Lin is perched right in the tree right now just like her brother Mei Sheng…She looks soooooo cute just like her brother! I wish I can send this as a post card image had the server been working…
January 14th, 2006 at 11:30 am
#26 - Judith. I live near DC and I am obsessed with Tai. I have tickets to see him on February 18th. I'm so excited. But I didn't see him fall. Poor thing, but I can relate: 1 1/2 weeks ago I feel down a flight of stairs and was thinking the same thing to everyone who was checking on me " go away and leave me alone!" I am a newcomer to this weblog, but I love it and will start reading and posting more! Stacey in VA.
January 14th, 2006 at 11:55 am
Do young Pandas (like children) ever fall out of the trees?
January 14th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Read somewhere hereabouts that pandas don't share food. And also of NZ reluctance to give bubba Tai leaf biscuits until they know he is digesting bamboo. Does SDZ allow Su Lin such treats now and then, yet? (hmm, with both cubs at least chewing bamboo, what kind of digestive changes is the " mash" creating?)
all info appreciated. you staff do–and have–such a wonderful job. ty ty ty
January 14th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
I just saw the sweetest thing… Bai Yun was sitting on her branch platform and holding Su Lin…the little girl just sat in mommy's lap contentedly, playing with the tree branches that dangled in front of her. Bai Yun just held Su as she played, occasionally looking up at the sky… These sweeties just make my day.
January 14th, 2006 at 9:25 pm
Quality time for Bai Yun - lots of hugs and nuzzling with Su Lin. Mom wrapping those arms around Su Lin. Su Lin wriggling all the time - could have been a wrestling match (but it wasn't). Su Lin was no match for mom's strong arms who hugged her and hugged her with lots of nuzzling. Gosh, this mom knows that feeling - holding your infant and not wanting to put them down.
January 15th, 2006 at 2:51 am
#54 I see Bai Yun and Su Lin in the tree as well, how cute, it melts your heart, it certainly makes you feel good to watch them.
January 15th, 2006 at 10:09 am
Last night around 9pm. I was fortunate to watch my beloved mother and daughter bonding for over 45 min. What a treat for me!!! If they only could solve the world problems… What a lovely act of love between the two. They were right in front of the camera. I had to beg for them to stop because I was getting a stiff neck already. Su sure got a good tongue bath from Mom.. Bless them, all the animals, they so enrich my life.
January 15th, 2006 at 10:14 am
Panda mothers must have nerves of steel! Watching Su Lin high up in the trees recently made me very anxious.
Also, #55–I, too, watched Bai Yun and Su Lin play for a long while last night. It was wonderful to watch Bai let the cub crawl all over her face and head and belly, then pick her up gently and cuddle, lick, and play with her. One of the sweetest moments was when Bai contentedly stretched out on her back and then reached behind her to play with the baby from that position. She didn't seem to want to stop playing with Su Lin for a long time.
January 15th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
I am so happy that myself and my fellow panda lovers have had the privilege of watching Tai and Su the last few months.
January 15th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
#47 Sheila: We saw Su Lin up on the platform in the bedroom with Bai Yun one night (EDT) this week. Bai was sitting in her bamboo-eating position but curled over a little more, and Su was sitting directly opposite in the exact same position, with her face at Bai's chest. We thought we were witnessing nursing in this beautiful mirror-image positioning! I didn't see her face move around like Tai, but then again, we could have tuned in after she had emptied the three nipples she wasn't currently on! Chubba Bubba Cubba Tai always seems to nurse lying down, and Mei often lies down first in invitation, so we haven't seen the Bai/Su position here. But Tai goes to all of the nipples and then repeats the cycle several times before giving up; his technique–and size–seems proof that momma's milk must be " good to the last drop" !!
We've also seen an interesting turnabout: Bai is not only playing more with Su, but Mei has now realized that she can eat bamboo while nursing or playing with Tai! Bai's ready to give more time, while Mei's decided it's time to kill two birds with one stone! I guess this period for both moms is one in which they have to eat more and more and more just to keep up with the every-increasing milk demand. They may nurse up to 1.5 years, but I bet this period right before the cubs start to get some caloric intake from bamboo is the biggest " drain" on the moms.
January 15th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
PS to All: We love to hear the cracking of bamboo as Bai eats on some of the videos! Mei Xiang doesn't eat the wood right, at least right now, and I was wondering if Bai always eats it, all year round? I saw something on a blog here about eating different parts of the plant during different seasons. Do we attribute their difference to this, or to personal preference, or does Mei just have enough food that she can get her fill without eating the stalks? It's almost like a small child not wanting to eat the crusts on bread!
