Look at those teeth!
Once we arrived, we talked with the keepers and waited until the timing was right to take the cub from the den. Food is usually a good distraction for mother Bai Yun, and she is so consumed with her special treat of apple snacks that she doesn’t seem to miss her beloved cub for the few moments they are separated. Panda keeper Jennifer Becerra brought in the swaddled cub, who seemed extra sleepy this morning and was barely even awake for the exam! He quickly got comfortable on the blue blanket that the keepers had laid out for him, and the challenging job of taking measurements began. He weighed 12.1 pounds (5.5 kilograms) and measured 25.9 inches (66 centimeters) long.
The keepers have to work quickly these days to collect the measurements they need, since Xiao Liwu is crawling more and eager to explore the new environment. Anticipating this, the keepers had laid out a variety of distractions for the cub, ranging from a ball, a chew toy, some bamboo leaves, and a piece of apple to smell. The cub nosed at the ball and climbed through the bamboo leaves, but was mostly interested in crawling around and exploring as much as possible. After the Panda Team got the measurements they needed, they let Xiao Liwu crawl around on the carpet so they could monitor his crawling progress. The cub is gaining confidence on his paws and moving quickly, so keepers had to keep a close eye to make sure he didn’t travel too far. They were careful not to keep the cub away from his mother for too long, so once the information that they need was gathered, the growing cub was brought back to his den.
Seeing this panda in person was such a great experience, and I can really understand why the public has fallen completely in love with him. I’m so excited for all of his fans to come see him once he goes on exhibit, most likely some time in January, and for everyone to experience this “little gift” in person like I did.
Ina Saliklis is a junior public relations representative for San Diego Zoo Global.
Visit our Panda Photo Gallery for more images from today’s exam.
Click on chart to enlarge.
Liwu is just tooooo darn cute tonight wrestling with that piece of bamboo. The bamboo seems to have the upper hand still. He is so sweet. ((HUGS))
what a wiggly little guy, looks great, getting big, not so quiet anymore, wait til he gets outside and see all the new adventures he’s going to have, wonder if he’s going to need a cement tree too, lol
So cute he getting faster now.He getting darker now
Oh my goodness…can you say ‘wiggle worm”? It just doesn’t get any cuter than this. Our dear Mr. Wu is now quite mobile and I’d give anything to be in that close to the exam. Thank you SO much for keeping us addicts in the loop.
Mr. Wu is definately on the move
. He seems so comfortable with the staff which is a plus! I could definately see the strength in his back legs. Thanks for sharing the video SDZ!
I am always amazed at how I can get goose bumps EVERY time I get to watch one of these beautiful panda babies grow.
Thank you San Diego for allowing me to witness the wonder!
OMG! I just luv Mr Wu! He is just one big fur ball He just wanted to check things out. Luv the pic that shows his baby teeth.
I love that he is always on the move, trying to escape!! Wish I could see a panda exam!
Thank you for the longer video this time for Mr. Wu’s 15th exam. It does not seem possible! He definitely seems much more confident in his walking skills and he seems to have the motion down to work the back and front legs together. He is just so cute. He makes me happy no matter what else is going on in my life. He truly lifts my spirits without fail – just like any baby would. Thanks for the videos and the panda cam. Love watching “His Extreme Cuteness” grow.
Oh, this recent exam was so interesting. Little Gift is really growing up, too cute!!! Just love this little guy, the the noise he makes when feeling disturbed, is something else. Thank you for letting us see these exams. How I wish I could see him in person!! Give him a hug for me!!!
Nice! I do PR too and my clients are great but they are not nearly as charming as Wu-wu!
It looks like Liwu has much better command of his hind legs than he did even a short week ago. The black on his back is very narrow isn’t it? He has a pretty coat, is it soft or is it coarse? He is so active it’s fun to watch him.
Oh Ina! Your the envy of Panda fans around the world. What we wouldn’t give to have been in your shoes. Xiao Liwu went past that scary chew toy like it wasn’t even there. He seems to be a lot more sure footed on the exam floor than in the den. (And fast) What a cutie patutie he is. Ahhhhh…..
My, our little one is suddenly looking like a big one. Plowed right through the bamboo, ball and chewy toy with no fear at all. Such a ham he is and so adorable. Looks like he loves his nanny keepers. I was watching Liwu tonight and he was so cute playing with bamboo in the den, when all of a sudden, here comes mom and she grabbed him by his shoulder and dragged him right out of den. The cuteness just keeps on coming.
OMG So dang cute. He can move out when he wants. Love to have the sound. You lucky dogs, being able to be near him. I’ll just go off and suck my thumb now and sulk. Call if you needs a fill in.
Very well written, Ina. Makes us feel like we were in the exam room with you and Mr. Wu.
As one of the many panda fans who loves this cubbie, I was green with envy watching the staff as they cuddled our precious little gift! Just can’t wait to see him when he is out on exhibit after the first of the year. I have a feeling there will be some VERY long lines… Thanks for sharing the info on his exam, Ina — I can imagine what a thrill it was!
I was glad to see Bai Yun’s ears still fully rounded today, and standing at attention. It is good to see her so well and attentive. Master Wuuuu was just being himself–getting stronger day by day. Do you know when he will start on a cross country tour to show off, and allow us rabble a momentary glimpse of his beauty??? Will Yun Zi be with him on the tour, or is his Momma then only family member going? I am sure that he will raise plenty of pennies for the Old Pandas Home. Perhaps as the years progress he will the need the services himself. Love grammmie
Watch for something very specially when he is allowed to stay in the yard during the cleaning/feeding portion of the day. If you observe Bai Yun whispering something into Mr. Wooo’s ear just before clean up time, then when alone with the Nanny Keeper he tries to remove a shoe from them, you will know that the Family Quest has been passed to him. I know for sure that cubbette ZZ tried (I have seen photos of an incident) and she almost made it, just as Yunior tried and came close to succeeding, perhaps Mr. Wooo will be the one to claim the prize.
That should be fun to watch with Baby Liwu! can’t wait!!
Just wonder if there are any Doxie Mom videos of this from ZZ?
There are no words except “Love Him” <3 <3
that Kong toy has nothing on Xiao Liwu now. he looks much bigger to me somehow. it seems like he has places to go and doesn’t want to wait around for the exam measurements. funny boy.
Thank you for this wonderful web site! I am watching the Panda cub’s progress and the live “panda cam” from way up here just outside of Toronto Ontario Canada! I watched the last cub’s progress as well and I cannot believe how calming it is to just sit back and enjoy the fantastic job San Diego Zoo does in making the pandas feel so at home that they keep reproducing! I have never seen anything like it! Thanks again and job well done!
Jules
p.s.- I forgot to mention that one day, I will get there to see the pandas in person. Its on my bucket list!
Jules, I was born in Toronto, even though I have lived most of my life (more than 50 years of it) here near the San Diego Zoo. To my shame I was only “Pandacized” the day Yun Zi was born and became an instant Panda Nut. Due to health restrictions I cannot go visit them “In The Fur” so it is my laptop and/or iPAW mini to keep up to date. I hope you have a great trip to honor our Pandas, and enjoy yourself to the limit. Love grammmie
I just love this little guy, he seems so special. Of course, I loved his brothers and sisters too. Have been watching SDZ pandas since Mei Sheng’s birth, missed Hua and have always been sorry about that. I think a lot of people are loving Mr. Wu as we think he may be Bai Yun’s last cub. Time will tell. Bai and Gao Gao are special, too.
Whatever happens, we have the San Diego Zoo and its staff to thank for the joy these beautiful creatures bring to our hearts. I wish Xiao Liwu a long and happy life, but little guy – please don’t grow up too fast. you are just gorgeous the way you are. Let us love you through the days and times that are starting to happen, and the fun it will be for Bai and Liwu, and all of us.
Wiggleworm!
I love hearing / reading the updates … you lucky people! … Would you please tell the ‘Elephant Nanny / Keepers’, I would like more blogs/updates on our eles … thank you , Bernice.
That’s my brudder, Mr Wu the Cute!
YZ
Yun Zi….you’re still cute too.
Ahem, baby brudder is cute. Me is handsome. Hee hee hee.
Yunz
Ah Yun Zi you are most handsome, and have coached little Mr.Wuuuu so he gives us the best views he can, we are great full. Love grammmie
Yes you are
You make me *blush”. Hee Hee Hee.
YZ
He’s getting so big!
Love love love his little squeaks when protesting being held. Reminds me of my friends’ babies when they don’t want to be held by a strange auntie!
I think this just might be the cutest exam video to date. He is so much like his older brother Mei Sheng!
Sorry for additional email but I just thought I would check the live panda-cam before I go to sleep and it was just in time to see the baby coming back into the “nest”. He is so adorable and I love watching him move, but tonight there was something creepy that keeps running into the video! It looks like a gigantic centipede! It really is horrible…looks about 6″ long with many legs. I hope its something ok and that the baby is not in any danger. I know, I’m an overprotective mom, but the thought of that thing getting on the baby makes my skin crawl!
Goodnight from Canada
Jules
Moderator’s note: Bugs are attracted to the cam’s infrared light at night. They don’t bother the pandas, but they look huge on Panda Cam!
Thanks for sharing about the bugs. Mr. Wu is getting cuter ervery day. THe little squeaks he makes during his exam are so sweet . I wish that once in awhile you could put the sound on in the Panda Cam so we could hear him and his mom. Thanks again for sharing the cutiest little gift ever. Oh I am going to be late for work if I don’t quit watching him and his mom.
Why us Bai breathing so hard? Is she okay? I am watching the Panda cam and she seems upset and is breathing really fast.
I see the centipede thing on the ceiling (?) It is not on the camera lens – please look again in the den for this creepy – snakelike thing in there. It was showing for several minutes just a few minutes ago.
