As we watch a new baby grow on the San Diego Zoo’s Panda Cam, we also watch two other kids grow into semi-adult and full-grown females. Su Lin and Zhen Zhen are doing extremely well as the summer hours have come to a close. The weather has cooled down a little bit, the Zoo itself has calmed down, and the girls are definitely relaxing. Taking full advantage of no longer having a full audience for 12 hours a day, they have spent most of their time sleeping and chowing down.
Su Lin has, fortunately, been staying in plain sight for most of the day. We are getting a better breeze in Panda Canyon, and she isn’t as tempted to sleep in that front corner as much. Over 200 pounds (90 kilograms) now, she is looking more like her mother every day, except for that funny little tail, of course. She has even gotten a little more active during the mornings and is very interested in people’s scents as of late. The other day, she was tilting her head back to the crowd and getting a good whiff of what everyone was wearing. Giant pandas have an extremely good sense of smell, as do all bears, and Su Lin has been exercising that sense to the fullest. We have gotten a lot of questions as to whether or not Su Lin will be going to China anytime soon, but we don’t yet have an answer to that question.
Zhen Zhen has been a little sleepy these days. Not too active at all, she’s usually in one of two places: on the ground, eating bamboo, or in the tree, sleeping. She is about 115 pounds (52 kilograms) now but still going through those growth spurts. She’s been away from Bai Yun for over six months now, and she’s been doing great; every now and then she will practice leaving a scent mark, so she is practicing those behaviors Mom has taught her.
Anastasia Horning is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
After your shift Sunday (9/13) in the late afternoon, Zhen Zhen went nuts. She went up and down, left and right and everywhere else. Eventually, she climbed up in the climbing structure (dead tree) and the dried out branch that she climbed on broke off. She almost fell off, but she grabbed another branch before hitting the ground. That only increased her speed! She ran and rolled, with or without the broken off tree pieces. Then, she eventually got a bit tired and waited for Angie to clean her yard and get her dinner.
I’m getting worried — Cubbie has been gone from the den for over an hour! Did Bai Yun take him out? This is new behavior for her since the other cubs never left the den till they walked. I hope all is well.
Where is the baby? I noticed it was NOT in the den. I always check the webcam before I go to bed, and the baby was gone!
I consider no news about Su Lin leaving to be good news
When you think about it, this is the best year ever for panda lovers. We have a newborn cub here at SDZ, a one year old at ZA in the shape of a little cubbie monster Xi Lan who delights in tormenting his mother! We have 2 year old Zhen who is turning into a lovely young girl but still retains enough cubbyness to keep everyone delighted with her antics. We have 3 year old Mei Lan who is just starting to turn into a young panda lady and has exhibited an increase in silliness over the past several months, she has Lun’s beautiful fluffy cheeks and Yang’s sense of humour. We have Su Lin who at 4 has had her first estrus and is growing into a replica of her beautiful mother Bai Yun and we have Tai Shan who at 4 is also entering the next phase of his life and continues to delight us year after year. We have ages 0-4 covered and we can all learn so much about panda behaviour at different stages in advance of them becoming full fledged adult pandas before they go on to families of their own! We are truly blessed!
I enjoy watching the cam on the baby panda, and i also like watching the viedos on your other animals, very interesting that you do this. the baby was not in the den this morning and i have seen this one other time, does the mom take him outside with her? just wondering where he was
Su Lin was my first panda that I started watching on panda cam when she was already one year old. I was lucky to be able to watch Zhen Zhen from her birth and now little “Snuggles” of course. Both Su Lin and Zhen Zhen have grown into beautiful girls (no wonder, they inherited their mom’s and dad’s good genes) and whenever watching their antics I have a good laugh. However, it is amazing how different they are. It is hard to believe how much they weigh but counting back the years it is of, course, natural. However, for me they still remain cuddly babies like every other panda. By the way, “our” Fu Long, when having to depart for China in November, will be accompanied by his very compentent keeper, Eveline Dungl. What a relief!
