Dr. Pye jots down measurements being taken by Dr. Mike Schlegel, Zoo nutritionist, and Dr. White.
What could be the purpose of such a physical trait? It is unlikely to be a swimming adaptation. Pandas are not known to be regular, avid swimmers, although they do cross water when necessary in the wild. Perhaps this confers some specialized bamboo handling skill? Again, not likely, since the webbing seems restricted to the back feet rather than the forepaws.
There might be some benefit to adult males with webbing when engaging in foot scraping behavior. This interesting behavior is often seen when males are in high states of arousal around breeding encounters or when aggressively engaged with other adult males. Foot scraping with the hind paws leaves long troughs in the dirt, a visual signal, but may also leave some scent behind. We believe polar bears can leave pedal scent when they walk, and perhaps a panda’s foot scraping leaves some such scent behind as well. Either way, would webbed feet play a role in heightening the result of foot scraping? Since this behavior seems largely limited to males, and all of Gao Gao’s female cubs also have this characteristic, it may not have anything to do with this social signal at all.
One thing this webbing does highlight: Gao Gao is a valuable panda in the captive breeding program. Originally found near Fengtongzhai, he is likely to be at least somewhat genetically distinct from the wild pandas found in Wolong reserve. Characteristics like webbed feet underscore the unique genetic contribution our adult male can make to panda propagation.
Though webbed feet are an obvious sign of inheritance from Gao Gao to cub, undoubtedly there are more subtle genetic traits passed down as well. Personality, feeding and breeding success, general health and body size are all likely to be influenced by this to some degree. We’ll have to wait a little longer to see if this little boy is as mellow as his father, or as small, or has the same propensity for hand-stand scent marking.
I am sure you will enjoy watching and learning along with us!
Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research.
Watch the bears daily on Panda Cam.
Gao Gao is little, but no less mightly, as a matter of fact, I think he is more mightier! LOL! Way to go, papa Gao Gao! XOXO to the panda royalties at SDZ!
Suzanne, Thank you! From the first time I saw Gao Gao on exhibit, I’ve had a Panda Foot Fetish
I loved his feet; I loved how his foot fur seemed like a pair of frayed comfortable blue jeans 
When I heard Dr. Pye make that observation during the exam, I was so delighted 
Great DNA 
Wow, there are so many about pandas I would never learn if it weren’t for these informative blogs. Thanks so much for educating all us panda watchers (my daughter calls me a panda stalker, but it’s because we all love them so much that we watch with such interest). Is there any information about Su Lin in regards to her possible assignment to China? I know she’s turned 4 years old and I worry she will go to China like Hua Mei and Mei Sheng.
Moderator’s note: We do not know when Su Lin will move to China.
Well sounds interesting about the webbed feet. The paws on the little guy sure seem big. Thanks for the great information you are giving out. Thanks for your care of the pandas.
Very interesting about the webbed feet, but I have a question that I would like an answer to.
When the panda was born it had a long tail. What happens to it because it looks very short now.
Enjoy the feed and watch it whenever I can.
Take care of the little guy.
Moderator’s note: As the cub grows and its body length increases, the tail becomes proportionately smaller.
THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST FUN I’VE EVER HAD ONLINE. I DON’T WANT TO ANTHROPOMORPHISE (SP?) THE PANDAS BUT MANY OF THEIR BEHAVIORS SEEM HAUNTINGLY HUMAN. IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THE IMAGES FULL SCREEN? I LONG TO SEE MORE DETAIL. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I HAVE REFERRED SEVERAL OF MY CONTACTS IN AUSTRAILIA AND NEW ZEALAND TO THIS SITE. HOPE IT’S INTERNATIONAL. AGAIN, THANK YOU!
Moderator’s note: You can view larger images in the Panda Photo Gallery (a link from the Panda Cam page) or in the What’s New? photo gallery: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/whatsnew/index.html
May we see a pic of the webbed feet?
Moderator’s note: Perhaps during the next exam…
I was wondering when you would explain the webbing! My first thought was it was some evolutionary trait to do with swimming as well, perhaps from a time long, long ago. Whatever it is, it’s certainly fascinating but then Gao Gao has always been a special panda.
Thanks, Suzanne, for very interesting and educational post. Gao Gao has shown once again what a great stud he is. Do you think his smaller body size is due to genetics, or because of poor nutrition at the most critical growing stage in his adolescent development. I thought I read an earlier post, probably by you, that some of his small size could be due to the fact that he was orphaned at a young age and may not have gotten enough nutrition to reach his normal size. However, since he is exceptionally small, perhaps he does have some genetic factors as well. Have you heard from Bifengxia what Mei Sheng’s full adult size turned out to be? As I recall he is slightly on the smaller size, but not as small as Gao. His obviously good natural breeding traits displayed on his first breeding attempt show that he probably inherited that from his father as well as his webbed feet. When do you anticipate news about the paternity of the cub in Bifengxia that may be his? It will be interesting to see if it is, since Su Lin turned out be Gao Gao’s and not Shi Shi’s offspring when AI was done with Shi Shi first. If the other male mated with the female (I forget her name) prior to Mei Sheng, there is a possibility if not probability that her cub is Mei Sheng’s offspring. So far, it seems that Hua Mei is a very large panda like her mother. How big was Shi Shi relatively speaking?
Looking forward to more discoveries about this cub to see which of his parent’s traits he inherited. So far he sure is more mellow that ZZ.
No wonder Miss ZZ was so fascinated by the ducks behind her enclosure–distant relatives!
On the next exam, could you give us a close up of those back paws. I think this is so interesting.
I told you all he had cute feeties!
Thank you for the update; really interesting.
it looks as though gao gao is leaving his hereditary imprint on his cubs in more ways than one! how delightful is that!? how very interesting this post was suzanne. thanks for all the info. I never knew gao gao had webbed toes! looking at baby boy now, it seems as though he is huge and has big feet too! but
that can be deceiving too as he was sooo tiny at birth! I think my little grandaughter is getting so big, but then I see her next to other kids her age & she is a little peanut! so I guess size is in the eyes of the beholder! ha ha. big or little, it doesn’t really matter except for the stats and studies I guess.
also wanted to say how nice the new home page is! much better!!! thanks for listening and taking into consideration all the comments made by all us cyber panda lovers!! you are the best. kudos to U!
Suzanne – what a fascinating blog this is
We all knew pappa Gao was special but what studies you can conduct now on comparing his cubs must be priceless to the Chinese 
Seems like we already know that his cubs know how to mate naturally 
Look at Hua Mei & Mei Sheng. And while Bai & Gao have mated successfully 4 times I wonder if it’s due to Gao being a wild born panda that knew, er hmmm & needed to show Bai how things are done 
Obviously his female cubs did not inherit his small size ( I still wonder if there may be different species of giant pandas – In checking the other adult US pandas they (males & females) weigh at least 100 lbs more than Gao 
Please keep us updated on all your studies 
Whatever, each bit of info we get from you makes us want more
I thought that was so interesting to hear that our boy cub had webbed back feet like is Daddy! It was the 1st time I’d heard of it and yet every one of his offspring have that trait. Gao Gao is the man!!!
I swear every time I check in on our boy, he is bigger than the last time I looked at him. He is getting SO strong, too! The cute factor is off the chart!
We are just sooooo lucky to have big-big Gao Gao here with us!! Awesome panda mater (pater?), papa of the most incredible cubs, faithful and stalwart husband to the amazing super-panda-mama Bai Yun. He’s a star and a stud and a big old lover-boy. Baibee is so fortunate in his genes! Love him!!!!
Thank you so much for such wonderful information. All of us panda fans are gaining new knowledge, as well as receiving our daily quotient of “cuteness.” with our new cubbie. You all are doing such a great job with the pandas, and with us, their devoted fans.