It’s always a lovely surprise to turn to panda cam and find a new exam posted! Mr woo is certainly growing in cuteness, skills and strength. Thanks so much for a wonderful report and the funny video. The little guy sure loves his nanny keepers! Hope mama Bai doesn’t get suspicious.
Ahem, I read this blog and I watch the videos like all of you. Plus of course Mr Snugglepuff tells me all that happens in the exam room. The nannykeepers know I know and I am keeping my eyes on some of them. Li Wu thinks they are another type of panda.
Love,
Bai
Oops! Of course you’re keeping an eye on everything, great mama Bai! How could I ever have thought otherwise for even a moment… but you know how irresistibly cute and cuddly Liwu is… *sigh*
Madame Bai-knowing the kind & experienced mother you are, & your need for quality rest some of us are helping out by watching the nanny keepers too, so they don’t shower him with kisses during exams. Rest easy, the “jealous of the nannykeepers mommas” are watching over Chubbers when you need to rest. There are one or more of us watching all of the time!
Why thank you. You are all too too kind. A mummy cannot be too careful these days.
Bai
Have been watching baby all day and he is desperate to get out of his enclosed home, climbing all over and trying to escape. Having to spend another month in there may be beyond frustrating and boring for him. Are there any toys you can place inside his cave to keep him entertained and stimulated while mommy is out?
I love watching the little guy play, particularly when he’s playin with his Mom. Tonight there’s been a little critter crawling in and out of his ‘room’. What is it? Is it safe for the little gift?
Looks like little Xiao Liwu is going through a bit of a growth spurt with a pretty nice weight gain of over a pound in a week. With such a squirmy little guy to contend with, the keepers ought to be called panda wranglers!
He is growing so fast & so so cute. Thanks for sharing his exam videos to the public. I shared this on FB to my friends every time.
Wow! His legs got a lot stronger since the last exam! Instead of being Mr. Cuddles he was Mr. Busy Bee! He looks very strong and healthy and determined! Every time I peek at the camera he is sound asleep but it was great to see him so active and look at his lovely teeth and paws! What a happy boy he is! I melt just watching the videos.I can’t imagine being right there, handling him and watching him walk around! Too cute for words!
Zoooommmmmm…… Not much stopping Liwu. He looks like he’s ready for action and isn’t gonna let anyone stop him.
How cool is that.
What is that insect crawling around the nest??????
Is there any way to get that black insect out of the way, could it do harm to the baby panda Little Gift orto his mom Bai Yun???
He is just a bundle of love! so cute!!!!!!
Moderator’s note: The insect is on the camera, not on either panda.
Thank you for your answer about black insect by the camera!
I love the pandas!!!!! Can’t wait to see the baby panda “Little Gift” when he can be out with his mom…
I look forward to these videos every week and realising that it wont be long before I come overy from the UK in June to see him and the whole panda family in person. I am so excited. I have been watching Mr Wu since day 1. Thank you so much xxxxxx
Awww, he is just as cute as he can be!! Wow, he can’t wait to get down and GO! LOL! I love the little guy so much! It is such a thrill to be able to watch him grow and develop!
It’s 7:19am est, and I went to the cam first thing like I usually do when I get to work and it’s almost unbelievable that Bai and little Wu outdid themselves in their sleeping positions. I wish I knew how to take a picture!! I don’t think there’s any more adjectives that can be used in describing my feelings for them and the entire SDZ family. Once again, thank you to everyone involved.
Moderator’s note: To take a picture of what you see on Panda Cam, simply click on the camera icon in the top right corner of the Panda Cam screen. You can then send that picture to your email account.
Wow! Just saw Liwu carefully climb out of the den, instead of rolling out on his butt! He must be the most coordinated Panda cub EVER!
Busy busy boy! Just like a human toddler! Love him so much!!!
Hugs and Kisses
Falling in love with him, is putting it mild. It is so funny how he can’t sit still. Not sure where he looked sleepy, cause all I saw, was a toddler that had too much sugar. He is crawling so much better, and the other morning when I was looking at the cam, I saw what looked like him looking out a window, kind of like a child watching other kids play outside, and wishing they were out there too. Mr. Wu always gives me joy to watch him, and momma Bai, is the greatest mom ever. Totally LOVE this baby, as I have all of the others.
Thank you for the panda cam and the videos. If I can ‘t be there, this is a great substitute.
Thak you for the fantistic story about Wu Woo. The picture above is worth a million bucks. Two little baby teeth, lovely.
Just saw the exam. My favorite part is when he “squeals”, since we can’t hear that on the panda cam! I also just watched an older clip from doxiemom where he kept rolling out of the den. I have tears in my eyes from laughing. Poor Mr. Wu. I’d never laugh at him in person of course. His growth is right on with Su Lin. Does this mean he may be a smaller “big-boy” bear than those before him?
Wonderful update and just have to comment about all the First Timers that have been able to see little Xiao Liwu during his check-ups. For the next one, could it please be me? I promise to write about it too. I also promise to be quiet as a mouse too.
Moderator’s note: Lee, you’ll have to stand in line behind ME!
Can I get in line too? Pretty please.
I’ll gladly stand right behind you, as long as you are First in line
After you, thank you very much.
And I will never stop writing about Baby Liwu when it is my turn!!! I am ready now too!
Little XL looks like he’s really loving exploring! Bai won’t be able to toss him around much longer
Has he started eating anything yet? I thought I saw an apple wedge during his exam 
Moderator’s note: The apple was just for exploration. The cub is still nursing only, not ready for solids yet.
Very nice boy! You are so beauty and great. All best!
Did I see some brown on those paws this week. Maybe some of Gao Gao??
And what was the black thing that popped into the screen on the left side towards the end of the clip? Enquirering minds want to know.
Moderator’s note: Our photographer’s camera lens.
Ahh… Thank you Moderator
oh, I just noticed a hilarious love triangle: Gao, tub and Bermuda hay! lol
I just saw that too. Looks like he’s taking a power nap!
Hey, Bonny. It’s good to know that Gao took a nap! I saw him in a tub, covered with hay and dining on it four hours ago, and I tuned in on the camera half an hour ago and he was still sitting in a tub and eating the hay. I was worried if Gao is ok. eating all this time! lol… until I saw your post….uffff
LOL Ya. Actually, he was out for quite awhile. He looked so peaceful laying there on his back in the tub with his bermuda hay for padding just snoozing away.
Bozena: If it’s Bermuda hay, then does this make it a Bermuda Triangle???
Sorry — just couldn’t resist…
LOL Can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Duh. Touchey Deborah. I love it.
LOL. Can’t believe I didn’t think of that! Sounds perfect!
Gao Gao and Li wu compete for cuteness just now!
Is that Yun Zi in a food stooper in the trough?
Thats my hubby.
Bai
Well if any expert should know it is Her Imperial Highness, Empress Bai Yun. There are not many Lady Pandas that can boast of giving birth to 5 consecutive cubs and cubettes with the same Sweet Daddy. How proud they both must be with their prowess! I noticed again today that she was wearing her ears, again, at full attention, for the world to see.
No its Daddy Bear!
I believe it’s Gao Gao…I think I can see brown furry on his feetsies.
RUB A DUBDUB ONE PANDA IN A TUB…what a sweet,cute undescribable picture this is…LOVE IT
Sorry Bozena. Didn’t read your post till it was too late.
Hey, Sa Wallick! Better late, than not at all
Great write-up Ina ~ looks like Xiao Liwu plowed right through all his distractions, a cub with a mission.
Here’s some highlights from this morning ~ Xiao Liwu is so active now … this picks up after he’d already left the den while Bai Yun was eating. Looks like the keepers aren’t the only ones trying to keep him from traveling too far!
2012-11-30 Xiao Liwu: Lights, Camera, Action
http://youtu.be/iiGO7gvWOCQ
I have some wonderful footage of Gao Gao this morning eating and snuggling down into his tub of hay ~ I’ll try to get a video out later today.
Here’s Gao Gao eating hay, anointing himself with it, and snuggling down into the tub … the final image is a close-up of him sleeping after he’d left the tub.
2012-11-30 Gao Gao’s Tub of Hay
http://youtu.be/sDz-655SgZk
Thanks so much for both, but I especially got a good laugh out of this one. Gao is one funny guy.
OMG this is a Classic / one of his best performances . Hope you all keep this one in the archives. What a ham. He is so cute and playful for his age. See we never get too old to play.
I saw that DoxieMom! Ha ha ha. Thank you so much for catching everything so I can show my kids and hubby when I wish to. If it were not for your videos I am certain they would put me in a hospital. “Um….Mom saw what?”
I work for a small family owned company and they let me peak at the panda cam so that is cool. It is actually a joke at the office at this point.
But explaining it to my own family? hahaha. Will I meet you in March?
WOW. That almighty Gao nap made me cry with laughter! LOL THANKS!
Doxie Mom you did good today with both videos. Mom Bai seemed to be having a grand time batting the boo. While King Fluffy Butt Wuuuuuuuu was busy having a field day. Too darn cute. He sure is traveling around now. But the best is yet to come.
Precious, precious, precious!!! Widdle Mr. Wu is giving Mam Bai a run for her money as she keeps that watchful eye on him. And Gao Gao has discovered the magic of the Bermuda (hay) triangle — he didn’t disappear, but he sure passed out.
Love it, DoxieMom — thanks for sharing! 
As is to be expected, both videos are just wonderful. Gao is so cute, and so is self anointing. To me it seems like they are taking an imaginary bath, the anointing item is used like the soap in a bath or shower.
Am I wrong, or does King Fluffy Butt nurse Lady Bai into napping, half way through their video??? It looked that way to me, but I had not seen the surrounding area or time being used. Love grammmie
Love the nose-dive exit. They are so endearing. Thank you, DoxieMom.
What’s that stuck on Yun Zi’s tree? Just saw him trying to reach it.
It’s one of his enrichment toys…not sure if it has space for treats inside or not. They are tempting his curiosity today!