Little Snuggles is absolutely gorgeous and awfully cute. Whenever catching a glimpse of him on the cam I am surprised to notice that he seems to be growing by the day. I just love his round tummy being a result of Bai Yuns’s good feeding. If he carries on growing like he has been doing he is going to be enormous, hahaha!
By the way, it slipped my mind to thank you for the new panda web cam which makes it even more pleasurable to watch your panda family. Therefore, thanks a lot! And also for making the web cam available at all for us watchers. We must not take it for granted since in Europe, i. e. Vienna, there is no web cam and hardly any info on their pandas. If I want to learn something new I need to turn to either You Tube or panda google.
So, you guys are just great and I cannot thank you enough for brightening my days whenever I watch the web cams.
So many updates lately. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Little Chubba is getting huge!
Got very worried last night and this am when the den was empty. Can you give us an update on where he is at these times.
I watched into the late night and did not see Bai Yun bring the baby back in the nest, I think this is the first time she had the baby out at night, I was very concerned since the baby would not be safe (in the wild) outdoors. What happened? Thank you so much for this panda cam, I so appreciate it, it brightens my days.
It would be nice if China would loan you a male panda for Su Lin, when the time comes. She seems to be the most sensitive of Bai’s cubs and being able to stay in familiar surroundings might be best for her.
I got a little nervous this morning, twice a empty nest.first I thought Bai buried him in the nest but finally all was well and the baby was back where he belonged. Madame Bai is now half in and out of the den basking in the bright sunshine. Pandasliveon has a great article on breeding habits and sounds and what they mean. I just hope to get a glimpse of him in Nov. when I visit. Has anything been decided on the date for the naming celebration, I want to be there on that day.
Moderator’s note: Naming plans have not been finalized.
#10 rita…It has been my hope for the past year that Su could stay on in the U.S. and have a mate brought here, becoming part of the next breeding generation at SDZ. It would be a great research opportunity for SDZ to follow the same panda from birth through “childhood” and into breeding. Su is my favorite SDZ offspring so I might be a bit biased in wanting her to stay.
Thanks Anastasia on the update of our resident beautiful sisters. I wish they could stay in SD forever. On another note, last night after 10pm, I noticed the den was totally empty for almost 2 hours. Did Bai take the little guy to an adjacent room? I was a little concerned and did not know if the baby was ok. Appriciate all the great work SDZ staff is doing.
Love hearing how our west coast princesses are doing, glad its getting a little cooler for them. They should come visit Tai in July with the DC heat and humidity. Wouldn’t it be great if a husband for Su Lin and a wife for Tai could be brought to the United States or Canada.
Like Melissa, I would love to see Su-Lin stay here, she was my first cub to see born, and I have followed her ever since, even saw her when I was lucky enough to go to the SDZ, while visiting my daughter, so she is extra special to me, I even helped pick her name. She does indeed look like her Mother. And little ZZ is so cute and still a little toddler. I also was worried last night, and this morning when the little guy was gone, I guess Mom took him outside. He was by himself just now, when I checked, my how he is growing. When will his eyes open?
Thanks to all of you keepers and camera people for keeping us updated. You do a great job.
Moderator’s note: Panda cub eyes open at 50 to 60 days.
In response to #10 Rita’s remark. Wouldn’t it be great if Tai Shan could be paired with Su Lin. We’d have a total USA born pair together. Moderator, any news about where Bai Yun took cubbie last night. We are all asking, but getting no response. I thought all areas have cameras…it would have been nice seeing where Bai Yun is taking cubbie. I think that little fellow is going to give Bai Yun a run for her money. He is pushing with his hind legs and moving around. He’s going to be up, moving around and driving mama crazy LOL.
Moderator’s note: Su Lin and Tai Shan are related. See post http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2005/08/13/we-hear-you/
So what is Zhen Zhen’s new “trick”? I have been waiting and thought it would be in this update about the two sisters. They are such sweet young ladies. I miss seeing them on the cams but I wouldn’t want to give up one minute of cuteness either. I understand that you want to study behaviors on Bai and babe and that you can watch Su Lin and Zhen Zhen without the cam. Please tell us about Zhen Zhen, we really haven’t forgotten your tease!!!!