I never know that pandas have webbed feet, very interesting, thank you Suzzane. I want to know all about my favorite animal.
Mr Chubby cubie is so cute. This afternoon he was moving his hands (paws) and legs, stretching. The transformation from a butter stick to a panda is almost completed, plumper limbs now. Adorable.
Even though Gao Gao is small for a male he is one great breeder. Perhaps his sperm should be loaned out to Washington & Memphis to help with their breeding programs. At the rate the cub is growing, he’s going to be a big boy. Bai Yun seems to really enjoy motherhood & is doing a great job of raising the little guy. Can’t wait till his eyes open & he starts to explore the den. Thanks so much for all the updates.
Fascinating baby and mommie watch. It is a must to check on the family every day. I am addicted to baby Panda’s like a million other people I guess. It started with the baby at Washington Zoo, from birth until now, and now I am watching San Diego baby every day, how lucky can I be for live Cams. Thanks for all you do for us Panda lovers.
Ok I forgot to mention in my last comment:
bleet, bleet, quack quack!!!!
Conversation with Bai Yun #16
Cubbie #5: Squeak (Mama.)
Bai Yun: Yes, dear.
C: Squeak (Where were you a few minutes ago?)
B: Oh, the sun room, dear. So how was your second exam?
C: Squeak (Second exam?)
B: Yes, you smell like you’ve been company with polyethylene gloves.
C: Squeak (Well, it wasn’t as pleasant this time.)
B: You mean you did not behave this time?
C: Squeak (Well, I did for the most part, Mama.)
B: Did they check your eyes?
C: Squeak (No, just the eyelids.)
B: Your ears?
C: Squeak (They noted they were not open.)
B: Your gums?
C: Squeak (They found teeth underneath.)
B: Your ribs?
C: Squeak (They spared no details. Found them ‘neath my blubber.)
B: So did you get the tape measure treatment?
C: Squeak (Yes, Mama. My chest girth was 13…)
B: Thirteen what?
C: Squeak (They didn’t say, Mama. My hearing wasn’t that good.)
B: So what was your complaint?
C: Squeak (They held me down and pinched my side.)
B: Oh, it’s the body fat caliper measurement.
C: Squeak (Huh?)
B: They wanted to know how fat you were.
C: Squeak. (Wasn’t last week’s “roly poly” test good enough?)
B: No, I’m afraid not.
C: Squeak (Groan…)
B: So what’s on your mind now?
C: Squeak (Is there a way to distract them next time with my webbed feet?)
Gao Gao’s family have to be the most special pandas in the world! I think the littlest hobo will turn out to be quite a large panda when he grows up – and he is growing up so fast.
Who doesn’t love pandas…didn’t everyone have a “panda bear” as a child…just another stuffy bear…then I started watching Tai Shan at the National Zoo 3 & 1/2 years ago…although elephants are my absolute favourite, I have been a panda follower as well…this new little guy will be my 5th cubbie and I know he will be as wonderful as all the others…so many times I am reminded of my child’s behaviour when I watch the cubbies grow and interact with their mothers (and on occasion, their keepers)…I think the cubs born in the US will be there for a while regardless of the arrangments made with China about sending US-born offspring back to China…unfortunately, Wolong (wonderful series about life in a panda reserve / conservation/ reasearch /preserve) is no more (3 or 4 years until it is rebuilt after the May/08 earthquake) and I don’t know where else in China they can place or accommate any “offspring”…certainly not in the wild…I share the webcams with any one and everyone I know who is interested…I was holding my breath to see if the cub was a girl or a boy and watching the video of the first exam was fabulous (the first video says a “head to toe” exam, but that isn’t quite true – we had to peek…just curious as to who of the wonderful staff at the SDZ won the pool on the time and gender of our new cub…thank you, Bernice.
There has been a post sometime, somewhere, about an area in China where the wild pandas are smaller. I don’t remember if it was the area where Gao Gao was found. Perhaps someone at SDZ can answer that? Also, there is an area where the wild pandas are colored more brown than black.
The two pandas at the Memphis Zoo are smaller than the others in the U.S. They came from Chengdu, but perhaps their genetics are linked to the smaller band of wild pandas?
So much here to learn, so many questions, and we are all like sponges. Gao Gao is a special panda indeed–including the cute, hairy, webbed feet. His face is adorable.
Keep up the good work, SDZ! We know you take special care of our loved ones.
Very interesting. Beautiful scene in den a few minutes ago — Little Man was receiving a very thorough bath from Mom — I can just imagine the little one thinking “Oh no, here we go again. Hang on. Upside down — oh no, my cute little webbed feet are straight up in the air. Mommy I can’t swim yet!. I need a panda belt for rides in the Mommy Paws ride.”
I always notice the normal scent of a furry creature. what does a healthy panda smell like? What sounds do Bai Yun and her baby (when his ears open) hear in their little nursery?
Moderator’s note: Keepers say pandas smell like bamboo. Bai and baby can hear sounds coming from the keeper kitchen, which is nearby.
What an interesting way to identify the Gao genes! Thanks for sharing.
Joy
aww! I should look for that now! The cam has a good close-up!
Baby is part duckie? Hope nothing else pops up like a beak or feathers…would he be as cute?…but it is so great he continues his daddy’s characteristics….wishes for you, baby, that you will have an opportunity to at least scent your daddy someday, even though you will never actually see him….right now, the little tike is struggling so, to flip over to his precious little tummy…he does not like to be on his back, momma! But exercising those little legs well….. Just watching him gets ME so frustrated, I want to go into the cam and gently finish turning him over, but he’s doing a pretty good job on his own…oooooh, close up now…open, open, open your eyes……thank you meerkats.
#10-that was soo funny! quick wit!
I’m with you, Bobbie (#2). I loved Gao’s feet from the 1st moment I saw him in person. He was motoring around the exhibit with those furry feet flapping on the packed dirt. I thought they looked like a pair of those ultra-fuzzy slippers! So cute! Being a male, I don’t think he’d really appreciate knowing he has a female following that loves his cute feeties. It’ll be our secret. I love all the pandas but I really love everything Gao! It was a real treat to watch him enjoy his 1st ice cake at SDZ last January. Hope this will be an annual tradition. How fortunate for SDZ (and all of us panda lovers and cam watchers) that China sent Gao over. I really wish we could keep him and Bai forever! The cubs too, of course, but we know they will be called back all too soon. Speaking of Gao, haven’t seen him for a while. Hope all is well in his world!
Thanks, again, Suzanne for this info. I, too, never knew about the webbed feet, it’s amazing. What a great Daddy these cubs have, as well as an incredible Mother.
Like the other post well before mine, I too am wondering how much longer we will have our Su-Lin, my first cub.
Thanks all of you keepers for keeping us up to date.
The cub is putting both paws over his eyes this morning (Saturday, 9:15 a.m.). Wonder if his eyes are opening.
Thanks Suzanne for another informative update of our little cutie pie. Gao Gao sure is unique and it’s so great that he’s passing on this special trait to his children. They are so blessed
)
Such fascinating tidbits of information. I love learning all about our pandas and about ALL pandas. Thanks for sharing all this information with us. It must be interesting for you all too to make such observations and relay these findings so that more research can be done on the life and times of pandas. Just fascinating!
I just love the way Bai and little one lie together in exactly the same position. It looks so cute. Could it be possible that Bai deliberately places him in that specific position?
Wow, interesting. I did not know Gao passed this on to his offspring. Cool.
And is it my imagination, or are little mans eyes open ? From the his current angle on the cam, looks like his little eyes might be open ?
Too soon ?