Loved Gao Gao in a Bermuda hay-induced coma. I was able to snap several postcards to send to friends.
Good for you, Lou! We also thought that would make for an excellent wallpaper on our computers.
That Bermuda hay seems to put them in nap mode.
How can I tell who we’re watching? Was that Gao Gao or Yun Zi in the bermuda hay?
That is Gao Gao enjoying the Bermuda Hay in the tub. It takes practice and lots of watching these bears to figure out who is who.
One way… if you see long brown fur on the paws, that is Gao Gao.
Folks have told me to look at the feet (Gao Gao has extra hairy feet and paws) and the ears: Gao Gao has a smaller left ear, and Yun Zi has Mickey Mouse ears…big and round
Thats GaoGao Connie. He has the brown fur on his paws.(and its fuzzy)
Even the black fur on his paws is extra long and thick. From the topside of his paws it is sometimes hard to tell he has claws!
Gao Gao also has a round head and a shorter nose than Yun Zi.
Gao Gao really seems to be a calm bear, Yun Zi paces around a lot like he gets restless. Age I am sure is a factor, just like people. Gao Gao seems to really love his home. What a guy. I love the tub video.
Tanda, I was thinking about a world without Gao Gao, had he not been found by a wonderful soul when he was bleeding, dehydrated and alone. I was watching him eating his bamboo today, so contented and looking so at peace. What we would have missed had he perished alone in the forest so many years ago…five beautiful cubs, years of loving devotion from his hooman family and a great bearage to Bai Yun. Funny you should comment on how much he loves his home just as I was thinking how lucky we are to be able to care for him.
Jane…how correct you are. GAO GAO is such a beautiful fellow. I was hoping the cub would be called little gao
My thoughts exactly
He is the panda ambassador 
Wow. Jane…you made me cry. You found the words many of us think all of the time but can’t put into words. Thank you. I feel the exact same about Gao Gao.
I get a kick out of watching the panda viewers take pics/video of Yun Zi or Gao Gao, especially when you can see what they are seeing on their device *LOL*
I love those scenes too. Sometimes the only time I see the panda is on the visitor’s device!
Connie…the picture that is on the live cam right now wouldn’t help! No feet, no ears visible: just a BIG body draped over a branch. lol
That’s usually Yun Zi. I haven’t seen Gao Gao sleeping on a tree branch yet. Please correct me if I’m wrong
Gao usually stays close to the ground, but on occasion will climb for any treats left for him. It would be a rare sighting to find him sleeping on a branch, but loved getting on top of the Keebler Tree, above the “Wooden Cave”. It seems that all members of the Gao family loved sleeping on top of it (it used to be clear of extra branches), head and front paws hanging down the front of it.
It is 5:30pm cst. I just watch play time between Bai & Mr. Wu it was the best show. And then out the door Wu went and Bai to follow. Just luv them.
I can’t believe how big he has gotten already 12 pounds as just turned 4 months old that’s crazy he’s soo darn cute an can’t wait to make my visit once he’s on display
thanks so much for the update
Oh Yay! Updated video with commentary! We have 1 min 46 sec footage of cuteness! Much appreciated, both the video and the commentary.
@ 01:26 of the new video -
Ohhhhh, what are we checking out here, lol
Wow! After reading your posts, I went back and watched the video again. Hocus Pocus! It wasn’t that long yesterday! Glad you mentioned the time or I might not of watched it again. I already checked it out about a half dozen times. When did the extra footage get added? Not that I’m complaining. I’ll probably watch it half a dozen more times now. Thanks
I see the pandas on our news all the time and rush over here to get more details! <3 living in SD county! Will see the little one in the early spring!
Green with envry!:)
Hey Mr. Wu was tangled in the bamboo, mom went to pull on it and baby was pulled hard backwards. Can you see if he is all right?
It’s 4:40pm (calif time) and Xiao Li Wu (aka chubby cubby
) & Bai Yun are snug as a bug in a rug! So awesome! Have a great wkend little one! and momma too! and zoo-hoomans too! 
5:24 Pacific time. Mommy wants a nap and baby wants to play. Oh! Can’t we all remember those times of our lives?
Is there an evolutionary advantage to cuteness? would an adult Panda think that a human infant is cute, and feel protective towards it? Sorry. It’s that Xiao Liwu is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. But we’re doing an awful lot of anthropomorphizing here. Wouldn’t it be great to know what Pandas really think and feel! Or condors, or hamsters or ants…
Thank you so much for the updated video or the exam. These little glimpses of Mr Wu and the staff are so appreciated. We are blessed and privileged.
Does anyone see any difference on Bai’s part from the girl panda babies and the boy panda babies?
Grammatically, that is a terrible sentence.
Do the handlers see a difference in how Bai raises her boys as opposed to her girl babies.
What a rambunctious furball! He is soooo adorable and as wiggly as a baby learning to crawl is. Love his interest in wanting to explore. Bai better eat and rest up because the fun has just begun!
At 9pm eastren I tuned in to find Bai sleeping in an odd position blocking the den doorway for the most part and Mr Wu trying to get past her into the den. Poor Wu woo was having a heck of a time. After tumbling out twice, he tried climbing over her but almost got wedged in between Bai & the wall instead. He managed to get out of that situation only to tumble out the door again. I felt sorry for the liitle guy but I couldn’t help but laugh too. Bai finaly woke up and helped him into the den and they both slept happily ever after.
How exciting for you Ina, to be a part of a cubbie exam! I guess you know all of us would sign up in a moment to be in your shoes!! Thanks for the report.
I love Bai’s reference to xiao liwu as “snugglepuff” I think I will refer to him as that from now on.
Tread lightly, Mr. Yu, tread lightly. It’s 9:04 pt and yo mamma is pissed!
Give her a little break, will you?
Dearest Jenny, do you have any idea why H I H Bai Yun is upset? I did not turn the cam on until the afternoon. Well if I stay up most of the night I must rest at other times than the rest of you. Love grammmie
I was watching Bai Yun around 9pm PT in the den. She seemed to be clawing the den walls with her front paws. Is she trying to give herself a manicure?
What is Bai digging at????? Is she trying to break down the wall?
hi, today around 9:26pm and a little before that Bai Yun appears to be scraping her fore paws against something on the den wall. is this ok for her? will it hurt her claws or is it something that is beneficial for her?
I saw that, too!!! Bai first appeared to smell something on the floor of the den, and then proceeded to scrape/scratch/claw at the wall to the right of the door opening, reaching way high up and just clawing at the wall, repeatedly for about 15-20 minutes that I saw, on and off. I was quite concerned, as when her paw would come down off of clawing the wall, with considerable force, little Wu was right there, and she did, in fact, hit him once, which sent him scooting across the den! For several moments I was actually kind of scared, because it looked like Bai had kinda gone a little nuts! I honestly couldn’t continue watching, as it was such a frantic clawing behavior that I’d never seen before, and I was worried about Mr. Wu. I was so glad when I logged on the next morning to see them both laying peacefully in the doorway.
Can the moderator comment on this behavior, please? : )
Moderator’s note: I did not see it.
‘Hello Jia Jia Xiao Mei, how are things in Singapore?’ shouts a delighted Bai. Jia Jia who scored a gig in Singapore with Kai Kai was calling to update her Jie Jie.
‘It had been an incredible experience. Today Auntie Lucilla came to visit us. She wore her Thai panda T shirt and I recognised her immediately. First thing in the morning at 9 am. So far 4,000 hooman have come to visit us since Thursday.’
‘Keep up the good work!’ encourages Bai Yun.
‘Hee Hee, the children love us so much and they have learnt all about me and Onion head.’
‘Oi, who you calling onion head?’ yells Kai Kai in mock disgust, ‘Bai Jie Jie, please come and visit us with Gao Ge Ge.We have plenty of room. The boo here is pretty good. We can get wuwutao as well.’
‘Well, Onion Head is always tasting the food to check it for quality, so he tells me, hee hee,’ laughs Jia Jia.
‘Hey, the nannykeepers are calling us back from our coffee break. Time to meet and greet the guests,’ calls out Jia Jia who spots her keeper waving to her.
‘All the best. Well done, young ones. As panda ambassadors to the hoomans, we must work hard to ensure they learn baout us.’
‘Will do, Jie Jie. Thanks for all the tips and your manual on how to dance the salsa is so interesting,’ replies Jia Jia.
‘Salsa? Is that good to eat?’ asks a puzzled Kai Kai.
‘Errrr, Gao Gao will be in touch about that, Kai Kai. Talk to you all soon, bye bye!’ calls out Bai Yun.
a loud cheerful ‘BYE’ comes from the intrepid Singapore duo.
So were you able to get a photo of Auntie Lucilla? She is very helpful in giving information to the fans, and gets a few Mandarin words in to help the fans communicate better with us too. She is very nice to give her time to education not only to the fans, but also helps us when we wish to write our stories, or even just to tell everybody how we are, and what we wish we could do. You be sure to look for her often, and send her our love with a wave and a kiss. I bet all of your fans are wonderful, but Auntie Lucilla is very special to all of us.
Love grammmie
I forgot to add that grammmie helped me with this note to you, love your Bai.
Auntie Grammmie,
Ning hao? I am Jia Jia and I am living in Singapore now with Kai Kai. Unfortunately there is no panda cam here. I love my enclosure and the fresh boo we get. Our elder sister Bai told us to look out for Auntie Lucilla. Auntie Lucilla told her she would wear her favourite panda T shirt when she comes to visit to us. I spotted her straight away in the crowd.
Kai Kai and I have about 2,000 people visit us every day as this is the school holidays. We have many visitors from other countries too and some from China. Hee Hee Hee.
I love the children because they get so excited and are so happy to see us. Sometimes I wave to them. Bai Jie Jie told us to make sure we pose in certain angles so the visitors can get good pictures.
