Xiao Liwu practices his climbing skills.
Over the last few weeks, we have watched Xiao Liwu as he acclimates to having people in his environment and handles being on exhibit for longer periods of time. So far he is doing extremely well: sleeps most of the morning, wakes Mom up, and begins to play. As he grows, he has become more sure of himself and has gotten more daring as he plays with his mom, Bai Yun. Each panda cub born here has been different in his or her personality and growth patterns, and it has been an amazing experience watching so many cubs grow up here at the San Diego Zoo.
As Xiao Liwu grows and becomes more confident, one thing we are going to see is much more climbing. Right now there are tree guards on the tree in the north exhibit so that keepers can keep and eye on the baby and get him inside in the afternoon. Once the cub is able to move to the main exhibit, he will have access to the outdoor area all day and access to the nice, big tree. Cubs have to begin climbing at a young age as a defense mechanism, since their mothers go off to eat for several hours of the day. Being up that high makes it less likely that another bear or leopard can reach the cub.
Another behavior that will be fun to watch is the playtime between mom and cub. Through Bai Yun’s actions, Xiao Liwu learns to defend himself. As the baby gets bigger, these actions will change accordingly.
Xiao Liwu’s exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to noon every day for right now, and we will keep you posted on when this may be extended and when the cub may move to the main enclosure. Hope to see you soon at pandas!
Anastasia Horning is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Panda Cub: First Days on View.
SNOW DAY UPDATE: Thanks to our generous Wish List supporters, we raised enough funds to have one snow day for little Xiao Liwu and his family. But we’d like to have another snow play date! Each $10 donation will go toward a second snow day for our “Little Gift” as we hope to raise more funds to have a second snow day in the summer for his first birthday! See our Wish List for details.
It is so much fun to tune in and watch the Adventures of Xiao Liwu, he is an adorable and engaging ambassador for the zoo throughout the world, so many people have become drawn in and addicted to watching him every day. It is a joy to come to the boards, read comments and get into actual conversations with people who also love to visit.
I love watching him too but it upsets me that of late his Mum keeps pushing him off of wherever he may be ..The branches..off the wall into the water..she picked him up by his foot and tossed him…I do hope that the zoo keepers look him over every day…no wonder he likes to sit down bythe wall alone
I totally understand why Mr. Wu needs to climb skillfully but it still makes me very nervous!!
I agree, it makes me nervous too when little Mr Liwu is up there and doing all kinds of moves to get comfortable ant falls or almost falls…..but it is nice to see that little Mr Liwe finally found a way to sleep on this one spot where he kept slipping through.
Watching the little man this morning,and he is napping at the top of the tree, is this his new nap spot? or just where he tuckered out after all of the climbing? Also,he is getting bigger, he looks a quarter (almost a 1/3) of his momma size, any clue on his weight? I miss his monthly check-ups.
Moderator’s note: 22.9 pounds (10.4 kilograms)
Okay, new question. Mr. Wu is down in the gully eating on a piece of what looks like bambo, have you every tried to peal one to put down there for him, as a treat?
Moderator’s note: No.
Dear Mr. Wu;
As you climb higher and higher please be nice to your loving Aunties and Unkas and hold on tight. I know you are a daredevil, and climb very high just to see what you can see, but you have had a few falls for various reasons, and you manage to get our hearts in our throats, we fear for your safety. So climb high, and enjoy yourself, but be careful…..and no falling…..love grammmie
Dear Grammmie,
Hee Hee Hee, I twy. Mama says my pawsies are not stwong enuf yet. Soon. More cwimbing, more stwong. I can hold on tighter now (Mama finds it harder to push me off, but I still cannot push Mama oooooooooooooofff MY pwatfowm!)
Happy Chinese New Year (Gong Xi Gong XI)
We all just want you to be careful Mr Wu. You make us all very nervous when you climb so high. Glad Mom can still take care of you. We all love you so Hang on tight when you are climbing soooo high.
Dear Auntie Kathy,
I will twy to be caweful. I ish bown to cwimb. Hee Hee Hee!
Blessings of the Season,
Wu Wu
Interesting facts about the climbing so young and the play factor with Bai being a defense practice, although for now, Bai seems to be defending herself against the little boy! What do pandas smell like?
How do you get Wu inside if he doesn’t want to cooperate?
Anyway, thanks for another informative and cute update!