How fascinating that all of Gao Gao’s offspring have inherited his webbed feet. I wonder if this trait could be a result of a genetic adaptation to the enviornment Gao Gao and his ancestors lived in in China. Maybe the webbing helped them to grip their back feet on slippery mountain rocks?
I cannot thank the SDZ staff for all their efforts to provide the cams and the work to set up and monitor the blogs. The information you all provide has so enriched my life. And I want to tell all the bloggers how impressed I am with the enthusiasm, sharing of information and manners all exhibit. When the news is so full of anger and rudeness, and I need to find a place of peace, gentleness and hope for the future, this is where I come. Blessings to all and looking forward to the little one’s next exam and perhaps a peek at that those webbed feet : )
I just discovered your website and wonderful panda cam immed. after birth of little cubbie. Can’t see enough of them …. my eyes get teary just watching such a loving mother. I ‘tune in’ each morning, afternoon and before bed. My husband watches at other times. It would be a dream to visit your Zoo but we live in Canada so our visits via computer have opened a wonderful door of opportunity for us. We send Hurrahs for little cubbie as he grows and gets lots of gentle hugs from his mom. Pls tell … where does mother go when we see him lying all by himself?? Big thankyous to all who perform this service for us and the rest of the world!!
Claire
Moderator’s note: Bai Yun has access to her bedroom and sunroom right now.
Hi! Wet weekend here in Florida! Getting alot of rain right now, which we need. At home watching football games and the pandacam.
Just watched Bai do some cleaning on her son and holding him with her one arm.
Now about those webbed feet! This is the first time in my life that I have ever heard or read about pandas having webbed feet! That is a very unusual physical characteristic for pandas to have. Reading about Gao and cubbie having webbed feet, I’m wondering if Mei Sheng, Su Lin, and ZZ have webbed feet, too!? Be very interesting info about the other kids’ feetsies!
P Wong, another very cute conversation from Bai and cubbie!
I have also noticed that the cub’s tail has been getting shorter. Haven’t seen much of his tail lately when he’s laying down. He is still very rolly polly, and he’s getting alot more fuzzier! That means he’s getting alot more cuter and adorable! You all wish we can hold him, too?? I do!! SDZ keepers are soooo lucky to be able to hold this little guy when they need to get him to the vet’s office! Happy 5 week old bday, cubbie!
Well, gonna get back to the cam to see Bai and baby boy. Oh yeah, checked the AZ pandacam yesterday (Friday), and it is still not doing too good. The live stream pic was still jumping, and the note under the cam said that the techs are still working on getting the cam straightened out. So, have to be patient and wait a little bit. Hopefully, they will use the weekend to get it fixed so that by Monday, the cam will be in great working order!
Tomorrow, Sun., Sept. 13, is my 57th birthday! Will have a nice quiet day at home watching football games and the pandacam!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: Have a great day Sunday, Chari!
omg im watching baby gao jr doing sit ups !!! well actually his trying to get back to his tummy…but still he really looks like sit ups.,..i can’t wait to see pics of web foot…i don’t think i heard anyone mentioning about this on the others siblings?
Has anyone else noticed the little guy likes to tap his foot – just like Momma Bai? I remember watching her in the days before she gave birth when she was sitting in the den just tapping her foot…patiently waiting. Now every once in a while, I catch the cub tapping his foot as if he’s patiently waiting for Mom to return from her outing.
I don’t know that I have ever seen a mother (human or animal) enjoy her offspring as much as Bai Yun does. She is truly a joy to watch, and a heroine within her species, and a testament to the loving care by her SDZ staff family.
Good one P. Wong!
Baby seems to grow overnight! He’s really,really cute right now!
I agree with #19. That the other zoo’s need to learn for SDZ. GaoGao is a great boy. The web feet are cool. The chubbie cub is so cute. I ‘ve wacthed him doing litte swimming moments. Great job SDZ.
Thanks for the info esp. on the feet. I think our little boy looks quite different from his sisters and that is good. His parents are two of the best looking pandas in the world of course but it is nice to find that he has particular links to his dad and in fact all of them have had it.
If it isn’t found in the wild why does Gao Gao have webbed feet? As noted it may be more to do with breeding time but how many in China have this webbed thing? It is good though that he is different and passing along the genes just fine. We need more genetically different pandas.
Our little boy finally spoke up during his second exam. He doesn’t know who you are but he knows you aren’t his mama. Does it seem that Bai is a bit more relaxed with him now. When I’ve looked at the cam generally he is laying next to her. He still gets most of her attention but now that he is bigger it seems that she isn’t shielding him so much.
Thanks for sharing that information with us. I always knew Gao Gao was unique and I am amazed that he has passed this down to his offspring. He is one of the best panda daddy’s around. It seems that Mei Sheng may have inherited his mating abilities and therefore little chubby cubbie could be next in line to inherit that also.
“What could be the purpose of such a physical trait?”
Maybe it’s vestigial? Maybe a distant ancestor of pandas swam, a more recent ancestor didn’t need the webbing and so its offspring with the webbing genes turned off survived too, some descendants of the webless ones evolved into pandas, a mutation turned a webbing gene back on in Gao Gao, and he passed that mutation on to his sons and daughters?
“Moderator’s note: As the cub grows and its body length increases, the tail becomes proportionately smaller.”
So while the rest of the body grows a lot the tail grows a little or not at all? Makes sense!
#10 – Lisa – love it
Zoos are reluctant to anthezise any animals which is why they use positive training for a lot of procedures (blood draws, teeth exams, ultrasounds)
#19 – Ginny – Pappa Gao’s sperm was frozen & transported first class to the NZ a couple of years ago. After Tian & Mei Xiang failed to mate again AI with Gao’s sperm was performed. Sadly Mei Xiang had a false pregnancy. For some reason Mei Xiang (NZ) keeps us in suspense forever – is she pregnant or not & then we wait & wait for days & days- while with Bai it seems like one day we get the official word & then a couple of days later we see a new miracle. As it seems that Gao’s sperm is so valuable in the gene pool steps may be taken to freeze some. And am not sure how to say this but it seems I recall on the zoo’s “pandas wish list” a year or so ago some sort of stimulator for Gao. All blog watchers then got a chuckle over the wording
P. Wong, I love your cub and Bai Yun conversation! Too cute!
how cute are those webbed feet!!!bet he ‘s
gonna love his pool.
chari m. happy birthday to you, and many many happy and healthy more.
joan said
painted post, n.y.
You Da Man!SHI SHI. Its is because of you this all started.
I would think that webbing might be helpful in snow. Assuming that this trait has been seen in other pandas, is it usually in the same position (between the same two toes) as it is with Gao Gao? Another fascinating thing to look into, and how fantastic that all the Gao descendants have them! It will be interesting to see if that trait will be passed along to the grandcubbies. Perhaps someone should look at the cub that Mei Sheng might have sired? I’ll also be interested in seeing if Cinco de Bai-o will develop Gao Gao’s extra fuzzy forepaws.
In any case, we know where the webbed feet come from. If any of them start developing feathers–that’s another story altogether.
A couple of blogs ago, someone teased us Zhen Zhen fans with news of a never-before-seen behavior. I’m still oh so curious to find out what it is!
Moderator’s note: Yes, we’re all waiting for Ellie to share with us!
Mark #49,
Interesting comment about vestigial webbing. The pandas are the oldest branch on the tree of modern bears, and perhaps their common ancestor had lots of webbing. Certainly polar bears, the most aquatic of all living bears, have webbed feet too. However, polars have webbed forepaws, while Gao has a single web on his back paws. I am not sure about other bear species, but most other bears are not very aquatic. Those that are seem to wade more than swim.