I am thinking of re-decorating my enclosure. I must talk to my nanny keepers to see if we can get some swings and a hammock in. Also some more trees for me to climb. Kai Kai is pretty happy with his enclosure but then he is a boy panda.
Grammmie, take care of yourself. I also read the SDZ blog on my iPAW so I can read your comments.
Love and panda hugs,
Jia Jia
At 11:20 pm, Gao Family Time, I checked in on a sleepy Panda scene. Do some of you think of our Lady Bai as a humble, unasuming Panda? I think I had her on the same pedestal, until a few minutes ago. There they were, little Mr. Wuuuu, cuddled up with mommie, both of them sleeping, but Bai showing off her special flexibility doing her flat to the wall, and den floor, splits, and all after her sixth cubbie. I couldn’t do that when I was a kid, let alone after my cub and cubette. Those Pandas….they have quite the bodies…Love Grammmie
First the 15th exam of Mr. Wu, then Gao the Great in the tub with Bermuda hay and at 3.53 am (it’s 1.53 pm here in Istanbul) Ms. Bai’s feeding and bathing ceremony… How these 4 months will pass till I see them all in person during Panda-monium … I really can’t wait…
Today is my birthday yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
Happy Birthday ethanpandaboy! Had we known sooner we would have sent
Mr. Wuuuu to spend the day with you. Maybe we will on another year…love grammmie
OMG to watch Mr. Wu play with the bamboo was so cute! I just love him.
Happy Birthday to you!
Julie-the Happy Birthday was for ethanpandaboy!
Today is December 1, and I was on panda cam and Mr. Wu was acting like he is chewing on bamboo. I am assuming he is too young, so maybe it is just about “chewing or nibbling” on whatever is nearby. Am I correct? It is totally cute, especially when he sits up in the position that pandas are, when they are eating bamboo.
Kathy one of my favorites to see is when the cub is getting near weaning time, and often you will “tune in” and see mom and baby sitting side by side, both eating, or enjoying the view, any number of things. I would include some photos here and now, but I am being lazy, laying back in bed, and working with my mini iPAW, and have not added a lot of things into it’s memory, and I cannot be sure how to use some things yet. If anyone wishes a few links for photos just let me know here and I will get my laptop busy….love grammmie
I agree, Grammmie. I love seeing panda mom and cub sitting side by side eating. Here is a super adorable video of Lun Lun and Po in Zoo Atlanta doing just that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3miYN-cDJAM
And I’m sure we’ll see the same thing in time with Bai Yun and Liwu!
I went to a favorite photo stream on Flickr and picked 3, & could have stayed all day looking at the great photos. I picked ones I hoped you would enjoy……..love grammmie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157623448081721/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/5077491328/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/5073672277/in/photostream/
The first link above works fine, but to see the second 2 I picked remove sets/ from the middle of the link and you will get those two as well…let me know if it does not work for you, love grammmie
Thanks Grammie, those were really cute.
That was so cute and funny, especially when the smaller one, I am thinking is Po, would take the piece away from the larger one. I have never got to see something like that. Thanks for sharing.
I cannot believe my eyes—-if. Wuuuu tried something like that he would be missing one or two paws, and possibly part of his nose!!! Bai does not play that game, in fact has been seen to help herself to her cub’s stripped bamboo, just as soon as it is ready to eat!!!
What do you think would happen if you showed Bai this video feed?
This is a great question! I also wonder how pandas react to seeing themselves in a mirror?
Laura–I would be willing to bet the rent money that the reflection of themselves catch them unaware. As I re-read that I realized that if Bai saw herself she would square off for a fight. The baby would try to nibble and play with his reflection. As he got older he would be ready to fight also.
Well so far the Nanny Keeper still has both front paws, and Bai has not ripped her lips off, I would say that is a good thing. When I reran the video a couple of times I realized that the Nanny was distracted by her co-worker, and except that a baby wanted to be in her lap, without thinking she helped and comforted him. All of us mothers understand that the baby comes first, and I think Bai Yun will be fair, and if need be watch the video a couple of more times. We will then leave things for her good judgements, and see how things shake out. If you were wanting to be a nanny keeper, get your application in, just in case. I saw no evidence of kissing, so perhaps the keeper just needs to spend more time with Bai and Mr. Wuuuu to make sure she will be more careful next time……..Does that sound fair?
Love Grammmie
Very interesting blog Ina and superb video. Can’t beieve how much this little guy is growing.
Yun Zi looks so bored…he needs a sliding board in his exhibit, and a swing. Where did his swing go?
I just have to say Xiao Liwu has the most cutest round bummie, and he looks adorable sitting up. I would love to see him sitting next to Bai….
Here’s some footage from Friday evening … Bai Yun was trying to rest, but Xiao Liwu had other plans. She continued to sleep while he kept himself occupied, squeezing by her even when she appeared to be blocking the entrance, going in and out of the den, and nibbling on Bai Yun’s rump. Finally he settled down after a bit of mutual play … in a very adorable position, head to head with his mother.
2012-11-30 Xiao Liwu: The Bear went by the Mountain
http://youtu.be/OWVp5_Dlk5w
One of the reasons I watch Panda Cam is because I’m totally enthralled with panda behavior, in addition to the whole “cuddly” and “adorable” thing they have going on … but Friday evening I saw some things I normally don’t see … and some I can’t explain.
2012-11-30 An Unusual Friday Night (in the den)
http://youtu.be/9CVusZnbY2c
I s this ‘live’ and glad you captured it! Poor Baby Wu seemed stunned by that moving branch of boo that he was tangled in…. I pictured little stars floating around his head during this dazed and confused moment. Was so relieved when he just crawled back to a comfortable position. This was certainly interesting, while still cute and adorable of course. Thanks again Doxiemom!
Meant to say, “I saw”
Unusual indeed, DoxieMom! The handstand was pretty amazing to see — I thought that was a Gao Gao thing! I wonder why she was scent marking the den? At any rate , this was a fun watch — thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the video. That was so cute to see him play.
I checked in (2:56 PST) just in time to catch Mr. Woo playing turtle on his back; he turned over onto his feet and then walked out of the den, stepping just as big as you please. Such a big boy!
I was searching for documentaries about giant pandas and came upon this amazing one produced by BBC, called “Panda Makers” (more info can be found at the official website: www (dot) bbc (dot) co (dot) uk/programmes/b00wmvl6 )
It has been uploaded to Youtube in its entirety: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb3epqISWnI
It’s one-hour long, full of amazing footage, mostly taken in the Chengdu Research Base in China. You can catch a segment of Mei Lan born in Zoo Atlanta as well (who is addressed as “she” in the documentary, hehe).
My mind has been blown for the past hour watching it. Highly recommended.
Made me feel bad for the male pandas having to dance for food on the stick. I did hear it was to strengthen their legs, but still, it looks cruel. Why do it in front of spectators? I’m in the process of watching the rest of it. Thanks for the post.
Debbie it is regular exercise for lots of males, since hind quarter weakness is thought to be some of the problem of having natural breeding occur. I sure would have done lots more squats had a Twinkie been held up, or down, however that would work. I do not know if the pandas know embarrassment, from other things we see them do I am pretty sure they could care less, so why not use the daylight hours to good purpose? Love Grammmie
Surprised that was no mention of Tai Shan with the MeiLan segment. Lani was picked up in Atlanta but then “The Panda Express” picked up Tai Shan at the Dulles (Washington) airport, Poor Lani did have a time adjusting so her (at that time she was believed to be a female) keeper stayed with her a week or so.
I am glad to see it was not only me that observed Tai’s part in the tale. It could be that it was not convenient for his zoo to participate. It could never include the San Diego Zoo because leaving occurs at night, without prior notice, for security reasons. Does anybody know how, why, and when Lani Bear was tested to decide on gender? I was offline due to illness when that came up, and so far have not been able to chase down the blog(s) it appeared in. Love grammmie
Fay I will be sitting through the video quite a few more times, thank you for sharing it with us.
It would be neat if Bai Yun had twins next time… cubs #7 & #8. #7 being a lucky number and #8 being a lucky number in Chinese as the word for *#8* sounds like the word for *prosper*.
I have been watching the Bi Feng Xia panda cam of the panda cubs and they are so cute to watch as they interact with each other.
Wait, there’s a Bi Feng Xia panda cam? Betty, can you share the link please?
Here it is:
http://home(dot)comcast.net/~dreidel/pandacams/bifengxia/bfxcams.html
Change (dot) to period.
I have captured some really cute pictures of them off of the cam and witnessed some really funny interactions. The site also has 2 other cams that show older pandas (sometimes they show the same thing).
I had mentioned in one of the previous blogs about one of the panda getting stuck in the ladder and the other panda coming to help it. I have seen different versions of it (as well as the same footage, so they replay some scenes over and over). It turns out that they are just playing, because in one footage, the panda stuck in the ladder with its head on the 2nd panda’s back for support stopped to scratch itself for quite some time before being rescued by the 2nd panda. I wish I knew how to get a video of it.
Thanks so much for sharing, Betty!
More pandas to watch, yay!
Betty, thank you so much for sharing not only that there is a cam we can see, but also the link. Sometimes when we forget to add the link several people spend quite a bit of time looking for it–you have made life easier for all of us….love grammmie
Wow–if Bai only knew how many fans around the World watch her and little Liwu throughout the day because they bring us such joy! It’s interesting to watch him look outside as if he wonders where Mom goes the times she leaves him — and when he is going to get out there. Too cute when he plays with his ears, wiggles those little short legs, and wakes Mom up when he’s decided it’s time to play. Sending love and big hugs to them both! Thank you to all the wonderful staff!
I loaded a video in Youtube biting mercilessly his mommie with his new teeth. The quality is very bad, but I hope you can see something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpwtgDnmb0I&feature=plcp
Sorry, should be Xiao Liwu biting, not me.
Check out sfgate (San Francisco Chronicle) Day in Pictures for today (Sunday, Dec.2). Right after photo of Duchess of Cambridge is a photo of Xiao Liwu at his latest exam, with funny caption!
thanks for pointing this out…would have missed the chuckle!
