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RussianiZoofari Chat: Panda Cub’s First Exam
Posted at 3:20 pm August 23, 2007 by Dennis Corbran
NEW! iZoofari Chats are an occasional series of interviews that put you in touch with the people who work for the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Current subscribers to either the Zoo or Wild Animal Park podcast feeds will also get the iZoofari Chats.
San Diego Zoo veterinarian Dr. Meg Sutherland-Smith describes the first exam of Bai Yun’s newest cub, what she looks for during the exam, and how this cub compares to the three others she has examined. (9:45)
Read a blog about the first exam.
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August 23rd, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I watch the webcam everyday since the cub was born. I think Bai Yon is such a wonderful mom, she is so gentle with the small little creature. I even am late for meetings at work because I watch the webcam so much wanting to get a glimpse of it when it’s alone. I’ll be so glad when you tell what the sex is so I can quit calling the cub an it.
August 23rd, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Thank you so much for all the info about “Bright Star”& how our cub is doing so well. We all knew Bai is a great mother. Now I guess we wait a few more days for its sex - agghhh. As it’s so quiet I think it’s a boy
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Thanks for the live update. I love these chats. So glad mom and cub are doing great. Can’t wait till we know the sex of the cub.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:44 pm
I’m curious if Panda mothers have two teats or more. Bai Yun seems to feed the cub from two only.
Moderator’s note: Panda mothers have four teats. Suzanne explains more about the feeding in this iZoofari Chat: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress2/2007/uncategorized/izoofari-chat-panda-cubs-first-week/
August 24th, 2007 at 7:28 am
I watch the cub and Bai Yun every day; several times a day. It has been sweet to see her hold the cub just the way human moms hold their babes. Bai Yun is so nuturing. Thankyou for your wonderful coverage of the den 24/7.
Thank everyone for their commitment! You folks are great! love love
August 24th, 2007 at 7:32 am
I am so glad to join the other panda baby “groupies”. I too have watched this sweet little baby since birth. At work my computer is always tunes to the panda cam. I was also a panda nut when the first cub was born and from then on. After the birth of Hua Mei, I flew to San Diego to see her when she was presented to the guest. It was awesome. I hope to get to visit this one.
Margie of Texas
August 24th, 2007 at 8:14 am
At last–a picture of the person being interviewed to go along with the informative iZooFari Chat. Makes it more personal for the Pandaholics at home to see whom Debbie Andreen, Intrepid Interviewer, is talking to and getting such great responses from for all of us to become more knowledgeable. We love passing along the information to our friends and neighbors who are not even aware of such momentous happenings going on at their OWN fabulous ZOO!
August 24th, 2007 at 8:18 am
You and the whole staff at the SDZ are to be commended for your excellent job communicating with us via podcasts, video and blogs. You and “our” new cub make my day “bearable”. Sincerely, Genesis in Oklahoma City.
August 24th, 2007 at 8:23 am
I’m completely mezmerized and totally obsessed with this process! I have been watching our cub in Atlanta since she was born. Have been an animal lover from the start and have witnessed births of my own animals. It’s such a miracle. Bai Yun is a terrific mom and obviously experienced!
Thanks for the opportunity to see something you could never see in the wild!
julie
August 24th, 2007 at 10:33 am
I love giant pandas because I did a school report on them and became extremely amazed that Pandas had such
a hard life, but are still surviving. One day I checked the panda cam and discovered that Bai Yun had given birth! The only thing I want to do right now is to visit the San Diego zoo, but I live all the way in Seattle,WA. I’ve never ever seen pandas in my whole life.
August 24th, 2007 at 10:35 am
I really enjoyed hearing about the new cubs ist exam. Bai Yun is such a great mom. I am a San Diego Native & have watched the San Diego Zoo grow over the years . Watching the 4 successful Giant Panda Births here at our zoo has been exciting. Having the most successful breeding pair of Giant Pandas outside of China is wonderful. I’ve enjoyed watching the Pandacam with each one. As a long time San Diego Zoological Society & Heritage Guild member I appreciate everyone involved in making this zoo so successful. I look forward to seeing the new cub in person & helping to pick out a name.
August 24th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Ever since cub 1, I Have been hooked. We moved for SD to Covina 6 yrs ago, but when cub #4 came along, up on the internet I went. I leave it on my screen all day and watch for any movement. I could just reach out and take that cub into my arms. I am surprised that as big as mama is she doesn’t sit on the cub. Keep up with the cam and panda information. Every time I get a good picture of the cub alone, mama comes and blocks the way. I have sent several of the postcards to my grandchildren. I wish I could doswnload all the pictures and make a book of them. Have you any ideas on how to do this? Didn’t Hua Mei go back to China for a while?
Moderator’s note: Cub #1 - Hua Mei, moved to China in February 2004. She has given birth to three sets of twins!
August 24th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I’ve been luckey enough to visit Hua Mei since she went back to China, even getting to hold one of her cubs or so I was told. Bai Yun raised our girl right as she is a very good mom. I hear one of her 1st cubs both male was given to Thailand along with a female as a gift. Hopefully eventually the cubs born here will get to stay here. I hope when the 12 yr plan is up shortly it’ll be renewed for a very long time. Watching each cub born here grow has been very special. Thank you to all involved.