Ancient China, in which the pandas evolved, had a lot less habitat fragmentation than it does today. As a result, the bears roamed into lowlands in the country and had more access to running water. So it remains a possibility that webbing was useful in crossing that water. We would have to look more closely at how pandas swim, and the prevalence of webbing across the whole panda population, in order to understand better. Neither has been done thus far.
Thanks for sharing Suzanne. it’s always nice to read your blogs as they give us great insights into the lives out our resident pandas. On another note, today Sept. 13 is Chari Mercier’s birthday.
Happy birthday Chari! Appreciate your contributions to the panda blog pages. Hope you have a wonderful day!!!
Webbed feet? Thats cool. How is ZhenZhen doing? I havent seen her for ages, I wonder how big she is.
Have you got any ideas of what your going to call the new cub? I cant wait for it to be named! Lots of love to my fave pandas, and to little cubbie as well!
Moderator’s note: Zhen Zhen is doing great and has settled into a nice routine. We’ll keep readers posted on naming opportunities.
Getting off the topic a bit, I was on the NZ pandacam a few minutes ago in time to see Mei Xiang treat herself to a dirt bath. She dug herself a shallow trough and squirmed around in it. When she felt the trough needed to be deeper, she’d claw away at the dirt while squirming – very funny. They must have given her her favorite scent, too, because she was ‘anointing’ herself at the same time. I saw a full six minutes of this activity – very fortunate for me!
Baiby is sleeping peacefully beside mama Bai just now – what a peaceful sight! Can’t wait for the naming to begin, though there’s a couple of months to go yet before he is 100 days old. Rest well, little one, for much adventure awaits you!
I am sooooooooooo excited for when cubbie’s eyes open! I love those small,brown eyes!
Could the webbed feet help with traction after heavy spring rains in the mountains when the ground might be muddy? It must be a fairly dominant trait to have been passed down to all the offspring. I wonder if it is a trait associated with pandas in a certain area. Wouldn’t it be fun to send someone out into the wild and kindly ask all the pandas to show them the toes of their back feet for a quick check to satisfy our curiosity?
I love animals I alsolove to watch and take care of animals. How do you get so many animals and get them to particapate in every thing you want.I am 10 years old and Ithought you might want to know.I have a sister and a brother. My sisters name is Anslie and my brothers name is Ashton.Our last name is Anderson.
Love ,Emilie
Moderator’s note: Hi, Emilie. The keepers work patiently with the animals in their care every day. To learn what it takes to be a keeper, visit http://www.sandiegozoo.org/jobs/keeper_faq.html
I was thinking along the same lines as Sharon #60. I have watched all the cubbies with cams from the day they were born and love the ‘making crop circles stage of walking’ . It seems the biggest problem is getting the back legs under control. I have noticed will all of Bai and Gao’s children who have this webbing that they seemed to be up and walking very soon after the crawling stage. Maybe in the wild cubs must be ready to walk or climb earlier than they do in zoo or reserves.
My oldest daughter ,Laraina got to meet ZhenZhen in april this year while visiting family in SD. We are from Ohio. On August 5 Laraina’s baby sister, Lakota, was born ( the same day as little cubbie). Lakota has three webbed toes on her right foot. It just was a little amazing to me when I heard about cubbie’s webbing.
Chari #42 The cub’s tail as has been pointed out to you before does not shrink. It merely does not grow in proportion to the rapid growth as the rest of his body. I have followed the birth and growth of all the pandas born in the U.S. over the years since Hua Mei. I am thoroughly amazed with most species of animals and am very fortunate to live so close to the SDZ and WAP. Only 10 minutes from the zoo and about 40 minutes from the WAP. I have been disabled since 2001 but have continued to maintain my annual pass for the parks as it remains my favorite outlet for getting exercise and getting out. I get to the zoo once or twice a week for quick visits of maybe 30 to 45 minutes each. Unfortunately I get to the WAP only maybe once or twice a year because the drive of even 40 minutes wears me out, truly frustrating since I love elephants especially Africans. I have watched the progression of all the new calves since Musi and have seen them all in person except Ingadze as of yet. I find it very educational as well as enjoyable to be able to visit the zoo so much. The experiences of being able to talk with the keepers and moderators has been great. The up close visits with the elephants has been truly magnificent. The information by the panda moderators has been fun as well as informative. Watching Scout and Montana grow has been really exciting since my first memorable experience with wild animals was when our car was approached by grizzlies when I was about four years old in Yellowstone. I moved to San Diego when I was five from Montana. Thank you SD Zoo staff and employees and donors for making the SDZ and WAP two of the greatest treasures in the world!
I am from austria and all days i watching Bay Yun and baby. I thank`s Sandiegozoo for this option. Bay Yun is a wonderfull mama and the cub is lovley. Greatings from vienna
Where is the NZ panda cam???? Bai and cubbie are funny! They were facing to the right of the door at 10:54, and they switched sides just recently! Bai must be so so so so so so tired!
Hi! Having a nice quiet bday today! Thanks! Was just on pandacam, and saw the little plump cutie by himself thanks to a great closeup by the meerkat cam people! I did see where his long tail was, and it has shrunk quite a bit into the cub’s growing body! He was very still waiting for mom to come back. Also watched one of the polar bears on the polar bear cam, and this bear was really funny doing his/her thing with that light blue plastic thing she was laying on and playing with. Just wrote a comment on the polar bear comment page about it! Don’t know which polar bear that was, tho; can’t tell them apart at all! Enjoyed the bear doing his/her thing! Nice to see the bears back out by the pool again.
Gonna get back on pandacam. Will be back later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Lately, as I watch Bai, I can’t help but notice how much she snuggles and cuddles with her cub. I don’t mean all the feeding and cleaning moments, either, but how she rubs him against her face and snuggles up to him. She really LOVES her baby! What a wonderful mommy she is! To me it reminds me of humans. You get so nervous taking care of an infant, at first, then you start to relax and really enjoy your time, especially as it starts to grow into a tiny person! I feel like that is what I am witnessing with Bai, right now. Cubbies are fun!
#3 – Tina – I am hoping that because of the earthquake & the need to rebuild the Wolong Research Center plus the overcrowding at Chengdu that our panda cubs return to China may be delayed – Both Tai Shan & Su Lin were scheduled to return this year & every day that goes by without the sad news makes me hopeful
It seems that Bai is spending more time with El Cinco de Bai-o in the doorway to her “sun room” ?? I don’t recall her doing this with her other cubs
Or is it because we are getting such clear camera shots now – whatever – yep, we’ve all commented on how gentle Bai is with her cubs but then we see her “getting the jobs done – nursing, bathing, licking, up & down, front & back, cubbie is dizzy & sick of being mauled by mom, just when cub thinks he’s going somewhere Mom puts her huge paw on her cub – MOM IS IN CHARGE & DON’T YOU FORGET IT” 
Thanks for all the great camera work -
And now that my hubby has retired I have to share the panda cam – he’s an panda addict like me
Whoa! I think Snuggles has doubled his weight in less than a week. I checked in on Bai and cub at 7 PM and he has gotten so big that it is difficult for Bai to hold him and manipulate him in her fore “arms.” His “fluffy butt” is the size of a large grapefruit, well on its way to being a junior soccer ball. He is obviously well fed, which is why she is leaving the den more to get enough food for herself.
After 9 months of being unemployed, I finally got a great 6 month contract job. Now I hope to be able to save enough money to go visit my favorite West Coast animal friends, and maybe even get lucky enough to see el Cinco de Bai-o outside in person, and Su Lin before she leaves for China. I can’t afford to go to China to visit Mei Sheng and Hua Mei. It is more economical and better to go to SDZ and WAP and see ALL the animals. I hope there might be Polar Bear cub(s) by the time I get there too.