The pandas I played with at Bifengxia had almost no smell when they were dry. Wet, however, they smell like any other wet animal — yukky! But dry or wet, I love ‘em.
Panda cubs more often than not smell like their mom. They will rub up on he,r and this is going to transfer the oil. Yun Zi, when he was a baby, used to roll in his mom’s feces.
Do the pandas respond when you use their names? Do you call them by name to move them to the area you want?
Thanks!
I used to wonder if the NannyKeepers nicknamed their special charges, then somebody mentioned they call him Mr. Wu. Gao calls him WuZi, and one of the moderators came up with Yunior for Yun Zi. ZZ is for Zhen Zhen, Sweet Sue for Su Lin, and the panda family calls Mei Sheng, Sheng. I have no idea if Hua Mei had a nickname, I call Bai Her Imperial Highness Empress Bai Yun, and she is often called Bai. I go for Gao Gao (GG) as Sweet Daddy Gao Gao. Many of them have multiple nicknames, perhaps some of the gang will fill those in for us…..love grammmie
I am not sure if they use their English names, Chinese translation, or nicknames when calling them. Sometimes their names change when they get to China…..Tai Shan who was born at the zoo in Washington D. C. Got called Tarzan when he got to China. Tai Shan is his Chinese name!!! Love grammmie
Dear Grammmie,
In Chinese, Tai Shan is the name for Tarzan. So when cuzzie Tai relocated to China, they called him that. We always tease him and ask him to swing through the trees. He is not amused. Hee Hee Hee.
Love,
Yunz
Did he find his Jane there?
Hi,
Cousin Tai has entered the breeding programme with my bro Sheng. I think they are being matchmade. Hee Hee Hee, I cant wait to be an unka.
Panda love,
Yunz
The bears do answer to their names from their keepers. They know that they will get treats for coming to their keepers. It’s all part of the positive re-enforcement.
It’s been amazing to watch how much more confident and coordinated Mr. Wu has become over the last couple of weeks. Thank you all at SDZ for your efforts to keep us posted on his progress and for allowing us to be part of this experience.
It’s a result of very hardworking exercise. I’ve been amazed of how he keeps on practising all day long like a top-athlete. Sometimes I’ve been downright worried about him. But he seems to cope well. It’s probably because he takes those long refreshing naps in between.
I LOVE this little guy. I have to check in on him several times a day. I especially love the interaction between Mom and Baby. Precious.
He is certainly pushing his luck just now fighting with his Mom
It is a fact that most animals do not know their relative size. It is not unusual for miniature horses to challenge full grown horses, if they feel their mares might run off with him—–not knowing their size is different. That seems to occur with many miniature animals dealing with mammals. I have no idea if this occurs among other forms of animals, but it is not the same in humans, we seem to know when we are at a disadvantage……love grammmie
But perhaps the little gift doesn’t understand HIS size!
Hi Grammmie,
I sure you are right about this size issue! Take the Great Dane… they have no clue of their size, the males can get quite large, around 200 pounds, standing on high legs looking DOWN at a 6 foot man and still want to get in your lap like a baby puppy!!! This never ceases to amaze me as I watch mine large Great Dane dogs looking down at my husband of 6’2”! it was a sight to behold!! then forever trying to sit in my lap!! I am petit at 5’3″ 107 pounds, not much for him to sit on! but he did it anyway!! Pretty funning!
I think animals don’t really the size/strength issue with the advantages/disadvantages, they do what they want regardless.
P. Bears Hugggs,
Beverly
i have one question? what will happen when the time rolls around when little wu has to be seprated from him mom because hes to old to be with her anymore. will him and the other 3 pandas share exbits and when you come there may be times where you only see 2 out of the 4? becasue wheni was there i only saw yun zi and gao gao becasue bai yn was with wu in the den? just a common questin. so glad to hear hes doing so well and is growing the way he should be
The rotation USUALLY goes like this, new baby and when H I H Empress Bai Yun has fed Little Gift for another 12 to 14 months he will move to his own apartment, but not with Daddy, or Big brother. He will be a teenager (like Yun Zi is now) and get to put pinups on his wall, and do what he wants to do, when he wants to do it!!! At the same time Bai usually retires to her private Spa and rejuvenation area so she can relax, gain some weight, and have her USA sisters over for visits. She is very cute in her pink polka dot bikini. I am not sure where Gao Gao will be, but he will be practicing his singing and Spring Salsa steps, just in case he gets a “special message” from Bai, in the form of bird chirping imitations. Then the zoo will make up it’s mind as to wether there will be a dace in the Spring. Mostly it will depend on health and well being of the bears. Love grammmie
Like the rest of his siblings before him, little Wu will be weaned around 18 months and go off to his own enclosure.