Oh, that IS funny! Thanks for sharing it — I would have missed it even though I’m a Bay Area resident, so I appreciate the post.
Sc Thank You for the giggle. We always knew our Pandas were Royal, but now we have proof! Love grammmie
Does Bai Yun bring bamboo into the den now because…she wants the cub to become adapted to the smell and taste when he chews on it….or does she bring it in to block the entrance to the den….or does she bring it in so she will have food when she is in the den or is she hiding her cub? At the beginning she never has large bamboo in the den, she did this same thing when Yun Zi was small. It is interesting.
I know there’s an infrared in the den. How dark is it in the den at night? Does the infrared light shed any light into the den for the giant pandas?
Moderator’s note: The den has been described by the Panda Team as “dark as pitch” at night.
Then giant pandas sure have great night vision. I wonder what they see with their eyes at night. Do they see color or is it one color scale?
I’m assuming you do not light any of the panda areas at night. The only light they get is natural — moon and star light.
Moderator’s note: Zoo Atlanta did a study on panda color vision and found they can see several shades of green, as well as other colors. We do not provide light for the pandas at night, except during our Nighttime Zoo each summer.
Wow, that’s very interesting. Thanks for providing that tidbit, moderator! A simple google of the terms “Zoo Atlanta panda color vision study” led to further details (and a scientific publication). It is simply fascinating to read about how the researchers designed and the study and analyzed the results so that the pandas could “tell” them if they were able to discriminate certain colors.
The cub is growing at a slower rate possibly due to a few reasons:
-No sun exposure so no Vitamin D for growth. Place him in the garden room for part of the day.
-Bai Yun wakes up the cub randomly and roughhouses him at night , which is probably why he has red eyes. It probably retards his growth as well. Bai Yun tries to cover up the camera in the den before she roughhouses him, which can mean bad intention.Try separating them for the a few nights and maybe she will stop and he will be more active and alert.
-Maybe Bai Yun is not feeding him enough? The Zoo should provide him with bowls of bamboo juice mixed with nut milk throughout the day.
Just because the Zoo is a research facility, it does not mean it should stand by and let the cub suffer. Plus, experimentation is a cornerstone of research.
I’m pretty sure the Zoo doesn’t just stand by and let the cub suffer….
Xiao Liwu is following the same growth curve as Su Lin who grew to be a healthy bear and mother. We should be careful not to anthropomorphize these bears too much – the good and the bad behaviors. I doubt Bai Yun was trying to hide bad parenting behavior (by our standards) with bamboo. There may be skills she’s trying to teach him in what she does. They’re still bears and I doubt that current research can explain all behaviors. I’m also pretty sure Bai Yun feeds him plenty – the vets and nutritionists seem pretty happy with the health of Mr. Wu and his big belly means he’s getting his meals.
I think, given the success of the panda breeding and research program of the Zoo (and its six cubs!), we should trust the experts. They’ve done a great job so far.
Six healthy cubs tells us SDZ and Bai know what they’re doing.
Bai and her son are not humans, they are bears and trying to say the cub needs Vitamins a human requires is not realistic. Pandas survive quite nicely in the high mountains of China in rain, snow and mist just fine without keepers handing out bowls of milk to them.
Bai Yun has raised 5 beautiful cubs successfully and having watched the last 2 she raised – I can tell you that she’s doing the same thing she did with them and both ZZ and Yunior are magnificent bears!
Rachel, I must agree with Heather. This is the 6th cub for the zoo and Bai Yun. The first one I observed was Yun Zi, and sometimes I had the same concerns as you are having right now. Watching her do no different is quite reassuring to me. As time goes on you will find that he will be just as guilty of those things as you think she is now. For a while they wondered why Yun Zi slept so late every day…..I watched them play together for hours in the middle of the night, so we knew we had a good reason for sleeping all morning. The moonlight “fights” were magical to watch, the cam quality was not real good, but from watching their daytime play you knew what going on enough to enjoy
them. At the end of their time together Li Wu will be a bear, Bai Yun his only teacher, but we will all feel proud…….Love Grammmie
? !!! ?
Rachel, what do you base your recommendations to the San Diego Zoo on? Please expound.
As I was watching Yun Zi munching away this morning, I realized pandas are rather wasteful eaters. They do not eat each boo to the last bite. Do they ever go back and eat the pieces they rejected/ignored previously?
3:25 PM….Gao Gao (with his extra-fuzzy paws) is entertaining the visitors by chowing down with great gusto! Life is good in Panda Land
GG: Hey dearest, how’s it going?
BY: YOUR son is turning into a cubby monster now that his teeth have come out. He thinks my tushy is yummy, sigh.
GG: Well, errrr, so do I.
BY: WHAT?
GG: I think you need something yummy. Yunz and I are going to get the Christmas tree and the decorations. You want some ice cream, my lovely?
BY: About time you asked.
GG: OK, three tubs. Rocky Road for me, Extra Extra Chocolate for you and Cookies and Cream for Yunz. Can the little one have some yet?
BY: Hmmmm, buy one of those tiny ones. Vanilla. Dont want Wu Wu to get any fancy tastes just yet.
GG: Hey Hey, what’s my son doing now?
BY: Playing with his feet. Counting his toes. Mouthing some boo. His back legs still need some strengthening. I think after Christmas, we can share him with the world.
GG: Yeah, some of the fans who drop by have been asking about Wuzie. I tell them ask the lady of the house. SHe’s the boss.
BY: Too right.
GG: Honey, I think once Wu Wu is weaned, we could go for a short vacay. And we could go visit….
BY: Kai Kai and Jia Jia in Singapore?
GG: Singapore? That’s far. I was thinking of Lunnie and Yangster. And the 4 of us can swing by Memphis for a visit. I was thinking of also going to visit Booland the home of our KIng of Panda Rock, Elvis Bearsley. You know, ‘You aren’t nothing but a Hound Bear…..’
BY: Let me think about it. Jia Jia was telling me about her lovely home. Thought we could got to Singapore and then to Chiang Mai to visit….
GG: CC and Hui….and get loads of boo beer, hee hee hee. Hmmm, I think its about time I taught Yunnie how to appreciate boo beer, panda rock and….
BY: AND???
GG: (turning red) Hee hee hee, errrrrr, how to be a gentleman and court ladies.
BY: Good save.
GG: I am the best! YES!
BY: Honey, I think I would like a double latte with soya milk as well from BearBucks.
GG: OK, I am off to do the bidding of my gorgeous lady love. Sweetie, I count every minute I am away from you, my beauty, my sweet.
BY: Love you.
GG: YUNZ! We’re going to the stores!!
I laughed at GG’s “so do I”. Yun Zi you’re being naughty!
That bit (no pun intended) is hilarious. Grammmie, as they say (or would have said…) a giggle a day keeps the doctor away!
SC–Thank you muchly, but I am not the author!
I enjoy these stories just as much as the rest of you, I even write a little here and there, but I will not steal somebody else’s thunder!
Oh, indeed! The beauty of this blog is that so many people are so generous with their stories and wonderful imaginations.
Bai tries to keep this little one under her paw, but he always manages to wriggle his way out. He’s a regular escape artist, our own little Wudini!
Bai is writing a book. The title will be “A THOUSAND WAYS TO PIN A FOOT”. She’s the best at it.
Anna C. and SA Wallick love them both!
Grammie—-you make me smile too. Can I add a small book entitled “How To Cuff a Kid”.
You add whatever you want to…love grammmie
at 5:48 pm PST Woooo is tumbling around playing with a stock of bamboo.
So cute like a kitten….
Still watching him with the boo and as he tasted it, he stuck out his tongue, like saying it was not as good as Mommy’s milk!
Then he started scratching with his rear leg while on his back and still playing with the boo. Looks like a fat baby with a toy on his back!
I do not see how he sees in such a dark den. Wonder if he realized what he was playing with?
I do not remember Yun Zi playing with the boo this early in the den.
Jeslyn, I believe Yun Zi started playing with bamboo in late November. Here are some images of Yun Zi at the same age as Xiao Liwu is today (127 days).
2009-12-10 Yun Zi: Bamboo and Paws (slideshow)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LeiWEt5V6I
I remember him trying to cram all 4 feet into his mouth at them same time. Great close ups, thank you….love grammmie
those are great shots….teeth clearly visible, too!
Boy, I must have missed that slide show before. Yun Zi sure has a lot more teeth in those shots.
At least his is during the daytime. Wuuuu was in total darkness when he decided to fiddle around with it.
They do seem to look different to me as cubs.
Thank you Doxiemom for being so on top of things!!!
Are Pandas curious by nature?
8:20 AM. Pandas do not live by bamboo alone (at least not at SDZ). Gao Gao reminds me of a Roman emperor…nearly reclining at table and enjoying a breakfast of carrots (or sweet potatoes?) and other tidbits. You all take such good care of them!
Is that Gao crashed on the ground? Sleeping like a log with his paw over his eyes. So cute, so peaceful. They sleep the sleep of no one with anything on their mind except sleeping and eating. Sighhhhhh.
Xiao Liwu is trying so hard just now to get out of the den but he just cannot get over the step. Is it very high or what is causing the problem for him?
Moderator’s note: It’s only an inch or two up from the bedroom floor. Maybe it was too slippery for him?
This morning in SanDiego / the cub / King Fluffy Butt Wuuuuuu is rockin and rollin all over the den / literally /even trying to do hand/head stands / playing by him self. Too darn cute.
Good Afternoon!
Is Panda fur soft or is it coarse? Just curious…love watching the pandas! They are wonderful animals.
Moderator’s note: A panda’s fur is coarse and thick.
Thank you!
Is this little gift coming out of den in January? I am gonna visit San Diego zoo when I can finally see him. I hope our wonderful zoo keepers can build a little payground for him, so he will have more fun, and tourists will be more entertained… Please, u people can make a slide for him..