August 24th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Did any of you hear the vet slip and say “with Bai Yun as HER mom” at the very end of the interview?
August 24th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
What an amazing group of people. Like everyone else I found myself checking the panda cam several times a day at work and home. Bai Yun is simply the best mother. I am looking forward to hearing the sex of our cub. I’ve been referring to the baby as “she” and “her” from the beginning as somehow it just seemed like she is a girl but we’ll all know in another week. The important thing is simply that she or he is healthy.
I know everyone is very proud of San Diego’s expertise in raising three cubs and now a fourth. Today another baby cub joined the group from Vienna and that is wonderful I think. Every new panda is a reason to celebrate and none of us ever get tired of looking at them.
It is amazing to watch Bai Yun as big as she is so tenderly caring and loving her cub. She is often more attentive than any human mother and she has to be attentive 24/7 yet I watched her the other day and it honestly looked like she was playing with her baby just a bit just turning and cuddling and licking and thoroughly enjoying her baby.
Thank you so much San Diego for letting all of us be a part of this wonderful event.
August 24th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
We, too, thoroughly enjoy watching for the newest little “girl”. Maybe it was an accidental slip, maybe not. We check out the panda cams in Atlanta, Memphis, and Washington DC, too. We’d like to see more frequent blogs on the cub. Now that regular exams are underway, perhaps more definitive data will lead to more blogs. Thanks so much for allowing all of us to be part of the lives of all of your pandas.
August 24th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
I heard several mention that the vet said “her mom” so went back & listened to the interview for the 3rd time (so much info) & did hear it - was hoping for a boy with Gao Gao prowess but just glad to have fat, sassy, healthy cub.
Many thanks for all the info. My friends are getting sick of me giving them panda facts.
Maureen
August 24th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
OK. I’m hooked! I am absolutely fascinated with this mama and her little (girl, I think) cub. PandaCam is becoming an obsession with me. I’m definitely going to be watching as this little one grows. I am very impressed with the communication from the zoo and the vets. This is just great. Thank you!
And I’m in Connecticut - I don’t think I’ll get out to San Diego, so do keep those webcams on – please!
August 25th, 2007 at 1:21 am
I heard “with Bai Yun as HER mom”, too. Uh-oh….cat’s out of the bag!
My husband laughs at me because I am addicted to the Pandacam! Watching this Bai Yun and her baby panda is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Thank you to all the folks at the zoo who monitor and maintain the video, blogs, etc.
August 25th, 2007 at 8:06 am
i am 12 yars old and i wach the new cub maybe 2 times a day. i cant wait to see it has a he or she. but good job bi une and geo geo. HAPPY BRITHDAY SULIN
August 25th, 2007 at 8:16 am
I missed the birth and early development of Su Lin. After I discovered the web cam, however, I started watching sometime every day, even keeping a separate browser open at work so I can sneak a peek here and there. Now with the new little cub, I’ve pretty much kept the web cam on all day and night. It’s such a great way to watch Bai Yun mothering/ she is amazing. When I first saw the little cub, I couldn’t believe that Bai Yun could keep track of its tiny self with it sleeping on her shoulder or arm and not crushing it.
Delia, I also heard the vet say her mom
. Hmmm.
Thank you to all the staff and volunteers there at the SDZ for providing this intimate look for those of us who are enamored of these beautiful and awesome creatures.
August 25th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I watch the panda cam everyday at work and I surprise to see how this really big bear takes care of such a small cub. Since I started to see this wonderfull animals I can now say that the giant panda is one of my favourite species. I think that is very important that we take care of this specie because every animal is special to the world and we must try to do all that we can to embrace reproduction. I want to congratulation to all the staff at the zoo for the amazing dedication for what they love the moust: our wonderfull pandas.
August 25th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Virgina #14 - You had the opporunity of a lifetime - to actually hold one of these cubs is the dream of all of us. My hubby & I were lucky enough to visit the SDZ in Jan. 06 - hoped to see Su Lin but she was high in one of her trees. On my third visit back to the panda exhibit daddy Gao decided to get up & wander around so at least I got a see a live panda close up. When I came out of the exhibit, my husband, who waited outside was getting a great view of SuLin in her tree. So sat on the bench & watched her from there. I have watched one of Tai’s keepers, Brian. on utube.com playing with Tai like a puppy. Envy, envy
Maureen
August 25th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
WOW!! I feel like an old timer here.. this is my 4th go-round now watching the new baby panda. It’s just as special now as it was the first time, but I honestly have to say that Mei was by far my favorite, although all of them have been special in their own ways. I guess i just “bonded” with Mei. He’s my boy. I got to go to SDZ last sunday for his 4th birthday, as i was there for his first and second but missed his 3rd. This year i got to take my new 3 year old son with me. He was happy to “meet” Mei as well, since the last 2 times we were at SDZ Mei was not out. He knows the pandas by name and somehow can tell as soon as he sees them which is Gao and which is Bai, even faster than i can. To the newest members of our panda cult… we have you now, your life is no longer your own, submit to the love of the panda and just let it happen. As for you Virginia, i am now officially JEALOUS. I’m glad you got to go check out our girl and her offspring. Hopefully we will be able to keep track of what happens with Mei when he goes to China, as we have with Hua Mei. Happy panda day to everybody and PANDA SLURRRPS for all.