January 15th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Sunday, about 4:40pm, a keeper seemed to put something in the crook of the tree Su Lin was climbing. I suspect it was a bit of scent enrichment because Su Lin has been having lots of fun and poking all around that tree crook. I'd love to know what kind of bear nip it was.
January 15th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
Both Su and Tai are a blessing to all. Having been a little girl in DC with Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing and crying my heart out each time they tried and the cubs didn't make it, it is a true blessing to all that we now have two happy and very healthy pandas to watch grow up and hopefully continue to play an important part in panda conservation. These two are little ambassadors for much more than making us smile and laugh at their tricks each day. Thank you National Zoo and San Diego Zoo for all your hard work and to Mei and Bai for being such wonderful moms to these beautiful baby bears. Thank you to all that give $$ to the zoos to help in conservation. Some of you may not know, but the NZ cannot charge admission. They rely solely on donations. I'm sure the San Diego Zoo is just as grateful to all that give as well and have helped make Tai and Su such a precious piece of our lives each day.
January 15th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
To #62 — I was wondering about the same thing. Su Lin spent a long time crawling, climbing and exploring the branches very carefully after the keeper reached up and seemed to touch Su Lin and say " hello." But she might have been putting something there instead.
It was fun to watch Su Lin for such a long time. I kept thinking she would get tired, but it went on for quite a while before she decided to stop and take a rest. All the exercise will help her with coordination and muscle tone. Perhaps she will soon be ready to try even more daring things. Then we'll all be on the edges of our chairs!!!
January 15th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
I have watched the Panda cams for over 3 years, since Bai Yun was expecting Mei Sheng, He was the first baby Panda that got me addicted to watching, I have since followed the births of Tai Shan and Su Lin. I love them so much and the first thing I do in the morning is to put the cams on to see If I can spot them. There's no other animal in the world that I am so fascinated with watching!!They all give me such Joy!! IT must be a heavenly job for all the staff at both zoo's to have the great privilidge of working with such wonderful animals.I have to make do with cuddling my fluffy toy Panda when I go to bed and I am 47 nearly !!!My daughter bought it for me as she says I am obsessed ! Well I admit it!!! I would love to cuddle Tai Shan, But alas I am in UK and not able to get to USA. Not that they would allow visitors to cuddle the pandas anyway!! But they do look so adorably cuddly!!! Has there been an incident when they have bitten any of the staff?
January 15th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
It's 11:40pm and Su Lin is out climbing on the tree! She's quite alert:) I wonder if she's going to sleep out there tonight. It is a cold and quite windy night tonight too.
January 16th, 2006 at 12:11 am
Our little Su Lin has gotten so much confidence lately with her tree climbing that tonight she has decided that she wants to sleep outside in a tree all night. At 11:40 PM Bai Yun finally climbed the tree and tried to coax Su Lin down but after about a 5 minute tussle she gave up and nursed her in the tree and played with her and is now bathing her in the tree at 5 minutes after midnight. I bet mommy would feel much better if her little baby would just agree to get down from there and go inside and up to her little bed where mommy knows she is safe and can snuggle her. MOMMY WON! It is now 10 minutes after midnight and Bai Yun just removed Su Lin from her perch in the tree. I wonder how long it will last!
January 16th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I fell in love with little Su Lin when I saw her picture on my Yahoo web page! OMG the cutest thing I've ever seen! I cannot believe how fast she has grown! I love animals; I would prefer to see animals in their natural habitat, but being a city person, seeing animals in a zoo are my only pleasures of seeing animals I wouldn't normally be able to see. I appreciate this Panda Cam so much and this website! You are so blessed to be able to have such a wonderful profession! I mean working with these living teddy bears must be so fulfilling! Take care of them, they are such treasures!
January 17th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
I had the pleasure of visiting my former hometown of " Insane Diego" for 10 days. On 12th January, I hightailed it to the Panda area at 9am. Mei Sheng was out chowing down on huge bamboo pieces. Bai Yun and Princess Su Lin soon made their entrance. Bai Yun sat with her back to the visitors, as is her practice. I captured a couple of good shots of mother and cub with a short video with my digital camera. It was great to be there in person! It made me appreciate the Panda Cam all the more from 2000 miles away. Su Lin is acutely aware of her audience at times and the results can be funny and cute. Keep up the good work everyone!
January 17th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Have been viewing with my new panda widget. Su Lui was sound asleep wedged in the tree (a great camera view by the way) About 1:30 it seemed as though she was ready to move around and seemed to be trying to find her way down. She repositioned herself endlessly in this attempt. I was tiring for her. But from our angle she was just an inch away from the closet branch. I am concerned that she appeared to have stood on a branch and the next thing she had dropped from her perch. I only hope mama was below to catch her.