Moderator’s note: We can’t make any promises, but January would be the earliest he would make his debut.
Gao Gao looks so peaceful eating his bamboo and chillling in his tub. Do pandas like the “safety” feeling of enclosed spaces or is he an exception?
my impression is that at SDZoo, the pandas just have personal preferences where they like to rest. Gao Gao likes to nap in the tub the most (he’s the right size). I think Yun Zi and Bai prefer sleeping somewhere off the ground. Yun Zi likes to be in his tree climbing structure (in positions that do not appear comfortable by human standards but he likes them). Bai likes either a raised platform or the tiny hammock (in Gao Gao’s current exhibit).
I can’t say scientifically but by coincidence the polar bears (SDZoo) like to fit as much of their bodies as possible in these plastic children’s swimming pools before they take a nap. it looks like some kind of nest-bed.
Mo–that hammock was made for Yunior when he was about 5 or6 months old, and Bai did covet it. One time she got in it with Yun Zi, and tried to share, and another time she evicted him and tried to lay in it herself. One of my favorite photos of her is sitting on/in it, just waking up, trying to decide if Saturday was a good day to conceive a “Little Gift”, or if Sunday was a better day for her and Gao. I would say she picked right!
Thank you! My cats love to smoosh themselves into the smallest places to take a nap. Must be comforting to them.
I got to watch Gao Gao in his Rub A Dub Tub, then we went right to his Gift to us, Little Mr. Wuuuu Wuuuu. Well the little gift was from both Gao & his lady love.
Nice isn’t it? Every time I nurse, I think how much a miracle each cubby is.
Bai
If your cubbies were miracles, you would have pockets full of them. Someone even wrote a song about pockets full of miracles for a play, and later made the play into a movie…..and they had never met you lovely Bai Yun.
Grrrrr… oh my, those teeth! Wow and now he is using them too! and he is 12 pounds!!! And Bai twirls him around like a two pounder! He is way too cute to be legal!
If anyone wants to see Daddy Gao very fuzzy paws, he is in his beloved tub, belly up! Such a cute shot of him, Thanks Meerkats!
I know the Beautiful and Most High Bai has been very very busy with Baby Liwu and I noticed that Daddy Gao could use a little extra cheek fluffing, they are a little disarranged, so I thought he could come visit with me for a few days to fluffy his cheeks, I won’t kiss him, I promise, pretty please…
And how would we know there was no kissing? Assuming Gao is a gentleman then he would not tell, and if you are a lady you would not tell, how would we ever know for sure???
Grammmie, oooOOooH… kissing Daddy Gao will be the hardest thing to NOT do… BUT you do know that IF and ONLY IF “IT” did happen, the Beautiful and Most High Bai WILL KNOW and I could never let her be hurt, so there will be NO kissing. Besides Daddy Gao only kisses his Bai. I promise to only fluff up his cheeks, I ‘ll even comb his fluffy fir on his precious paws, give his a tub with pine shavings and look at him with big dreamy eyes and sighhh and remember “Don’t kiss the P Bears.” OK?… can he come over now??!!?
It seems that Madame Bai has spoken, and she always gets the last word, Christmas time or not!
Dear Ms Beverly,
My Gao Gao does not need his cheeks fluffed. If he does, I will find the time to do it for him. He is very happy and he thanks you for the offer. He is much needed at SDZ cos he has to meet and greet our fans now that I am indisposed with Xiao Li Wu.
Much love,
Missy Bai
Dear The Beautiful and Most High Bai,
Ok, but just know if ever you need any help with anything, I am available to you 24/7/365/Infinity. I will keep practicing cheek fluffing on my white cat just in case.
Love, Huggs and Air Kisses to you,
Beverly
Get ready to roll on the floor
I found this Doxiemom video of 2 year, 100 lb. PO (ZA) playing with LunLun 
Weaning doesn’t seem to be in the near future (but ZA plans on weaning in Jan) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUojQIDPBO8
oh my goodness….what a hoot! Thanks for sharing
Thank you!!!
Oh WOW!! What fun! Thank you, Maureen for sharing!!
That was hilarious! That is why we love the P. Bears!
Maureen… Thanks for sharing and of course once again Doxie Mom does it again, she is great.
BTW… Is Lun Lun related to Beautiful Bai or Daddy Gao?
Beverly: I’m pretty sure that Lun and Bai are related through their father Pan Pan.
Beverly–we could never know who is related to Gao Gao unless it came up in DNA testing, because he was a wild rescue when young. Bai’s daddy Pan Pan was also wild, and if I am not mistaken so was her little mother. That is one of the reasons that the cubs born of such unions are invaluable for future captive breeding, except that Pan Pan is the father of so many in the breeding population. Almost all of the Pandas outside of China are related to each other. If the are not in-laws they are out-laws, right down to the black boots, motorcycle jackets, and hats that look like ears. Well all except Bai Yun, she was presented her ears by Mr. Unka Mickey Mouse.
Wow, thank you! I guess I am now wondering about inbreeding, but I sure they are on top of that.
I apologized for sounding stupid, I don’t know about the other P. Bears around the world and the US. I only know about Daddy Gao and HIH The Beautiful and Most High Bai and their family.
Oh, just because we NEVER want to offend HIH The Beautiful and Most High Bai… we never would imply she is an outlaw, never. She reads and will correct us! ÖÖ
I was lucky enough to find a link to this clip a couple weeks ago but its still has me in stitches. Po and the boo were both flying. LOL
I think Po’s mantra that day was “bombs away”! He was certainly doing high dives onto Lun. If that were my cub, I’d wean him immediately! LOL.
Don’t know why she still puts up with him
She is his M O M M A!!! We know all about being MOMMA, don’t we!
Gao Gao was living large, reclined in his tub and eating his favorite bamboo culm (sticks). he looked like the king of beasts (even though he does look cute in the tub).
Dear Moderator~
I was curious to know if there is a family tree for Bai’s family anywhere. If not, it would be something I’d be very happy to see! Thank you!
Moderator’s note: It’s part of our special all-pandas iPad edition, but if you don’t have an iPad, you can view it here as part of the Panda Cub Club article.
ThankyouThankyouThankyou!!!!
If you look on the pandasliveon website, scroll down and on the right side you will see family trees for all the american zoo panda. hope you find it interesting.
Thank you, I will!!
‘Hey Hey, how’s my Wu Zi doing?’ grinned Gao Gao as he entered the den to play with his son.
‘PAPA! PAPA! See I can do a headstand and I can roll!’ yelled Xiao Li Wu who was eager to show off to his papa.
‘Let Papa show you a one armed handstand! Hee Hee Hee. OK?’ smiled GG.
And with his eyes wide with amazement and mouth opened, Li Wu saw his father’s famous one paw handstand that once helped him win the heart of a fair panda maiden.
‘Look and learn, little one!’
‘Papa, can I do that? Teach me, please!’ yelled Wu Zi.
‘Not yet. You need to ask Panda Claws to send you some muscles, hee hee. Maybe when you are older, Papa will train you in the ways of the panda warrior.’
‘Oh goody! I can’t wait. Papa, can you tell me a stowy about Panda Claws?’
‘Hmmm, you heard the one about how your Mei Sheng Ge Ge helped Panda Claws one Cwissmas?’
‘No, Papa.’
‘OK, Mama has prepared a nice warm bottle of milk for you. Come and sit here next to Papa and I will tell you the story.’
‘YEAH!’ and Li Wu took his bottle and snuggled up next to his Papa.
Gao Gao started the story,’It was the night before Cwismass and not even a mouse was stirring. All good panda cubbies were sound asleep…’
‘Papa, am I a good cubby? Will I get a pwesent from Panda Claws?’ asked Wu Zi.
‘Well, that depends on the report Mama sends to Panda Claws. She will tell him if you have been naughty or nice.’
‘Oh, hmmmm, I fink I is nice, hee hee hee. I wuv Mama so much and I twy to be a good boy.’
‘Well, we’ll see on Cwismass morning then if Panda Claws brings you any prezzies.’
‘Papa, does Panda Claws know that there is an extra cubby now here in SDZ?’
‘Of course. And Mama will write and tell him too.’
‘Oh, OK. I wanna a scooter and a skate board and a surf board and…’
‘Can I continue with my story, my little one?’ asked a bemused Papa.
‘Oh OK…..’
‘And that night, Panda Claws was no where to be found. Cwismass will be ruined for all the panda cubbies in the world. No prezzies for them.’
‘So sad, Pa……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!’ as a little head slowly dropped and Xiao Li Wu was in dreamland.
Gao Gao gently carried Li Wu to his crib as he joined his wife and Yun Zi to decorate the Cwismass tree.
Hey Yunnie! Thanks for the Cwismass stowy. May suwgar pwuums dance in ywor head.
What a beautiful big boy! Mamma Bai Yun must be very proud of her son!
Thanks for sharing, living so far away, it’s a blessing for the panda cam and your posts, otherwise we would be oblivious to this darling little one’s progress
The story we hear about Gao Gao was that he stayed at the reserve, because he was terrorizing the villagers.
Here is an article from Pandas Live On http://www.pandasliveon (dot) com/giantpandas/2009/01/main-man-in-san-diego-is-19-years-old.html that gives a different story…
I kind of prefer this version. I can believe Gao Gao at the gate of the reserve looking irresistible more that him terrorizing the villagers.
Moderator’s note: WE never said he was terrorizing villagers.
Is that: www (dot) pandasliveon.com/giantpandas/2009/01/main-man-in-san-diego-is-19-years-old.html
Moderator’s note: Beverly, we can’t provide a direct link to other sites, other than social media ones, so we add the (dot) that you can remove to make the link at your leisure.
Thanks Moderator for explaining that, I was wondering what was up with all these links, the way they were being written.