P. Wong I love your Bai Yun and cub conversations. I can just imagine what Bai is saying to him when she returns after his exams and undoubtedly gives him a very thorough bath and exam of her own.
Chari, #42, Sept 13 is my nephew’s 24th birthday. The NZ pandas were still around when he was a toddler and we took him to the NZ. Unfortunately he was too young to remember them.
In response to #42 Chari. Suzanne noted in her blog that all of Gao Gao’s cubs have inherited the trait of webbed hind paws. Also per your post #67, the tail does not shrink it just not grow as rapidly in proportion as the rest of his body.
Wow, #63, Crystal, you have a little duckie/panda/baby. LOL. She will grow up to be a panda lover for sure. Maybe she’ll do something great for our beloved pandas when she’s older. Perhaps restore their natural habitat.
Bai is a tiredless mother. She amazes me. And cubbie amazes me how strong he is. And how incredible CUTE!
Has anyone watched the Chiang Mai cam? Lin Ping is a riot. Those back feeties just don’t get any traction on the floor in the den. Lin Hui was just using Lin Ping as a pillow. She was also grabbing her to her body, and holding her but cubbie was just like jello. Wiggling all over the place and squeezing out under/over her arms. It still amazes me the differences in the rearing/raising of the cubs there versus the US. But is is precious to watch Lin Ping climb around in the crib.
#66-Pandafan #2 – for the NZ pandacams, just google ‘national zoo panda cams’. Should get you there.
Just watching the Chiang Mai pandacam right now and Lin Hui has Lin Bing captive right now with the licking and cleaning. That cub is growing!! Apparently 11 teeth now.
P Wong, thanks for the cute conversation. How cute these babies have webbed feet. As for Gao Gao, he is such a small and handsome father.
I was wondering if someone could list a basic timeline of a panda cub. For example, the moderators said the cubs eyes and ears should open any day now, by day 50. When does a cub start to stand? When do they walk? When do they go outside, following Bai? At what age do they start weaning and eat boo? What age are they taken away from her and put in their own area? Are all the pandas kept separately or do they share living, playing spaces, like the polar bears? Being new with watching Pandas, I have a lot to learn and I can’t seem to find any basic information like the above questions anywhere!
Moderator’s note: Cubs start to crawl by day 73 and walk at 14 to 15 weeks of age; they start to mouth bamboo at 7 to 9 months but continue to nurse until 17 to 18 months. At that time, Bai Yun is ready to go back having the place to herself! The pandas do not share exhibit space or bedroom space. See See http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2005/10/24/pandas-play-solitaire/
Watching the panda cam at 7:55 a.m. (P D T) with Bai Yun’s back to the camera as she is eating bamboo–
I thought, “wouldn’t it be neat (although not likely) if we saw the little cub crawl up to mom’s backside and
give her a little nip?”
This is the best panda update because the information was so unexpected and interesting. I never would have thought that giant pandas might have webbing between their toes. Do you refer to this phenomenon as syndactyly? If not, is there a correct scientific name? I was really curious after reading the update last night, and wound up reading about webbed toes and feet in some other mammals, most of which spend a decent amount of time in the water (some breeds of dogs, otters, platypus, fishing cat and more).
In comment #55, you mentioned the absence of studies about how pandas swim and it makes me hope that somehow there might be a swimming study at some point. It would be quite an undertaking but so very interesting (and no doubt enjoyable for the researchers to observe!). I know SDZ’s panda team has a lot going on right now with five pandas and a hearing study already underway but I know that someday you’ll be up to the task of studying swimming pandas if you think it’s warranted. I’m already looking forward to the results of the hearing study that’s been mentioned lately.
As something of a panda foot fetishist (LOL), I enjoyed the close-up of Bai Yun’s right rear paw. I opened up the panda cam page this morning and chuckled when her cute foot filled my screen. It was also good to see her eating in the sunroom. Do pandas need sun exposure for vitamin D production? With all of their fur, I’m wondering how that works or if it’s even an issue in giant pandas. Bai seems to stretch to enjoy the sunlight on her face when she’s in the den but she seems to keep the cub away from the sunlight, at least that I’ve seen so far. Can the cub experience light through his eyelids the way that humans can experience light even when our eyes are closed?
Again, thanks for an exciting update. It’s fun to learn along with the researchers as more is discovered about giant pandas.
Suzanne, et al — I seem to recall the observation of “webbed” toes being made when Mei Sheng was just a cub and it being perceived as unusual — one of the keepers even commented, “Oh, No! All the other pandas will make fun of him in school!” Just an idea – these seem to be the toes emphasized most when scratching with the hind foot of the pandas I’ve observed — just a better back scratcher?
hmmm– maybe it’s to help with climbing? Sort of like a no-slip grip?
Love the info and the pics!!
Don’t forget to vote for Pandas Int’l's Suzanne Braden as Animal Hero of the Year today! They need the prize money to help support our fave animals! (go to animal planet dot com and VOTE, you don’t need to do anything but click the dot button for her name, no typing).
Su Lin is happily going nuts with a burlap bag right now, very entertaining!
The webbed feet from Gao to cubs is neat…think it must be just a random mutation that doesn’t prevent successful breeding so it isn’t weeded out of the genepool. And is a dominant trait. Doesn’t necessarily confer benefits, just is no detriment to passing on genes. Which Gao and this older son (hopefully this year) have done very well! Wonder when we’ll hear if MS is a papa…
Happy b’day Cheri yesterday, we’re almost same age, I’m right behind you. Congratulations on another year of panda fandom!
Baby son grows almost by the minute! Loving watching him become more aware of his world, and his mama’s great gentle care. They are such fun!
I watching the AZ cam to bad they’re still having problems with it but I still could see the cute little X man enjoying his boo at the top of his wood structure. It was great to see Miss ZZ and Su lun this morning both also enjoying their boo. Oh my the little guy is growing more everyday.
I hope everyone remember today you can start voting on Animal Planet person of the year. We are hoping that Suzanne Braden from Panda International will win this year for all the great work she has done with helping Wolong panda reserve after the earthquake and the work she does everyday to help with meds and supplies.
The winner will get $10,000 dollars for their chairty so go the Animal Plant or pandasliveon and they will take you to where you vote.
All the nominees do wonderful work but our pandas and Suzanne Braden needs to be number 1. Vote between Sept.14th and 27th.
Thank You
Pam
Moderators~Thank you so much for answering my questions on #75! I really appreciate it! So, our little fellow should be walking right around the holiday season! How exciting! He is so incredibly adorable!
#80 Marti – we just discovered that you can vote once EVERY day, not just a one-time vote. Please, everyone, go to AnimalPlanet dot com and cast a vote for Suzanne Braden.
#78 Ellie…to go along with the thought of Sheng being picked on because of his webbed foot/feet, for some reason, as soon as I read about Gao Gao’s attribute, I thought about his ripped left ear and thought” Oh..maybe that’s how his ear was ripped. Other panda’s were picking on him for his webbed feet!!”. I guess for me, that comes from constantly being teased for being skinny as a kid. So, I was right with poor Gao Gao, before he had a name, just wandering around, looking for some choice bamboo and being made fun of by bigger panda’s…..If that were true, which I highly doubt, I would really wish those panda’s could see Gao Gao now! With his wife and 4 children…what an imagination I have….
What a fascinating blog entry, Suzanne! Gao Gao and his little ‘duckling’ offspring! Gives us lots to think about, that’s for sure!
VIDEO alert for those that missed sweet Su Lin this morning – there’s a YouTube video posted – “Su Lin, the Crate, and the Sacks of Boo” – or just search for Su Lin Crate Boo. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face:)
Thank you San Diego Zoo for continuing to give us timely, informative and entertaining updates on our SDZ Panda family (as well as a crisp, clear video stream to watch them)!