Anyone notice that their behavior seems VERY different today? Earlier the mom was pacing back and forth with the baby trying to follow but couldn’t keep up. In fact the mom would walk over him in her pacing. And now, hours later, they’re on some branches and the baby is “biting” her fur quite vigorously and climbing on her and she’s not really responding. What’s going on?
The pacing is Her Royal Highness Miss Bai waiting for her breakfast. She does it all of the time and Xiao Liwu loves to run after her and follow her back and forth. She also sits at the gate looking for keepers. He loves the chase.
On the branches, they were playing. Sometimes Bai is the one who is more aggressive, sometimes they take turns and this time, she seemed either very patient or tired, as she just sat calmly while he played with her. It is all part of their fun together and his training to take care of himself when he is a grown boy. All was normal and well. Aren’t they something?
I think I was watching one of DoxieMom’s videos in the last blog comment section, that showed him repeatedly flexing her right rear paw, so that he could bite her toes. He is a bit small, I suppose the toes are easier to bite, and when eating bamboo her first line of defense is her feet, which she pushes him with. I don’t remember that kind of action with Yun Zi, my only other baby to watch. love grammmie
It is the toe biting w/ Yun Zi, not the foot action I don’ remember, on the part of the baby Mr. Wu. Love grammmie
I suppose she was impatiently waiting for service in the morning and therefore not intrested in the cub. Although I think I saw her offering him a little milk. And later she maybe only not wanted to play at the moment.
I just love watching them, but I did notice that the baby is rough with his mom, sometimes it makes me nervous, I think mum will push him too hard, hope he will not get hurt this way. It’s hard to think of them as animals, Mr. woo is so adorable, hopefully he’ll learn to be a good little boy and behave, ha ha, too cute!!!
I finally and unfortunately caught a fall by Xiao yesterday afternoon while attempting to climb up with Bai on the sleeping area.. she moved her head and he missed his footing and down he went. I must admit it scared me, fearing with the direction he went he hit the cement wall, but when the cam caught up with him, he was on the go back up the branch to join mom again.. thank goodness no injuries. I have also noticed him climb rather high in the exhibit on one particular branch several times. I think this branch must be his learning one r moving under his weight as it does tend to move quite readily when he’s near the top of it… Hopefully no missteps from that height as it is a long way down..
I must have been watching about the same time and saw Bai give him a swat and then he fell. It looked like a long way down there. I noticed the camera followed his fall, except I didn’t see where he went to afterwards. I think my heart stopped. That really had to hurt.
Thanks for the information. It is so much fun to watch Mama and cub.
Question on the wish list, I thought I saw it was 50 out of 400 needed this morning, and at 2:11 PM, it showed [ 379 out of 400 needed ] , how did that happen?
Moderator’s note: See the note at the bottom of this blog post for a happy answer.
Thanks! ‘did not notice that
… Glad everyone will have a snow day and hopefully, for Liwu’s Bday as well.. Party time 
!
if Xiao Li Wu moves soon to another exhibit would that be a faster transition and learning period compared to his other siblings? (XLW is my first panda cub)
if another panda gets moved off the main exhibit for XLW, would that panda get to stay in the North exhibit (and we could keep watching them on a cam or see them at the zoo)? I forget, there was a new cam added recently but I don’t remember if it was the garden or North exhibit cam.
Mr. Wu will have another year with Bai
Cubs are weaned at 18 months so we have quite a bit of time to watch their antics 
When Yunior was in the “stone throne” exhibit now occupied by Sweet Daddy Gao Gao, both Su Lin and ZZ were available for viewing too. I forget where Gao Gao was…..ideally we could have them all on view at the same time, but perhaps Gao Gao and Yunior will switch off so frequent visitors will see them both. Yunior is more energetic, but I understand Gao Gao gives good poses for photos. Everyone has their gifts, while Bai raises her Little Gift. Love grammmie
I’m afraid that by the time Xiao Liwu weans, Yun Zi may be ready to go to china : ( I would love to see them all stay. My heart will be broken if that day ever comes.