I remember when Gao Gao first came here, the narrator told me he was found by villagers, starving, and was look like he had been attacked by another animal or panda, The villagers took him to the reserve where they brought him back to health. Great story, great ending
just wondering if there is a tentative date for when the baby and momma will be out and about for exhibit? trying to plan ahead! thanks!
Moderator’s note: We don’t have even a tentative date yet.
I just looked in on Gao Gao on the live cam, a pretty good closeup. I could see that his “tub” is stored inside his “cave”, I suppose for quick access later.
Yes… I noticed that too! I wonder if his Nanny Keeper put it in there or if he dragged it in there OR perhaps it was The Beautiful and Most High Bai who put it in there! It goes to show… Sweet Daddy Gao is SO loved!!!
I have to say how grateful I am for the Panda Cam being on 24/7 because if it weren’t, I would have missed the incredible adorableness going on in the Den last night. I was up late and decided to take another look at the Cam before going to bed, and, boy, am I glad I did! Mama Bai and Master Wu were in the middle of a play session! Bai was gently nipping at her baby’s paws while Wu was doing his best to hit her upside the head and bite her on the nose, ear, anything he could reach. What was so cute was that Bai encouraged Wu’s assault repeatedly by shifting him into better biting positions! She must be so proud of her precocious widdle boy becoming such a fighter. After all,if Master Wu were going to live in the wild, he’d need the skills Bai was helping him with last night. Bai Yun is such an extraordinary mother and teacher!
We hope so much, that he can be seen before Christmas break is over!!! My daughter, who is 6 years old, loves him and wants to see him. I will fly her to see him, if he is open for public viewing before her Christmas break is over on Jan 4, 2013!!
Is there any sign we need to look for, so we can make plans to visit?
Thank you,
blonde chinese
Moderator’s note: I don’t believe he’ll be out that soon. Our previous cub, Yun Zi, didn’t make his debut until January. We don’t want to make any promises, as it all depends on the cub’s surefootedness and Bai Yun’s comfort level with allowing him to come out. I’m sorry we can’t be more precise for your panda-loving daughter, but hope you understand.
I didn’t know how lucky I was until I found this panda blog recently. I visited San Diego Zoo during 2007 Xmas break and was told that there was a baby panda on exhibit, but only for a few short hours per day. So we got in the long line, and saw the baby panda on a tree, while the mother was on a different tree, showing us her backside. I didn’t even know their names back then. Now looking back, I realized the cub was Zhen Zhen, and I think it was only her fourth or fifth day out for public viewing. It was the first time I’ve ever seen a baby panda! (granted, since I grew up in China, I’ve seen my fair share of pandas in various zoos, but never before a cubbie)
I haven’t been to San Diego Zoo since then, and I hope I can get out there in the near future to see Xiao Liwu!
Moderator’s note: We hope so too, Fay. In the meantime, you might enjoy reading a blog post about Zhen Zhen as she was preparing for that debut in 2007: Too Zhen Zhen.
Dear Moderator,
Thank you for the link! I do enjoy reading that blog post.
When I visited the San Diego Zoo, I was very impressed by how lively the pandas were. I remember visiting pandas in Beijing Zoo in 1994 and the National Zoo in DC in 2007, but both times the pandas were sleeping. It wasn’t until in June 2007 when I visited SDZ for the first time that I saw a panda not only awake, but chomping down bamboos. That was some great memory!
And now I’m impressed how well you guys communicate and interact with the public too. I just want to say I appreciate all the things SDZ staff do, from taking great care of the pandas to keeping the live cams and the blogs. I’ve learned so much about pandas ever since I discovered your website
Moderator~ I have a question. If at Bai’s age she can not longer have any more cubs (just assuming here… I have NO idea about this) how or will SDZ be able to have any more little cubbies? Are there any future ideas/plans? Thank you!
Moderator’s note: We hope to have pandas here for a long time and will soon be working with China to update our loan.
I’ve noticed when Xiao Liwu plays with bamboo, if he’s not perched at the den’s entrance, then he tends to tumble around the den playing with pieces of bamboo. This video shows footage from Friday evening and Monday mid-morning at double speed … he clearly enjoys his “me time” in the den when he’s not napping
2012-12-03 Xiao Liwu: Tumbling Cub and his Bamboo
http://youtu.be/znig6NrKWiM
one word: adorable!!
Thank you, SDZ, for the longer video of Mister Wu’s latest exam. Please, please keep them as long as you can! I love to see him tumble around and hear him squeak!
Did Xiao Liwu have an exam this morning?
Moderator’s note: Yes. The video is up, but the blog will have to wait until tomorrow morning.
That video is adorable — when the vet reached up touched his nose — it was the cutest thing. It looks like he enjoys interacting with the staff — he get’s lots of loves.
I look forward to the blog, but the video is what we all want to see! Thanks for all your hard work. He’s SUCH a handsome young man.
In Memory of Pamela G. who wrote such heart warming poems of pandas.
Pamela G says:
December 18th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I just had to write another Panda Claws story for Christmas……this one is very long. My apologies for taking up so much space. And the best, happiest, and most peaceful of Holidays to you all!!
THE PANDAS’ BIG CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
“Twas the first of December at the Atlanta Zoo
And Lun Lun was pacing, not eating her ‘boo!
“What’s wrong there, my sweetheart?” Called Yang from next door,
“Did Mei Lan chew your ears again, dear? Are they sore?”
“Yang Yang, it’s awful!” She called in reply,
“But we can’t talk now: It will make Lani cry.”
So later that day while Mei Lan was asleep,
Lun Lun talked to Yang as she fought not to weep,
“I just got a message, and oh Yang! I fear
That we can’t celebrate Panda Christmas this year!”
” What! Why?!” Yang Yang barked. “This is worse than I feared!”
“It’s worse than that, Yang: Panda Claws disappeared!”
They sat close together as she told him how
She had gotten a message from Bai and Gao Gao.
A bird had been sent from far off Panda Home
To find Panda Claws or to see where he’d gone.
The world had been searched: Panda Claws was not there.
It was like he had disappeared into thin air!
“We must notify Le Le, Ya, Tian, Mei and Tai,
We can’t have the party if the bears can not fly.”
“Leave it to me,” Yang Yang said as he left.
“I’ll send birds out now. And don’t look so bereft.”
But Yang was sad too: Panda Magic is rare,
And old Panda Claws was the one Panda bear
With enough Panda Magic to fly over Earth
And take other bears with him, a gift of great worth.
The word spread to Memphis. The news was so bad
That Le Le and Ya Ya grew quiet and sad.
But at National Zoo was where it hurt the most
For the Tians had prepared to be hostess and host.
They had gathered the best, most delicious bamboo
And were ready to show their new home at the zoo:
The new trees, the waterfall, spacious outdoors,
And Tai Shan had practiced conducting the tours.
He’d been saving his appowz so that he could share
With Su Lin and Lani. That’s hard for a bear!
Now the party was ruined. Mei Xiang sat and cried.
And Tian paced and worried. Had Panda Claws..died?
**********************************************
Then, just before Christmas, a small bird came down
And landed where Mei Xiang sat slumped on the ground.
“There’s news from your Homeland,” The tiny bird cheeped,
“I’m to tell you that on Christmas Eve you may sleep,
“But just until midnight. Then you’ll hear a bleat.
“And you must go out to get your Christmas treat.”
“Then you found Panda Claws?” Mei Xiang rose with a cry.
“I can tell you no more,” said the bird. “I must fly.”
*********************************************
Well! I guess that I really don’t have to tell you
On Christmas Eve, no Pandas slept at THAT zoo!
Tian, Mei, and Tai lay alone in their beds
With Hope in their hearts but with doubt in their heads.
Then, just after midnight, they heard a soft bleat.
Doors magically opened. They rose to their feet.
Outside, it was snowing. The moon shining down
Gave a lovely blue glow to the snow on the ground.
By the light of the moon the three Pandas could see
A very large box standing near a big tree.
It had a big tag, which Tian took in his paws
And read, “Merry Christmas! From the NEW Panda Claws!”
The box disappeared, and standing right there
Were all the American zoos’ Panda bears!
There were Lun Lun and Yang Yang and Little Mei Lan
Who pranced over to kiss an embarassed Tai Shan!
Le Le and Ya Ya came forth side by side.
They saw the deep snow, and their eyes grew quite wide!
“Oh my! What’s this white stuff?” Su Lin ran ahead
And batted at snowflakes that fell on her head.
Then Bai Yun approached with a queen’s stately grace.
Beside her was Gao Gao, a smile on his face.
Behind them a figure in bright red appeared
With Zhen Zhen all tangled in his long, fake beard.
“Hold still, little sister!” He laughed merrily
And tugged off the beard. “Merry Christmas! It’s me!”
“MEI SHENG!!” cried Tai Shan, “Are you Panda Claws now?”
“I am for a day.” Mei Sheng said with a bow.
“See, with so many Pandas in so many lands,
“There’s just too much work for old Panda Claw’s hands.
“So he came in secret to me in Wolong
“And gave me some magic from his Christmas Song.
“Now he travels the East while I cover the West.
“Since my family is here, we both thought that was best.”
Then Panda Claws Sheng smiled and opened his bag.
“Let’s open some presents!” He read the first tag.
He handed out scent blocks and toys, treats and fruits,
Panda bread, crackers, and young bamboo shoots.
The bears ate and played, but the biggest treat, though,
(At least for the bears from warm states) was the snow!
Yang, Tian, and Le made a big Panda slide.
Then flopped on their bellies, and downhill they’d glide!
Bai Yun and Ya Ya rolled around in deep snow
And admired how the moon on their fur made them glow.
Tai Shan took the young ones and showed them around,
Then they played hide and seek with the snow falling down.
Mei Lan climbed way up to the top of a tree.
Zhen Zhen fell in a snowdrift where no one could see.
Su Lin, who was ” It,” dug her out of the snow,
Then tagged Tai on his grate, where she knew he would go.