Mei Sheng had the cutiest paws, especially when he was little. I think this little boy will be just like him.
It appears momma Bai, seems to be leaving little man a bit more often these days. it seems she is gone for about 10-15 minutes, then comes back for about 5-10, then back out again. I didnt get to spend much time with Bai and Zhen, but got to spend every day with Bai and Su Lin, and from what I recall, she didnt leave Su Lin quite as often. Is this normal, or is this a new behavior ? And I have also noticed, she also seems to be a bit more playful early on.
I am seeing the little one all by himself. I just want to grab him off the screen and into my arms. Too cute, it’s unbearable.
Well hello gang its been awhile since I have been on here, I hope everyone is well and well well well we have a baby boy. He is a sqwirmy little guy I think he is sooo cute on his back and wiggling and a giggling..he he. Well I just been gone for a month and went to see the panda family at the National Zoo….it was way to hot didn’t get to see them much outside since it was about a 100 degrees. Wow but I did see Mei and Tian interact together and Tia shan was sleeping under a tree all spralled out. So I will be making a trip in December or January to see the new little one is SD. Well keep up the good work to all the keepers and you are just so lucky to see them everyday. TC Lyn
It looks like el Cinco de Bai-o likes being in the doorway with the warmth of the sun from the bedroom. He seems to be quite content resting on his own. If he huge increase in size in the past 4 days is any indication, this boy is going to be one big panda dude, taking after Bai’s size not Gao’s. He sure is a healthy boy!!!!!!
Silly baby. He is like a dog (no offense!) waiting at the door for his owner, but this time he is a panda waiting at the door for his mommy!
I saw the panda cam at the Smithsonian Zoo. I don’t know who the pandas are…..help!
#89 AC I know what you mean. I would love to be able to reach through the screen and plant some kisses on that little cubbie. Oh how I wish I was a panda keeper!! Just to touch him would be a thrill!
Mei Sheng always held a special place in my heart since he was the first cub I watched grow up on panda cam, but little chubbie cubbie has my heart at the moment.
Pandafan#2, If you look at the side of the screen it says meet the pandas, this will tell you about their markings and how to tell them apart. I look at the bridge of the nose, Mei has dots of black and Tian has a straight black mark, then the stockings tell Tai.
#93 Pandafan#2 –
Pandas at National Zoo–Mei Xiang is the adult female and mother of Tai Shan, Tian Tian is the adult male and father of Tai Shan, and Tai Shan is the male “cub” who is all grown up now!!!
I vaguely remember that the Royal Stuart line shows up with webbed fingers, and the Austrian Hapsburg one with an extra nipple. Obviously Gao is related to royalty, and my beagle as well. LOL. Oddly enough it also seems that these traits are dominants and seem to serve no useful purpose. To our knowledge that is.
#93 Pandafan#2 — when looking at the pandas at National Zoo– the 4 yr. old cub Tai Shan is USUALLY on Cam 2, although that can change. If you see two pandas together, they are the parents of Tai Shan–the NZ does allow the two to be together at certain times of the year. Tian Tian, the male, is easiest to tell from the others — his eye patches are vertical rectangles, whereas Mei Xiang and Tai’s eye patches are more round. Mei Xiang’s shoulder saddle is wider than the boys’ saddles. Just hang in there–it won’t be long before you can identify the pandas from their markings. They do not all look alike.
Dear Jayne O. #86: Thank you SO MUCH for the heads-up regarding the latest Su Lin video! It is fantastic and wow, Did Su Lin spend a lot of time playing this morning!!! I was giggling because she reminded me of the time I spend in the produce section of the grocery store as I attempt to open the plastic bags provided to customers
I think she played for over an hour and a half…will have to watch the video again and verify 
thanks #98 and #96! I hope I’ll catch on fast!
#55 — Polar bears are swimmers. The huge paws they have also helps to distribute their weight more evenly when they are walking on ice and snow (at least that is what I have read) but that makes sense.
I just wondered, since you spoke of the genetics involved, can you freeze the sperm from the male pandas to be used in the future for breeding? Can you get sperm samples from Woolong sent here and use those, or is it too fragile of a procedure to do this??
Is baby okay? Momma left the den and he has been laying in the same position for the last 5 or so minutes, he’s on his back and his arms and legs are kind of spasming…..very worried!!!! He never stays on his back, always struggles to flip on his tummy…….. = – [ I hope she didn’t unintentionally step on him leaving……
Did Bai just take Chubbers out of the den?? Eee, another milestone!
6:37pm. Where’s little man ?? Den is empty. Did the keepers do a later then usual exam, or did momma bear take him for a stroll ??
#75 Deb of Ma – welcome new panda fan
– if you check the SDZ, NZ or ZA websites you will find links to info about our beloved pandas 
but I have found this blog so full of info – have a question – ask it & someone will try to answer. We are all very dedicated panda lovers here & are anxious for any news of “our pandas” but also of any word in the panda world – cubs born in captivity always make us happy – it means one less panda away from extinction & as a new panda fan hope you know that things are not looking good China seems to be doing what they can to save their national treasure but from what I’ve read the pandas are having one problem after the other – their problems just mount, one after the other – lack of bamboo, bamboo plants dying, the explosion of the Chinese population in areas where Giant Pandas have lived for millions (not hundreds but millions) of years, logging which means momma pandas are having trouble finding tree dens for their cubs, road building which means that pandas are having trouble moving from one area to an other to find a mate & then the earthquake -how many wild pandas did we lose??? So every time a cub is born we celebrate. I know there is old Chinese saying out there that cannot see the world without the giant panda but have been unable to find it.
#82 Pam T – voted & remember you can vote ONCE EVERY DAY
Ooh–I think Mom has taken cubbie outside again! Another precocious little one coming right up!
Help! Where is the panda? Mama and baby are gone! Yipes!
hey, its 9pm Central time and the cub is nowhere to be seen in the den! Did Bai Yun take him outside?
I am laughing so hard, right now! I just watched the time lapse video for today and counted 9 times that Bai left little Bundlekins alone in the den. But this last time he seemed to be fussing. She came in and grabbed him, brought him out with her. I think I heard her saying “Mommy loves you very much, dear, but she has things to do, so today you are just going to have to come with me!”
It’s 7 p.m. San Diego time, and Cubbie is nowhere to be seen! Did Bai take him out? This is something new because the other cubs never left the den till they were walking. Maybe Bai Yun is tired of staying in the den with our nice weather, so she’s decided to take Cubbie out for some air.
I saw the time lapse video for today! Bai took him outside!!! Is this the first time this has happened? You can clearly see her reach down and pull him out of the den.
Do my eyes deceive me? Monday evening and Bai Yun seems to have taken El Cinco de Bai-o on another ‘walk-about’? Boy is this kid a traveler at an early age! It will be interesting to hear from other panda cam watchers about this, and how long they were out and about!
The baby boy panda bear is missing ? Bai Yun took him out of the birthing den monday night on 9-14-09. I went on about 7:oo pm to look at them and the birthing den is emty. Is he all right out of the den so soon? Did Bai Yun move him to another spot? I hope all is well with the mommy and the baby. I am worrie about the baby. He is so cute and the Bai Yun she is such a great mther and cute too and all the other pandas too. thank you for a great job the sd zoo is doing with these bears and thanks for sharing them with us too.Love Laura L. P.
Looks like we’ve got Camping Under the Stars again. At just after 6:30, Bai picked up El Cinco and carried him out of the den. Almost 45 minutes later, they’re still gone.