Moderator’s note: We haven’t forgotten, either. Ellie is preparing a post about Zhen Zhen.
Hey moderators!
I’ts about time someone responds to all of the concerns over the empty den syndrome experienced last night and again this morning. Where was our little chubby cubby??? We know he didn’t run away from home on his own. Inquiring minds want to know…..
Thank you so very much for news on SuLin and ZZ. I have watched these two girls grow up and have so missed watching my fav (ZZ). I am so glad to hear they are doing well and that it is getting cooler for them both. Believe me, I also welcome the cooler weather. LOL. (I live in Las Vegas)…………..Thank you again for all the wonderful work you do with all the pandas.
Everyone is worried when we do not see little guy around in the den. Is Bai taking him more frequently now that he is getting a tiny bit bigger? Is she introducing him to the other members of the family or are Bai and cub isolated for a few months? What is the usual process? I just want to know so I do not worry about the little guy so much … I see that you are getting a few questions like mine.
Thanks for the update! I love watching the baby boy grow….I also noticed that the den has been empty for longer periods of time…? Where are they? I got worried about the little guy.
Was just on the Atlanta Zoo pandacam, and it is working great! None of that jumping of the live stream that the cam was having last week! Also, watched the panda keepers bring in a nice big stash of boo in the dayroom with the teepee log structure and throw out some snackies all over the ground. Then, they locked the big door, opened the small door, and in comes one panda, either Yang Yang or Mei Lan. So, didn’t see Lun Lun and Xi Lan this time around. But, at least the cam is working much better today!
Was also back on the SDZ pandacam, and the meerkats have a great closeup of fuzzy butt laying down on his tummy napping.
Gonna go for now. Will get back on the cams.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
C:OH MOMMIE I HAD SOO MUCH FUN BEING OUT WITH YOU. YOU TOLD ME YOU’D TAKE ME OUT AND YOU DID….THE HUMANS WERE WORRIED…
B:I GUESS THEY DIDN’T REMEMBER THAT I TOLD YOU THAT I WOULD BE TAKING YOU OUT WITH ME.
IT WILL BE MUCH MORE FUN WHEN YOUR EYES ARE FULLY OPEN AND YOUR HEARING BECOMES NORMAL.
C:I CAN HARDLY WAIT. QUACK QUACK…DARN MOMMIE THAT NOISE JUST COMES OUT OF NO WHERE??
B:PERHAPS IT’S THOSE WEB FEET. YOU’RE ALL PANDA, DON’T WORRY.
Oh yeah, meant to mention Su Lin and ZZ! Can’t forget about these 2 girls! Glad that the weather has started to cool down a bit, and as usual, Su Lin gets pretty active. I think ZZ has been the more laid back type of panda anyway, but I know from reading some past comments that she can get pretty active as well. When do you think you will start switching Gao and Su again? It’s been several weeks since they have traded yards. Will keep getting on the cam to see what these 2 girls are up to!
Read that the LA County Station Fire is now 91% contained! YEA!!! Firefighters have done an awesome job there!
Now, I gotta go! Have laundry to get out of the dryer!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
From the look of things, I think Bai made little Cinco de Bai-o do lots of crunches and rollovers last night, because he looks plumb tuckered out today. Clever mom!
Late last night I inquired where the pandas disappeared to. Everyone is asking and no responses from the keepers.
How about it? Or at least tell us to forget it, you don’t plan to respond!
I am concerned because there was a sick cub last year that had to be hospitalized for a few days. So when San Diego’s cub and mom are not in their usual places, we are concerned.