Me too! Debbie in Pa.
Danielle and Debbie, and anyone else who feels that way, Yun Zi being my first cubbie, watched from the day he was born, I know that I will be heartbroken too, but I am trying to store up the most good memories I can from him……we will get no notice that he is leaving. It is a very guarded secret by the zoo, for good reason. The pandas know 2 things, feeding time is coming, and NOW. They don’t anticipate or worry about the future the way we do, they live here and now. There have not been any trouble with their transfer. The last thing they need is a bunch of flash bulbs going off at once, and Hoomans nashing their teeth and crying their eyes out. We would make it a sad party indeed. They do not need a circus atmosphere either, so it is good we do not know…..shocking as it is the day it is realized. Enjoy every minute you can with every panda, and when there is sadness you can cry, you just don’t it when in their company. We know it will be hard for us, but we do not need to make it harder for them. When the time comes let them go with quiet grace, as befits their dignity. That last line made me smile, most of the time I would not consider those black and white balls of fluff dignified, they are the most fun.
Well it seems I got a bit wordy again, maybe I need a vaccine for that! ! ! ! ! ! I guess I am trying to talk myself into calmness and dignity. Sometimes reading blogs right after a bear leaves has me in tears for days, but unless they can talk nobody knows but me…..love and understanding from grammmie
He’s getting to be a big boy now!
I love watching him.
I am alternating my time watching Mr.Wu grow up, play with Mom, fall down countless times, fall asleep, and eat or pretend to eat bamboo. He is too adorable and I can’t afford to miss his antics. Thank you, San Diego Zoo, for giving us this rare opportunity to watch him all the time.
Thank you so much for the blog Anastasia. It’s been amazing to watch Xiao Liwu out in the North Exhibit this past month ~ so much has happened
For those that missed the most incredible play session between Xiao Liwu and Bai Yun that took place up on the climbing structure (and he did NOT fall), here are the videos:
2013-02-08 Xiao Liwu: Just Playin’ in the Rain
http://youtu.be/mXMAfPucEBc
2013-02-08 Xiao Liwu: Just Climbin’ in the Rain
http://youtu.be/24c2Nbhg9u8
…and here is one from this morning. Bai Yun was awaiting her breakfast and pacing in the Garden Room, and Xiao Liwu did a great job of amusing himself and trying to keep up with her.
2013-02-08 Xiao Liwu’s Early Morning Workout
http://youtu.be/UMkuYhSkW2s
I’m convinced Bai wants to do her best to keep up her girlish figure — and does her absolute best to make sure she gets in her 10,000 steps whenever possible! Thanks DoxieMom for the great videos~~I cannot tell you how much I enjoy them!
DoxieMom!
You totally spoil us! Thank You!
Does she ever!!!!! She is unbelievably good!!!
Lovey videos as usual. In the second one (I think) I saw Bai offer nursing, but Mr. Wu kept climbing. In the third one she sat in the door, seeming to offer from her left front leg and paw position, but when he was to take her up on it….they just couldn’t seem to get together before the walking resumed. I did notice he took a turn by himself, looking through the gate, just like mommy. Thank you, I slept during their play and missed it. Love grammmie
Please get all videos you can on snow day. If we can get the second one we could compare your videos for fun! ! ! !
i have a question about the third video. There is carrots or yams in the corner, just sitting there. If Bai is so hungry why didn’t she eat those while waiting for her breakfast?
DoxieMom: The video you posted “Just Playin in the Rain” was beyond precious. I think this was the sweetest interaction I have seen between Bai and Liwu in recent times. It just melted my heart… ahhhhhhsome!
He is one mucky pup today! Lot’s of cleaning for his Mom today.
Yes he doing very wll there.Climbing is so much better.And growing so big.
please tell us when the pandas are getting the snow, hopefully someone will take a video of it as well,can’t wait for the snow; I have 30cm on the ground today, you can have some of the real stuff if you want, I’m pretty sick of it ha ha
Loved the “early morning workout”. No wonder Mr. Wu takes long morning naps. Thank you for much for your postings DoxieMom.
I’m so very happy enough funds were raised to give the entire family a Snow Day!! If I wanted to plan a visit to see them enjoy their Snow Day, has the date been selected yet? It would be the first time that I’d actually get to see him — so it would be a very special day for me too!