August 27th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
She definitely said “HER” mom. Glad it’s a girl. Welcome Ming Shin.
August 28th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I really enjoy being able to watch the baby everyday. I love listening to all the panda blogs and hearing the vets make their comments. I am not able to always go to the zoo so this is my chance to here how they are all doing. Thank you for the chance you give us to see the inner works of the panda habitat.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Ever since I heard that a new panda cub was born at the SDZ I’ve been constantly watching the webcam. I get so excited every time we get to see the cub alone and when you see mom and cub together it is beautiful. I think my friends and family may be getting a little tired of all the panda talk and postcards, but I just can’t get enough. Thank you for the izoofari chats and panda updates. I’m having a great time learning all about panda’s!!
August 29th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Maureen from Michigan #23 & Tony Morales #24, I actually held my 1st cub & fell in love with Pandas in June 0f 1977 when China first opened its doors to tourism. I was at the Beiging zoo with friends from the isle of Guam. It was quite an experience & i’ve collected Pandas ever since. Having 4 cubs born here in my hometown has been great & watching each one grow is like watching our own kid. When Hua Mei was getting ready toleave for China I told Don Linburg we should stage a sit in at the Zoo. what is born here should get to stay, or so I thought. We all survived our girl leaving but love hearing what a good mom she turned out to be. Bai & Shi did great with her.
August 29th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
I started pandamania in my office. It started with Tai Shan at the National Zoo because he was born on my birthday!! Then came the Atlanta Beauty Miss Mei Lan and she and her mom are a hoot to watch!!! Now that Bai Yun has had her cub we watch for that moment of a glance of that precious gift. We have a bet at work of what the sex is but I think the cub is a little boy. Thank you for the opportunity to see into this world.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:37 pm
“It has to be a boy” Bai Yun has become the best Panda Mom…I have watched her with her babies and she is so comfortable with this one. Su Lin squacked and squacked when Mom left the den, but this one is content. This baby, being #4, is so exciting because Bai Yun, Gao Gao have made such healthy babies to share with all of us, and it is amazing to watch this process from the Panda being born, to watching its markings slowly appear and all of the exams one by one we follow the measurements, weight and health. I cannot believe how blessed these amazing animals are to have all of you care for and love them. It surely shows how much you enjoy what you do in the videos and pictures as you handle and do their exams.
I enjoy sharing all of the information with my co-workers. They tolerate me, because when each baby is born, I have the cam on all day and if the baby even move one muscle, I make the Doctors and everyone jump to see the Panda.
I was at work at 13:31 when babyPanda #4 was born. I yelled for all of my co-workers to come and see her deliver the baby. We all were huddled around one monitor to witness the event (we must have looked silly)…so we waited…and waited…and waited, but Bai Yun was hovering over the baby and we did not get to see a thing, so we were all thinking o.k any minute the cam will zoom in and show us up close and personal and then…blip, the video ended. We all were shocked and not quite sure what just happened, and we all had the look of “Huh?” Did she have the baby? What just happened? …and…then…the blog Bai Yun had her baby at 13:31 today!!!
Yeah, we all stated, but we saw nothing…what’s with that?
Huge kudos goes out to all of the care givers and the staff, all of you should should take a big bite out of the next Birthday Ice Cake…enjoy.
Lori (”Stalker”, as my friends would put it), Dean
September 6th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I’m in love with all the pandas and enjoy watching them and seeing the babies come into this world and help keep the geneotrations going for the future to enjoy.
The 24/7 coverage of your new baby panda was amazing to watch. And see how a tiny thing can grow into a beautiful black and white bear. Also to see how gentle the mother is in handling and caring for her cub.
But I’m wondering why all at once the cam is longer on the in den or anywhere else. Is it because you are doing maintance on it or has something else happen?
Moderator’s note: We are having technical issues with all of the Zoo’s cams and are working to resolve the problem. Thank you for your patience.
September 10th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Oh u people r awsome. I saw Sue Lin be born but I missed this one. I just happened to be on the cam and seen something different in with Bai Yun. I told my brother it looked like a baby and sure enough it was. I’ve been watching ever sense. Before I go to bed and as soon as I get up I’m looking at the cam, watching that cute little bundle of joy grow like I watched Sue Lin grow up I’ll be glad like everyone else to find out what IT is. Love ya and ya r GREAT Mary Grimm better know as Sandy
March 25th, 2008 at 9:50 am
hi im only 12 and i love giant pandas i was woundering if you could answer some of my questions
*how many shots does he need
*how much does it cost to feed a giant panda for a year
thankyou so much for you time
kaelynn,
Moderator’s note: Our pandas receive 4 vaccinations their first year and 2 per year thereafter. We grow most of the pandas’ bamboo at the Zoo, so that helps with the cost!