TO ALL OUR PANDA FANS
As your panda blog moderator, I want to let you know that I’ve asked both keepers and researchers if they could write a post explaining Bai Yun and her cub’s long absence last night. But these are busy folk, so we might all have to wait a bit to learn about this nocturnal excursion. I am just as curious as all of you! We do not have someone manning Panda Cam throughout the night these days, as the cub is doing so well. Thank you all for your patience.
I also noticed mum and cub were not in the den overnight. From 10.00 to about16.00 GMT here in the UK and was wondering if they had been locked out! Relieved to see them back again together just now at 20.00GMT.
Thanks for the opportunity of viewing the webcam here in the UK. Got the link from Atlanta zoo just after Bai Yan gave birth.
Bai is doing a good job of keeping the cub covered right now. I hope that Su Lin will be able to stay for a while.
#27 Blog Moderator…Oooh, I have to say that I was surprised by the tidbit about the cam no longer being monitored through the night. Does that also mean that there is no human presence in Panda Canyon overnight, as well? I mentioned on another post that I didn’t fret too much about Bai’s “disappearance” because I thought a staff member was there to keep an eye on what was going on, but it looks like I “thought wrong.” LOL I know Bai Yun is a competent and experienced mother bear and I trust what she does with her cub.
The SDZ panda family is very dear to my heart but I also trust that all of the staff knows what’s best for the pandas and sometimes there might be things that are kept within the family, so to speak, so while I’m wondering what went on last night, I am content with whatever the staff deems fit to tell.
Aren’t we pests when it comes to our kids? We all think we’re their parents/family, and are concerned when we perceive something to be “not quite right.” We all do appreciate all the time and energy you spend on answering our questions. I’m not sure I’d like to be the moderator of this site!!!! But thank you as always for your patience with us.
And thank you for the update on the girls. But here goes another question……….what’s ZZ’s new trick? I’m sure she has many unique talents and tricks!!
ZA cam finally looks great. Missed seeing the XMan and family. I was watching Lin Bing do a headstand this morning, trying to get comfy. It was adorable.
Thank you again SDZ for everything.
Moderator’s note: It’s wonderful to “meet” so many caring people from around the world as a blog moderator. As for ZZ’s new trick, see the response to comment #17.
Of the various Panda Bears at SDZ, do we get to keep any of them or are they all supposed to go back to China at some point? I want to keep them.
Moderator’s note: Gao Gao and Bai Yun will be with us for another four years.
Thanks for your post, blog moderator (that sounds so formal, doesn’t it!). I think all of us who have been here for a while (some of you much much longer than me) have a good idea what happened. I have to agree with others that this cub is certainly going to be a handful for Bai, and I’m sure she’ll enjoy every minute. I know I am.
Um, where was baby and mommy at 8:30- 9ish last night? They were missing from the den!
if they had water in the den..the baby must have been wadding around haha..anyways we haven’t got an answer why did Bai take lil jr out at this early age….man I just want to say is that Jr is sooooo big!
Moderator’s note: Please see comment #27.
Wonderful to see Mom & babba ‘home’ again this evening after all the concern earlier. She is a good mom! I am so pleased I found the PandaCam, but I’m away for a few days this week, with no Internet access, so I’ll be looking forward to getting back to check what’s been going on.
These babies are like our children and we do worry so when we can’t see them. We worry about all of them Tai, Su, Lani, AJ, ZZ and the new little munchkin. If it were up to me I would have a keeper assigned to each one 24/7. Thank you so much for understanding all of us ‘mommies’ and ‘daddies’ your patience with us is appreciated. Its too bad all our US pandas are in some way releated. I would love to see our kids romping together.
I seem to remember Bai leaving the nest with Zhen Zhen very early & it ended up being an issue with the den needing some housecleaning. I believe fresh bamboo was laid down and all was well again?
I just love coming in here and reading the updates. The little guy is growing so fast! Can’t wait to see the other “kids” next week during my visit to San Diego!
Thank goodness Bai and Chubbie are ok. I was really worried last night as they were off camera forever. If there was a Panda 911 number, I’m quite sure I would have called it!! Glad to hear the wonderful news about Gao and Bai staying with us for another 4 years : ) Thanks as always for keeping our precious black and white hearts safe, happy and comfortable.