Well, OK, they’re really not under the “stars.” It’s twilight and cloudy. No stars yet.
But it’s a start!
Margaret #70 – Congratulations on finding a job. I’m so happy to hear that you will be able to visit our wonderful San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. Finally, – fingers crossed – your dream is about to come true after.
Jayne O. #86 – Thank you again for directing us to another cute video of our sweet Su Lin. She is a very persistent panda and in the end, Su Lin was rewarded with a delicious chunk of bamboo.
Bobbie #99 – You are correct in your analogy. Attempting to open the plastic bags in the produce section literally give me “fits”. Su Lin looked so cute throwing the bag over her head. She reminded me of my granddaughter when she was young. She had a special soft blanket and loved to flip it over her head. She twisted that blanket around until she got it in the right position … Su Lin made similar moves.
At this time 19:37, the panda den is empty. Perhaps Bai Yun has decided to take her little son on a night time adventure.
I’ve just seen on Panda Cam… and I couldn’t see anyone… where’s the baby boy?
7:49pm. Yup, after watching the time lapse panda cam, looks like Bai took little man for a stroll under the stars for what looks like about 1 hour now. Again I dont remember Bai taking the girls out this early.
Is this again, new behavior from her ?
It’s 8:00 p.m. in SD and there is no one in the den. Hmmmm….
okay….now, no one’s been in the nursery for over an hour now! Where are they??? Bear napping!
Where is our little Butter Dude? The bedroom’s been empty for hours now. I can’t get my panda fix. I think I’m going to start scratching soon.
Hi there……Okay, it’s 8:17 p.m. Monday eve and I don’t see baby on the cam!!!! Where is the baby boy at??? Did BaiYun take him out of the den???? I’m freaking here………….
Does anyone know where the pandas are? I am a little worried…
omg!!! it is 11:30 est, just cked. in to say g/nite to the cubby, and he’ GONE!
CALL THE FBI, SUZANNE, HOLLY, HELP.
where is the little one?
did mama bai take him out for a stroll?
biting my nails….
joan
Where’s the little one tonight? Camping?
Pandafan#2, more clues about the pandas at NZ:
Mei Xiang likes to sleep on the rocks on top of her grotto, and often hangs her head down while sleeping. In her den, she likes to sleep on top of the mountain. Her den is bigger than Tai’s and Tian’s.
Tai also has the black dots on the bridge of his nose.
Tian can often be seen sleeping in his “man cave” on his back, with one leg resting on the wall!
It’s 11:30 pm EST and Bai and Little Gao are AWOL. I wonder if they’re sleeping in the sunroom.
OK … it’s 10:56 PM Chicago time … where is Bai Yun and where is the cub??? Has she taken him for an outing?
They have been out of the den for quite some time now!
12 midnite EDT: finally got on the pandacam very late tonite after a day ofhelping clean at my parent’s house and going to my son’s school meeting earlier tonite! Looked at the cam and NO CUB! Did Bai take her little boy outside?? No cam showing that at all! Oh well, little cubbie deserves some fresh air, too! I also voted for Suzanne Braden tonite; one of many votes between today and 9/27. I’ll be getting on Twitter to let other pandafans know about the Hero of the Year voting for Suzanne Braden.
Gonna go to bed right now. Will check the cam tomorrow to see little guy!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Didn’t know where to contact! But checked into Panda Cam to find both Mum & Baby not there in middle of night – whats happened?? Very worried! Have been watchin every day & night also – stain across screen that not usually there! What has happened?
Debbie Avid Panda watcher!
It’s 9:10 pm Pacific time and I don’t see Bai or her cub in the den. Where are they?
um…they are still gone! I am getting a little worried!
I have been faithfully watching the panda cam, and have not noticed a time that the baby panda has not been there for hours. It appears on the time lapse that Bai moved the baby out of the den? Why would she do this? Where are they? I am so worried!
Monday night … almost 10 p.m. …. the den is empty???? Where are Bai Yun and her son??? Is everything ok??? Wondering…
The den is empty at 22:04 panda cam time, on 9/14. Maybe he’s on a camp out with mom…
I haven’t seen bai or baby boy in the den for the last couple hours! do you think they are sleeping under the stars tonight? bai has previously taken her little cubs out of the den in the past for a fresh air sleep
in the middle of the night. true to form!! what a gal! has she done it this early before? we are all soo nosey about everything she does aren’t we? it must be a warm night and stuffy inside!
My goodness…Momma had her baby son outside the den last night for at least 2 hours. I know it had to be more than that but I didn’t look at the clock right away. I was watching and all of a sudden baby was gone. She had left him for a little while alone as usual, and then the next thing I know, Pip was gone too. I remember Zhen Zhen having excursions at night too. The camera was on the empty den the whole time, so I have no idea what they were doing or if they were just in the bedroom for a change of pace. On another note…having seen SuLin really enjoying herself when she’s splashing herself in her pool, either just to play, or to cool off, I wonder if she would do more if the pool was larger. She certainly isn’t afraid of water, so maybe Panda’s did have webbed feet at one time for crossing large bodies of water. I also remember seeing Bai Yun pulling Zhen Zhen into the pool for a swimming lesson. Everytime Miss ZZ wanted out, Bai Yun pulled her back in. So, even though panda’s don’t swim like Polar Bears, we really don’t know if they needed the ability long ago and the instinct is still there to teach their young just in case. Or of course, it could just be a fluke with Gao’s webbed tootsie’s and just something he has and happened to pass on to his children.
Anyone know where the baby went from about 7 pm (PST)? It’s about 10:20 pm now and I don’t see anyone in the den……Did Bai Yun take him on a “road trip” to a different room?
Well I’ll be darned — I have something in common with out littlest panda — as I too have a couple of toes on each foot that are webbed! Although I have to admit — it hasn’t helped me master swimming or tree climbing. Here’s hoping our little cubbie does better at those skills than me : )
Hmm, no pandas on the PandaCam for quite awhile this evening (Sep 14, 2009). Hope everything is OK.
OK, i’m trying not to freak out!! there’s been nobody in the den for a couple hours now. hopefully bai has decided to take our boy out into the rare and delightful mist we’re having tonight. right? :\
Has Bai taken little one out star gazing? There’s no-one in the den at 23.45 SDZ time. He sure gets around!!
Is anybody else worried that mom & cub have been outside the den for quite sometime tonight? It’s been (what seems like) almost an hour. It’s kinda cold out.
This is my first “cub watching”.
Is she taking the cub out of the den now? It looks to me like she’s had him outside the den for almost 3 hours now.
5::30 am ESt time and no Bai and no baby, just an empty den this morning. I’m guessing the baby is sleeping under the stars with mama ?!
Where is Bai Yun and Cubby? I’ve been checking on and off since 6am (UK time – so that must be about 10 or 11 at night over there) and they have been absent from the den all that time. Are they OK?
I’ve been watching the PandaCam since I got up 3 hours ago – where is Bai Yun & her baby?? I started watching at the weekend & it seems strange that it’s the middle of the night in Calif. & they’re not there. Friends & I are thinking that maybe it’s too warm & mom has taken baby outside? Hopefully they’re ok, will keep watching.
Bai Yun came in with the baby, then went back out again! At least I know they’re both ok.
7:35 am EST and Bai brought the cub back in the den, quick bath and then back in her mouth he went…looked like she was going to go back out but then put him down on his back where he immediately wiggled and flipped back onto his belly. She picked him up in her mouth at 7:38 am EST and back out of the den they went.
WHERE IS THE BABY!!!??? It’s about 5:00 am CA time on the 15th (I’m on the east coast so it’s 8:00) and I just tried to check in on the cutie pie…only to NOT see him in the den. Am I remembering correctly that at times with past cubs Bai likes to take the little ones out to see the stars??? Could it be this is what has happened to the sweet babe?