Moderator’s note: No date has been set yet. We will let everyone know when it is.
I just discovered this cam about 2 months ago – first time ever watching a panda cub. He is without doubt the cutest little thing I think I have ever seen. This is hard on my heart – When the cub falls, or like yesterday and today when the Mom shoves him away, or knocks him down and he has a hard fall, I have to quit watching. Just cannot take it. Is the Mom really being mean to him? Or is it just something he needs to learn – to stay away from her? I will keep watching – and just hope he has enough fat and fur to protect his little bones.
Moderator’s note: The post Through the Bear Lens should calm your concerns.
And when you see her reach upward, after getting her Imperial hindquarters comfy, hold on to something for support, near him, she is inviting him to nurse. When it comes to play she is the biggest kid on the block-the panda block! She is sometimes more persistent in getting her way, but he is also insistent——so I imagine there will be some Royal Battles Ahead!!! Love grammmie
And welcome to the comment section Sandy, we hope to hear more from you. If you would like to read lots of great information about the cubs Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Mei Sheng and Yunior, my first cubbie check the archives. The blogs only seem to go back to 2005, but perhaps some folks here from the first saved the blogs in their files and might share them with us. There is lots to learn not only in the blogs themselves, but in the comment sections too! Love grammmie
Hi Sandy,
Glad you are here! For your heart’s sake… check out Debbie’s Report on Answers, it is the blogs before this one. I believe it will help calm your heart some, near the end of her report, she gives us good information on the surface he fall on and more. It is one of the best Reports with lotz of answers for our worried hearts! Wonderful read!!
P. Bear Hugggs,
Beverly
4:35 PM….I call that buttoned up for a power nap. What a total sweetheart!
He is covering his eyes while sleeping right now…I think he needs dark eye cover so he get to sleep well under the sun. Lol. So like human!
I just got back from visiting Mr Wu all the way from Texas!
It was such a great experience , Mr Wu was so adorable, I have been watching him everyday since his birth. So I had to meet this little guy in person.
The staff and the whole zoo is amazing. Got a lot of great pictures.
Thanks San Diego Zoo!
Moderator’s note: Glad to hear you had a great time, Doll!
Dear Auntie Doll,
Thank you for coming to see me!!!
Panda hugs,
Wu Wu
Doll, I am pea green with envy! So happy for you!!!
WTG Doll….so happy for you….love grammmie
I envy You, Doll. Could You share Your pictures on the Flickr for example?
Or even on the zoo’s Facebook? Anyone wanting to see great photos from all over, that is one of the places to do that. Since all of us don’t check the FB Photos all of the time, when you do add some try to mention it here, we want to see everything…..love grammmie
Ha! Thank you once again, DoxieMom! I saw all of it live today. (Although I had to leave when he was SO HIGH UP THERE. Now I know I can safely watch again.) Got a *few* things done on my day off. But now I have proof that will melt my husband’s heart as to why I did not get the entire list completed. You are the best and I can not thank you enough
Thank You for the update on the fast growing cub. Glad he stopped making his way down the moat in the mornings. Always nice to see him out on exhibit in the trees. Side question, any word on Yun Zi’s tree construction? Will that be happening this month?
Hello moderator, How do the keepers get the pandas to go into their other rooms???? Maybe it already has been posted, and I missed it……..
The cutest baby panda cub Liwu is growing, it shows he is nursing well from his mom….Today he was really pulling at her fur, and I wondered if that hurts Bai yun ….. Maybe not, she would push him away otherwise….Today when it was raining pretty hard, cuteness pie Liwu was trying to get shelter by his mom, that was soo cute!!!!!! He is such a love that baby growing panda Liwu…….I love him dearly and his mom Bai Yun……….
The first behavior trained to cubs is how to shift in and out of the bedrooms. This is done with positive re-enforcement and habitual behavior. The bears also like to be in the back with the keepers, as they tend to get a little more attention and treats.
If I had a super giant refrigerated truck, I’d send the Yun-Gaos all the snow falling here on the east coast. They are more than welcome to it!
Thanks Anastasia for writing again. Mr. Wu certainly is one busy little bear. It is amazing to think that he is 6 months old already. How time flies!
Time can fly all it wants too, since everything else is written about our pandas.
My daughter and I are really enjoying reading the blogs. Very informative for us as this is our first time following a panda from birth.