Gao Gao made a snowball and swatted it high
And hit Mei Xiang, who laughed and threw one at Tai!
So, bleats and chirps rang through the bright, moonlit night,
As the Pandas chose sides for a huge snowball fight!
Then, laughing and panting, they sat down to talk.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian served their best bamboo stalks.
As the bears munched and gossiped, Mei Sheng sniffed the wind,
“It is late,” he announced. “We must fly soon, my friends.”
“Our son has grown up.” Bai Yun whispered to Gao.
“Yes,” Gao Gao was proud. “He’s the world’s Panda now.”
They began their good-byes as Mei Sheng Claws arose
And put each bear to sleep with a tap on the nose.
Then, as Panda Claws had in the previous year,
Mei Sheng whispered into each sleeping bear’s ear.
He whispered to Lun Lun, to Yang Yang and Tian,
Spoke briefly to Le Le and Tai Shan and then
To Mei Xiang and Ya Ya he told the same tale,
“A new cub next year,” he said, grinning, “A male.”
To Mei Lan he said, “Little Lani, you’ve grown.
“Soon you’ll be a big girl with a den of your own.”
He stopped by Gao Gao and whispered for a while:
Something about girl bears; It made Gao Gao smile.
When he came to Bai Yun, he kissed her tenderly,
“Love from Hua Mei, Su Lin, little Zhen Zhen, and me.”
He barked thirteen times, touched his paw to his nose,
And out of the snow a huge whirlwind arose.
It lifted the bears, blowing higher and strong,
Disappeared in the sky, and the Pandas were gone.
And on Christmas Day at the National Zoo
Brian watched the bears as they ate their bamboo.
He said, “Brenda, I know this sounds awfully weird,
But I could have sworn Tai Shan was wearing a beard!”
Tai Shan laughed. “Some day I’ll be Panda Claws, too!”
Panda Blessings to all! Merry Christmas to you.
This poem was written by Pamela G. the year before.
I had the idea that all of the American Pandas should get together for a Christmas party. This is the result:
A Christmas Visit from Panda Claws
“Twas the night before Christmas; in four US zoos
Pandas napped, or they played, or they munched their bamboos.
Black Panda stockings were seen everywhere,
but these were alive and were covered with hair.
Tai, Su, and Mei Lan napped by their mummies
While visions of fruitsicles tickled their tummies.
In Washington Zoo the Pandas were alone.
It was dark, cold, and snowing, the keepers gone home.
A soft, quiet bleat came from out of the dark..
Tian Tian sprang up and then stopped in mid-bark.
A figure appeared through the wall by his bed;
A fat, laughing Panda, but dressed all in red!
“Peace, my big friend,” he said, waving his paws.
“I come bearing gifts, for I am Panda Claws!”
“Now, let’s gather your mate and your handsome son, Tai,
And all of you put your paws over your eyes,
For we’re traveling to Memphis to pick up two more,
Where Le Le and Ya Ya await by their door.”
He gave four quick barks, touched his paw to his nose,
The world whirled around, and a cold wind arose!
Four Pandas spun high, then flew through moonlight
Over snow-covered country, a beautiful sight!
They touched down in Memphis just outside the zoo
And Panda Claws gathered the Tennessee two.
Six barks, a nose touch, and all paws left the ground,
Panda Claws cried “Hang on! We are Atlanta bound!”
The air was much warmer when they reached AZ
And the group was then joined by the Atlanta three.
“Now hang on!” Mr. Claws cried, “‘Cause I have to warn ya,
“The next trip’s a long one. On to California!”
He gave nine loud barks and again touched his nose
And more swiftly than eagles nine Pandas arose
And flew through the air like fat arrows, straight West,
While Lun Lun clutched little Mei Lan to her breast.
“Wheeee!” cried Tai Shan, “Mommie, dis is so FUN!
“But how can we fwy?” “Panda magic, my son.”
They landed at SDZ, silent as ghosts,
And with Bai Yun as hostess and Gao Gao as host
Had a huge Panda party, and there was no lack,
For jolly old Panda Claws opened his sack!
There were apples, and pears, fruitsicles galore!
Honey, carrots, sweet potatoes and more.
There were tender bamboo shoots, just out of the ground,
And wonderful scent blocks were all passed around.
Puzzles and boxes were filled with more treats
Until every Panda was stuffed full of sweets.
Then the adults sat down for a gossip and scratch
And Mei Sheng and Tai had a wrestling match.
Mei Xiang told a tale of a dastardly bee,
While Su Lin taught Mei Lan to climb a small tree.
Gao Gao showed Yang Yang his bamboo technique,
While Le Le licked honey from sweet Ya Ya’s cheek..
Bai Yun and Lun Lun and Mei Xiang compared
Cub-birthing stories, and den tales were shared.
Then Panda Claws rose, gave each bear’s nose a tap
And they all snuggled down for a Christmas Eve nap.
Then Panda Claws whispered in sweet Ya Ya’s ear,
“You’re going to be raising a new cub next year!”
He whispered the same words to Mei Xiang and Bai
Then went to Mei Sheng and whispered with a sigh,
“You will go Home soon, traveling far through the air.
A beautiful Panda girl awaits you there.”
Panda Claws said no more, but barked twelve times and then
Sent each sleeping Panda back to its own den!
And on Christmas Day when the Pandas were fed
In each den the keepers found cloth scraps, bright red.
And Tai Shan was singing amidst his bamboo,
“Panda Bwessings to all! Mewwy Cwisp Moss to you!”
Oh my gosh… I love those so much — and I always get a little teary eyed — they are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you Maureen for remembering our friend Pam G she had a very special way with words and we do miss her christmas stories and all her other poems. Her words will live on forever.
Thank you. Love this dearly. Am sure the pandas would too.
Lucilla
Thank you for the reminder of Pam G’s work. She had plots of pretty panda words for us….love grammmie
I think we all miss Pamela G. Her line was some of the best poetry going. The Pandas lost a good friend when she passed on..love grammmie
I read the question about what would happen if Bai can no longer have cubs, I have to admit I would be heartbroken to see either Bai Yun or Gao Gao leave SDZ, They are older and comfortable there and it would be hard on them to change their habitats at such an age. I hope SDZ agrees. I would be devastated to think they just used them for breeding and then junked them. Tell me that won’t happen.
Got a chance to see the video of the 16th exam — Xiao Liwu is progressing nicely! I loved the way he just lay down at the end and looked so calm and peaceful. He looks as if he is glad the exam is over but certainly not stressed out. He’s just the cutest thing on the planet! Like so many others, when I see him responding to the loving care of the staff down there, how I wish I were a part of it. Just melts my heart… Kudos to all the panda team down there at SDZ. Keep up the good work!
The video is precious. I am so amazed at how he can be having such a fun time and then plop down and instantly go to sleep. How cute!!! It looks like both his hind legs have white on them.
Bai and Liwu was playing in the den tonight and Liwu is now sitting up alone and he looks like such a big shot. Bai was laying down eating bamboo and Liwu was pestering her as usual. So fun.
Dear Panda Claws,
My Ge Ge is hewping me with this letter. I am Xiao Li Wu. A panda cubby who is about 4 months and a week old. I fink I am a big boy but Mama says I am still her baby.
I live with my Mama Bai Yun and my Papa Gao Gao in the San Diego Zoo. We are giant panda bears but I am not a giant yet, just a little panda bear. I have 1 older brother Yun Zi who lives here with us. My my 3 sissies and 1 brudder are in China.
Because I am new to this, Ge Ge Yunnie is hewping me. He says to tell you I have been very good. I wuv my Mama and Papa very much. I don’t cry or yell. I make them laugh and bwing them joy. I twy to follow what my Mama wants me to do. Sometimes I wike to pway with her and climb onto her. She is a Mewk Mountain Mama, hee hee.
Can I have a pwesent please? I want a skate skooter or a surf board or a bicycle. My brudder Yunnie will teach me how to use whatever you give me, hee hee. I wll leave a plate of apples and panda bread for you. Do you like mewk? Chocolate or strawberry? I can twy to get kwaffee or tee.
Panda Claws, can I ask that you bring a really nice prezzie for Mama? She has been wooking after me day and night for the last 4 months and 1 week. She has given me one million baffs, I fink. I know she wuvs me very much and will do all she can to help me grow. I fink she likes to smell nice and she likes gel (from some machine says Ge Ge). Can you get that for her? For my Papa, he wuvs his boo, his tub and hay. Can he have extra hay for Cwismass? Ge Ge says he will write to you so all I ask is you send Ge Ge what he wants, please.
I live in the den in the Panda Canyon. I can come and meet you to get my prezzie.
Thank you so very much.
Panda hugs,
Xiao Li Wu
What a lovely letter and request for Panda Claws. It is very special to want prezzies not only for yourself but for the rest of the family too. I guess the nieces and nephews in China take care of requests for your bro and sissies in China. Not all of them have babies yet, but two sissies have 10 babies when you add them together. With so many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins you will never be lonely. It would be nice if Yunnie tells you all about them, one at a time, and which one(s) he has had adventures with. Many of your family took part in the top secret Project Bamboo. Yunnie can tell you all about that. There used to be one part of safety training….the Zip line from the capsule to the ground. Once they climbed the rocket they had to get into a wire basket and ride from the top to the ground, but once they rode it they wanted to climb and ride over and over again. A panda sure knows how to have a good time, even when they are safety training.
Everybody is impatient to see you “in the fur” but your lovely mother is in charge, and will let the Nanny Keepers know when it is safe for you. That safety does not need a wire basket and zip line to get you ready for your public. It is too bad you do not get to do that, but you will be having fun with lots of other things. Maybe if you watch a video of Yunnie when Mama first took him outside to meet the fans will give you some idea of what is to come?
Love, hugs, and no kisses from Auntie grammmie.
Hmm it seems like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any recommendations for novice blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.