Where did cubbie go last night? I’m watching for South Africa and have really missed seeing cubbie and Bai during our morning time. Hope that he’s okay and just enjoying his first night under the stars.
Thank you SDZ for a wonderful opportunity to enjoy your pandas from afar. I love watching them and sharing the highlights with my family and friends.
where are the cub and Baiyun. i can not see them. if something happened ? i worry
wow!! just popped on kc time— No one is in the den this am
is a weight update coming soon?? I bet over 4.5#
Where are they? I’ve been watching the came since yesterday, and they are not there. I’m worried.
Thank heavens for the time-lapse video because I was starting to panic this morning with no Bai or cub in the den! Isn’t this the earliest that Bai ever moved her cub from the den? Where did she go with him?
Tusday AM. Where are Bai Yun and baby?
I haven’t seen Bai Yun and her cub since yesterday. Is the cub okay?
I checked in at 7:45 EDT and no baby, no Bai. It’s now 9:40 and still no baby and no Bai. They must have had a sleep out in the day room. I do miss my morning panda fix but I am sure when all of you out there get to work I will get to see them.
I did check out the youtube video of Su Lin, boy she was determined to get to her enrichment items.
Can’t wait to hear how much chummers has grown this last week. I agree it does look like he is growing right before our eyes.
This must be quite an outing!! I saw Bai Yun taking her cub out of the den at 18:44, then came back in for a short time an hour later and when I check this morning they were still not back “home”. I hope the night was warm and the sky clear so that it will count as a night under the stars. Too bad the cub couldn’t see it and probably would not even hear his mum if she describes it to him…
Baby got a mention in an article about panda sex talk on msnbc.
“One giant panda without such concerns at present is the 3.9-pound male cub recently born at the San Diego Zoo.”
I have not seen Bai Yun & baby last night or this morning. Where are they?
Woah. Where is Bai and the cub? They were gone for a few hours, last night and still are not in the den. I hope everything is okay.
Where did they sleep last night?
Hi, I am just wondering if the baby boy is OK. I noticed that I couldn’t see him in the den last night. I checked in again this morning and still no little guy in view. I am hoping and praying he is OK as I love him and would be deeply saddened if anything was wrong.
May God bless you for your efforts in helping these wonderful creatures.
Well, they’re gone. The den’s been empty for almost 8 hours now.
Where have they gone????
Where is our little cubbie, he wasn’t on the cam last night nor this morning?
Where is our panda cub? All I am getting is a picture of an empty den! It was empty late last night and is still empty this morning.
They are back, is Bai Yun taking the baby with her to her sun room?
Momma and baby were out ALL night….teaching him early…good to see them back! This is the first time, right?
I watched with concern that mom and baby were not in the den the entire night of the 14th – 15th but am very relieved to see that they are back again this morning. Where did the spend the night?
Why did mama take her baby out of the birthing den all night and then bring him back in the morning?
Well, it seems that either the sunlight or human activities pushed Bai Yun to bring the cub back in the den. The cub is nursing now. I am sure he will have a long nap after that exciting night out…
I guess the little guy got to spent the night sleeping under the stars last night. I notice he was gone about all night from the den. Hooray the AZ cam looks like it’s back in good working order.
I hope everyone remembers to vote for Suzanne today.
Mommy and Pip were out all night long….I didn’t see them come back in the den until after 11 A.M.EST. I would love to know why Bai took Pip out…such excitement for the little boy. I sometimes hate to see little Pip Squeak all by himself in the den, it seems sometimes for hours. So, I guess Momma decided it was safe to bring him along for the ride this time…..
Is there a problem with the blog today? I am trying to leave a comment and I get an error message telling me to enter a valid email address. I am using the same email address I’ve always used and it is assuredly valid as I sign in to it every day.
Moderator’s note: This comment came through.
Gao Gao is a Panduck…hehe! I love Gao Gao and his little ones and Bai Yun! I have been watching them on the cam for a long time. So happy to hear that the newest addition is doing great and soooooooo cute!
RE #175…Thanks, moderator. I was starting to wonder whether I’d been whisked into another universe, what with Bai and the panda lad going AWOL (at least from the cam) and WordPress telling me my email address was invalid.
I, too, noticed last night that Bai disappeared with the cub around 6:30 SDZ time. I checked back for awhile and noted a unique-looking piece of bamboo. At 2:30AM SDZ time, I noticed that piece of bamboo seemed to be in the same spot and figured that Bai had stayed out all night. It was a bit alarming and I was beyond curious, but I know that the staff has things under control and that the panda family is in good hands. I assume someone is still watching them 24/7. And now we all know that Bai Yun doesn’t have a curfew now that she’s turned 18. Don’t tell Gao she didn’t amble back to the den until the wee small hours of the morning!
I would so love to vote for Suzanne Braden but, as I am not a citizen of the USA they won’t let me. Not fair, sob sob. Glad to see Bai has brought little one back in again. I hope he enjoyed his night out under the stars.
Hi! Been checking pandacam a couple of times today. First time, no cub in the den, so guessing that momma took him out for some morning sunshine. He was out of the den with mom for a long time overnite! Just got back on the cam, and cubbie is back home in the den.
Gonna get back on AP again late tonite to vote for Suzanne Braden. Going on Twitter in a while to let all the other pandafans know about the Hero of the Year voting. Gonna go and check on the Atlanta Zoo pandacam to see if they got that one fixed. Will let you all know!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Yeaaaa! Got the little fella back on camera.
But now the clock appears to be off by a couple of hours.
Or is it delayed?
Moderator’s note: The time is not delayed, and we’ll see if the keepers can correct the time (when they have time!).
Cubbie may have spent the night outside, but there weren’t any stars. It was cloudy here in SD, and it was also a cool night – mid to low 60s.
Absolutely fascinating about the little web feet! And too funny about ZZ and the ducks Frances #10!! What a great genetic marker from Gao Gao.
I was away from computers yesterday, but did start today voting for Suzanne.
#178 Susan (UK) You can vote for Suzanne Braden. You must be a US citizen to nominate someone, or to be the winner. We have two people who were able to vote, one in Malaysia and one in London.
I have a theory about Bai taking El Cinco to camp under the stars (although it was cloudy and cool and misty last night. Pandas in the Mist!).
I think she just wants a change of scene. She nearly always chose to sleep outside when she was with Zhennie, although all the pandas have access to their bedrooms whenever they want to go inside. It’s just her choice.
Also, El Cinco has enough fur and certainly enough fat now that she doesn’t need to regulate his temperature any more. Plus, Bai knows there’s no danger in her enclosures. I’ll bet this happens more and more often. It’s probably good for the little guy, and for Bai.
#183 Jeri, thank you for that. I’ll go and do it right now.
Hi again Jeri, I just voted for Suzanne, and I’ll be sure to do it again tomorrow.
‘m Venezuelan and I’m impressed is amazing the natural world and learn that animals like these are tender call for me is love in all his ways every hour back to the computer to know if it’s panda cub panda mom strokes holds in his hands is really great I have no words to share, 24 hours a day I see and feel God is always accompanied by clear here. thanks to the great zoo in San Diego Congratulate . also Congratulation to Mexico by your scream o cryout of Independencia, I cryed when I saw for tv, I wish my Country these, We pray for come back to be happy. Thank you to Ada Flores in Laredo Texas mi Friend for say to me about this page.
Mariela Perez
sorry only speak a little English
mariela perez Venezuela
Panda Cam is too far away from baby cub when sending post cards when cub is alone without his mom.
Can you bring the Cam in closer? Thanks.
That is so Cute