Also, I find that watching Mr. Wu on the panda cam while exercising on my treadmill is a great way to keep the heart rate up!
What great work we all did for Snow Day, we should all be proud. And how fast were the fans to give just one more $10 donation, it was all it took today to reach our goal. The Second Snow Day it gives some on a monthly income time to plan ahead to send 3 small donations, instead of having to come up with it all at once. Today they may have had a Hail Day, that cost nothing extra. 30 Miles inland from the zoo we had rain, and then hail. I don’t suppose they enjoy hail as much as snow, do they? Well tell them snow is coming soon, they will enjoy it more…love grammmie
Grammmie,
I think everyone should give themselves a BIG pat on the back for such a GREAT response to the Wish List for Snow Day for Snugglepuff and FAMILY!!! in a quick amount of time!!! WOW, just wonderful, they are going to have so much fun!!! We will too!!
Great job everyone, we did goood!!!
P. Bear Hugggs,
Beverly
P. S. (P. Bear Script) What about… us start now planning for the donations for Snow Day on Snugglepuff’s Birthday for Snugglepuff and family! I am on my way over to Wish List to do my donations now. If you can and when you can, remember even the one $10.00 helps a greatly!
It was nice indeed that the snow day money came so quickly.
I wouldlike to take up one thing about the panda life. Pandas do not exactly have a family like us humans because they are not social animals who live in family groups like us. A “Panda Family” includes only mother and unweaned cub(s) like other bear families.
…Although it’s intresting to know that 39 % of families in Finland 2011 were one-parent-families. Are we turning bearish here?
My reference to “Family” came from this blog:
SNOW DAY UPDATE: Thanks to our generous Wish List supporters, we raised enough funds to have one snow day for little Xiao Liwu and his family. But we’d like to have another snow play date! Each $10 donation will go toward a second snow day for our “Little Gift” as we hope to raise more funds to have a second snow day in the summer for his first birthday! See our Wish List for details.
Even though only Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu will play together in the snow, there is enough money for Yun Zi and Gao Gao to get snow, too, in their yards. Therefore, Family Snow Day thanks to all who have donated to make this possible.
If you go to the link below you can se some lovely photos of Hua Mei with her loving step father Gao Gao.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/2872775506/in/set-72157601057288299/
And more Hua Mei
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157601057288299/
Mei Sheng alone and w/out….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157600957045731/
Mei Sheng—check out the climbing and blue skies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157602071409279/
Su Lin climbs!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157602133780008/
Hua Mei w/ momma
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157602011918957/
Mei Sheng w/momma
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157602172699158/
ZZ w/momma and by herself, check out climbing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157603523117442/
Some lovely photos of Gao Gao, but not sure if Sexy Fluffy FurryFeetsies are shown. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157603523117442/
Su Lin in the Snow!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157604785896415/
ZZ when young
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157604809169344/
Shi Shi in loving memory. (Father of Hua Mei )
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157606065372883/
Cirque de Zhen Zhen—high stuff
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/sets/72157607400364284/
A page these collections came from, I only picked a few, go here if you want more from 2008 back
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/collections/72157601030578203/
This one shows the latest Mr. Wu’s photos, and some groups from 2010 forward but 2009 appears somewhere….check foe photos in late 2009 and early 2010 for Yunior photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
I thought you might enjoy either a trip down Memory Lane, or a look at the five cubs before Mr. Wu……love grammmie
Thanks for the links, Grammie! We sure enjoyed looking at the photo album of all the SDZ cubbies. They are all so beautiful, aren’t they?
All the girls are beautiful princesses and Mei Sheng ever so gentle face! Yunzi is a handsome boy and Wuzi sure is a charmer!
I missed out a lot on the Panda stories and fairy tales.. well, there was something about “busy work schedules” that got in the way
and so I viewed and followed whatever time permitted.. Though since you got me hooked on the “Legend of the Bamboo Diamond”, I have been going through the archived blogs lately and reading through them.. so very entertaining, so innoncent, so full of life lessons, and fun, too! I recommend to new people in this blog to spend some time on them. And then you will know how each cubby is so very special, not just Liwu 
Thanks, Grammie! Bill always kept talking about we should visit Little Liwu soon before he gets so grown up… well, it is the “busy work schedules” in the way again (on his part)
.
Happy Chinese New Year to all.. and to the panda families!