Loved the update on our girls, thanks so much… Yesterday was fun watching Su Lin playing with a burlap sack, I just love her to pieces.. well all the bears, but she has a special place in my heart (she was the first panda I saw in person).
Just got a glimpse of our little chubbins sound asleep, then Momma came in and picked him up to nurse. I can just hear him thinking “ahhh mom, I’m sleepy and all the bloggers think I’m chubby enough”.. Yah, I know, lame story but just seemed to be fitting!!!
Have a great day “moderator” and as always, thanks for ansering so many questions
I can’t help but remember back to when Hua Mei was a tiny baby. She was my first panda grandchild, and I would panic every time there was any kind of change in what I considered a “normal” behavior in either mom or cub, or if there was a change in the way they were laying, or if mom wasn’t there, or if both weren’t in the den, or it rained, or it didn’t rain, and on and on and on. LOL My nerves were shot!!! Now that I have all the confidence in the world in Bai and the keepers, I’m not as quick to panic (so far anyhow). Still a worrier, but I am now able to sleep through the nights without getting up and turning the puter off and on.
Just looked back in the SDZ panda blogs to ZZ’s babyhood – Sept 2007. The post from Sept 27, 2007 explains that Bai had taken ZZ out for short periods during the prior weekend, and then for an overnight.
So, it looks like Bai thinks El Cinco is ready to go on walkabouts/starlight night campouts already! It’s amazing to watch the differences with Bai and her cubs (3 cub I’ve watched her with). Her experience is definitely showing – AND her mellowing attitude. No worries, Bai knows El Cinco is safe with her, and WILL survive the outings! Look how ZZ turned out! Just trust Bai and SDZ – since SDZ is comfortable enough with the health of the cub to no longer be on 24 hour monitoring and Bai is ready to take cub out, he’s ready!!!
# 38 Jackie, I agree with you, it might be a problem of the “bedding” needing to be changed. I saw Bai Yun this morning turning over a section and partly burying her cub, and exposing the floor. But then somehow the bamboo shred got redistributed again while I was not watching. Perhaps if Bai Yun takes her cub out again when the keepers are still there, they will change the bamboo. I wonder about how it all works out in the wild…
In the wild panda mothers move the cub at some point to another ‘den’, and even in captivity I believe they still have this urge, instinct (there are so many instincts in these lovely critters). I didn’t worry when I saw the empty den last night and still this morning because I know Bai has access to at least her bedroom and possibly the door to her ‘sunroom’ was open. Both areas are totally safe and Bai knows it, the cubbiekins is very furry now and fat, so he’s in good ‘paws’ with mom (actually in her experienced mouth when she takes him anywhere).
She did take ZZ out maybe around this age due to some stuff in the den she didn’t want there, it was spiffed by her savvy human helpers, and she returned with Zhennie afterwards. This might be the case again, or maybe she was just mopping the floor with him…HA HA just kidding!! Bai is just the best mama and also experienced is the SDZoo panda staff, there is someone around at night just not actively manning the cam. Don’t worry pandafans, they are in the best place to be a panda (5 cubs for goodness sake), they’ll tell us what the scoop was when they can. Chill and enjoy the little darling all the viewing we do get.
I must say I was worried when I checked the cam late last night (around 2:00am EDT) and saw the den was (gasp!) empty, but then I remembered that Bai Yun is an expert mother five times over, and I chilled out. I can’t remember when she began taking her other cubs out the birthing den for the first time, but I seem to recall she has done it before when they were still very young, albeit very briefly. She had baby boy No. 2 out for quite some time, so I was relieved to see the little guy was back safe and sound and enjoying a nice nap when I checked in on just now. I watched the time lapse video yesterday, and it seemed to me Bai Yun is taking longer and longer breaks from the den, which is normal. I guess she felt comfortable enough on a fine, late-summer evening to take junior out for some fresh air! No harm, no foul! Thanks for the much-appreciated updates about the sisters’ antics.