Grammmie, the link for this photo is a repeat of the prior … I was hoping to see the ‘furry feets’ … tee hee
Some lovely photos of Gao Gao, but not sure if Sexy Fluffy FurryFeetsies are shown.
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful photos … what a treat!
I am happy you enjoyed the memories, except for Yun Zi I had no memories of the others, he was my first love and entrance into the wonderful world of Pandas. Since each one is different it is hard to keep your heart in just one place. As you might have noticed, one thing all of the cubs have in common, besides a mother, a father, and loving momma. They all loved to climb tall trees.
Thank you, Maggie for thinking I was the photographer . I live plenty close enough to meet them “in the fur” but didn’t know how I would loose my heart. After my husband passed on I have not been to the zoo at all. His health dictated short visits….so we went often. We always enjoyed our trips, a happy pair of cardholder memories. Now I am in no shape to go, but live visits through the comment sections, so keep on writing about them. Rita Petita was the one behind the camera, and is kind enough, like many, to share her hard work with us. Cannot get enough!!! Love grammmie
Dear Grammie, Thank you for bringing us back to memory lane, it brought tears to my eyes, as I remember going to the zoo with my husband and we saw all those wonderful pandas over the years……”Little Gift” Liwu is the first baby panda that I have watched from day one on the web cam and have been following daily….Though, my husband and I live in San Diego we do get a chance to go often to visit the animals at the zoo……The Web Cam has been a real gift for me,as I can see so much more of the cute darling growing baby Liwu on a daily basis…Thanks again for all those wonderful memories of the pandas…. I LOVE them all……….
I am so glad so many of you visit the zoo often. I loo love reading about your adventures, so keep up the good work…..love grammmie
St.Annes-On-The-Sea
Lancashire, UK
Dear Gao Gao,
I would like to wish you, Bai Yun, Baby Wu and Yun Zi
KUNG HEI FATT CHOY. It means in Cantonese “Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year”.
This will be Baby Wu’s 1st Chinese New Year. Today is the last day of the Year of the Dragon.
On the 1st day of Chinese New Year, I will be bringing Chinese New Year Cheer to all my “Feathered Friends” with lots of treats.
I hope bamboo cakes in the form of a Dragon will be specially made for Baby Wu to nibble and play with.
I hope Gao Gao will receive a Panda Cake because he was born in the wild and we do not know what year and animal sign he was born in.
Bai Yun, born in the Year of the Ram, hopefully will receive cake and biscuits in the form of a Ram and also for Yun Zi who was born in the Year of the Ox.
I wondered if Red Packets, Oranges and Tangerines are decorated in their exhibit areas. These are Auspicious Chines New Year Symbols.
Oranges in Chinese sounds like ‘Wealth’, Tangerines sounds like ‘Luck’.
Through the play of words, the Chinese is associating the gift of Oranges and Tangerines as having an abundance of Happiness and Prosperity.
The bright Orange colour of the fruits also symbolize “GOLD” hence it has an auspicious meaning to bring in Good Luck and Wealth.
Do Pandas eat Oranges? It would be lovely to see Baby Wu play with it.
Chinese New Year is celebrated for two weeks and during this time, I hope Gao Gao and family will get lots of treats and goodies.
Gao Gao, I wish you and your family Good Health and Happiness. I toast to you to welcome The Year Of The Snake. Yum Sing!. “Yum Sing” is Cantonese for cheers during a toast.
To Hua Mei, Mei Sheng, Su Lin and Zhen Zhen in China, I would like to wish you GONG XI FA CAI. It means “Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year” in Mandarin.
Herrow,
Xing Nian Kuai Leh! I come from a province where Mandarin is spoken and Sichuanese, not Catonese. But I learnt some Cantonese.
Thank your for your wishes. The red packets are normally filled with munny and it is for married people to bless children and singles.
On the first day of Chinese New Year, my children will kneel in front of Mama and I to serve us a cup of hot boo tea and to wish us. We will then give them red packets. In China, firecrackers will be let off.
Chinese New Year is for 15 days and on the last day, the family gets together for a meal. On the eve, like this evening, the whole family will gather for a reunion dinner.
What we would do is go visiting relatives. And we would bring a pair of tangerines to wish each family prosperity. In Catonese, tangerines are ‘kum’ which sounds like ‘gold’. Of course here are the zoo, we don’t visit. However the animals from China and Asian regions will call out to one another. A few who can will drop by. That is why wifey is baking like mad. She is also getting ready for the Reunion Dinner tonight. All my kiddies will fly in any time now.