I was watching today – in the middle of the night your time – and the den was empty for several hours! Is Bai Yun doing some night excursions with the cub?
Since I saw cubbie the first time, I am totally in love with him. Can’t wait to see him open his eyes the first time and also walking around a little bit later.As I said before, your Pandas would be Reason No 1 to visit your Zoo sometimes.
I’m so happy to have Butter Dude back where I can see him. I was seriously going through withdrawals last night.
Thanks to the moderators and thank the keepers for informing us when they can. I know the pandas are their first priority.
Only 4 more years with BY and GG. I’m already sad.
#4, Kathy, extremely well said. You covered all our young USA born pandas thoroughly and reminded us how truly blessed we are. We remain hopeful that next year Memphis Zoo will be blessed with one or two cubs. Maybe three times is a charm, I hope so for Ya Ya and Le Le.
Patience folks, the moderator has many animals at the zoo to write about, not just the pandas. Besides the keepers have to supply the information to be posted, and they are busy caring for 3 adult, 1 sub-adult, and one infant panda. They will provide us with as complete information as they can as quickly as they can.
I sometime think that we are the mother and not Bai Yun, or at least the grandmother hen and we are watching every minute detail of Bai Yun’s behavior or the keepers. All the pandas are in extrememly great hands, and Bai Yun is reacting to her instincts and doing with her cub what she does best, being an excellent mother and mentor.
Thank you for your post about the girls, Anastacia. Good to know they are well. We’ll be watching the panda cam for glimpses of them too. And thank you moderator for answering the concerns about the cub’s well being.
This is the first time I’ve visited this site and read the blog entries — fascinating! I’ve been unable to get to the zoo in recent months, but hope to visit soon, and Panda Canyon will be high on the list of places to see! Thanks for all the news and the various cams. It makes a partial shut-in like me able to see what’s going on in my beloved Zoo!
It is fun to watch the panda cub grows everyday, and I can’t wait to give his name “zhuang zhuang”, meaning “strong” in Chinese. It’s inspired by the cute panda cub who always stretching his little feet and moving his body energetically. What a strong, sturdy, and cute baby!!!
I too was worried about the Panda last night. Glad to know everything ok. I have never been so fascinated with a live camera in my life. I love watching this panda grow and I love the time lapse movies. thank you so much.
Little Zhennie…don’t grow too fast, I have to get down to SDZ to see you before you become a big girl!! Love you, Zhennie girl…
Any plans to open the “howdy gate” between Su Lin and Zhennie?
Moderator’s note: Not at this time.
Do any of the pandas ever fight???
Moderator’s note: Except for our mother and cub pair, pandas at the San Diego Zoo live in separate exhibits/bedrooms.
Do any of the pandas ever fight???
Moderator’s note: Except for our mother and cub pair, pandas at the San Diego Zoo live in separate exhibits/bedrooms.
Do any of the pandas ever fight???
Moderator’s note: Except for our mother and cub pair, pandas at the San Diego Zoo live in separate exhibits/bedrooms.
Zhen Zhen and The Wood Shavings is now posted on You Tube! What a delight to watch our ZZ playing in the shavings, I wonder if she remembered the time her and Bai did the same? It’s very nice to see her so happy. A real testament to your care of her! Thank you for sharing her with us today, I really miss her.
Did we ever get an answer about why the mom took the Chubby Cubby out of the den? Did she carry him out? I would have love to see that!! But I am curious–where did they go, what did they do? Maybe no one is sure so we do not have an answer?
I love that little Cub.
Moderator’s note: See the next post, http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/09/15/pandas-all-is-well/ for an explanation.
Who were the two pandas visiting each other through the grate yesterday? Is the common behavior? They were too cute. Love watching the little one grow. He is a Chubby Cubby.
Moderator’s note: That was Su Lin and Zhen Zhen. Their keepers plant to allow them to visit again in the near future.