Have a lovely weekend.
Panda hugs,
GG
You did some good hard work for this comment section, we can all use a bit of education, and fun….you have provided it…love grammmie
I understand, from another comment section, that the kids in China, not raising babies, will be joining the family here in the Panda Underground Dens and Rooms for the celebration. That should be fun. Wait until they all see how he has grown, and loves the tree tops just like ZZ. Perhaps they will show one of the routines they were working on when most of them came for Little Gift’s naming day. Love grammmie
St.Annes-On-The-Sea
Lancashire, UK
Thank you to those who replied to me. Recently, I have been having an hectic time checking on the birds. We had snow twice last month.
Grammie, Swans usually lay 2 or more eggs, sometimes up to 8 eggs.
Grammie and Beverly, I have good news for you. Last Sunday morning, 3rd Feb, I was mesmerized by a dance known as the Love Dance performed by Gao Xing and Bai Xing. This behavior tells me that they are ready to breed.
I have found a video of a dance that is closely similar to the dance by Gao Xing and Bai Xing, here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFXOOxf0koU
I could not take my eyes off them. It went on for nearly 20 minutes. Guess who was watching this with me? The Mallard Ducks! The ones that I feed and check on every day.
The female Mallard ducks were sitting on the rocks watching the dance in amazement and the male ducks were on the water.
It is like having a front row seat watching “Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake”.
Of course this is better! This is performed by real Swans.
The weather here is getting better this week, with horrible weather for the last two months. Sometimes we have had gusts lashing at 60 MPH. The reason I did not reply earlier is because I have to go out early to check on the birds.
Hi Cynthia,
OHGosh! how exciting to hear about the Swan Lake Dance!!! Simply can’t wait to hear about the baby swans this spring! OMGosh, can’t wait!!
Do the Mallard Duck do any kind of dance or fun stuff like Sweet Daddy Gao Gao and Beautiful HIH Bai Yun do… a real fancy Salsa to be envied by all… that bring about the cutest cutie pie cubs!? Keep us posted.
Be careful out in that bad weather up there, we want to keep hearing from you. Take care.
P. Bear Hugggs,
Beverly
It sounds like a wonderful Fairy Tale Dream. I am so happy for you to have the best seats in the house. My son Greg just brought me a lovely breakfast so I will watch The Magic after I eat. Thank you so much….love grammmie
I just got to enjoy “The Swans On The Lake” dance, how lovely. Those of you who click the link to see it will find many other videos to choose from on the right side of the screen….love grammie, and thank you again Cynthia!
Hi-it’s grammmie. Would the person who asked about the photo at the link below, back 2, 3, or 4 blogs please contact me. I could read back through all of the comments, there are good things about pandas in the comment section, but reading is putting me to sleep too fast right now. I have been trying to find you. It is about our little gift in the box with a ball, looking so cute we all want him as a Valentine surprise. I wonder if other zoos think their pandas are as cute as ours….love grammmie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/8426395510/in/photostream
Hi Grammmie, I believe it was me, wanting to use yhis pic as a desktop, and needed an approval from rita. Were you able to find out anything for me?
Debbie in Pa.
Our lovely pandas need more visitors so they know how loved they are, any chance you can head out this way? If they look this good in photos can you imagine how they look on a sunny day, or wet from raining, can you imagine them close up??? Oh for a few hours just to gaze upon their beauty, I would get dressed and get there with a hop, skip and a jump. I would gaze upon Gao’s feet, have a good laugh with Yun Zi, talk babie gibberish with Mr. Wu. And bow to the beauty of H I H Bai Yun, the Imperial Highness of all Pandas.
We need to be in touch personally , if you asked the moderators to put us together I would love it!!!!! Lets give it a try. Love grammmie
Grammmie, If I could I would be right there beside you admiring our beautiful Gao family, but financial and other circumstances don’t permit it at this time.
Debbie—-I meant by email, as much as I would like to get together “in the fur”, I know it is Impractice right now. Love grammmie. P. s. you will love our first email, I promise.
How do we do the e-mail thing, I’m all for it.
I just checked the panda cam, I only saw Bai Yun eating her boo, perhaps our little gift is sleeping under a pile of it. The sun is shining, so all is well in PandaLand. Love grammmie
You have me still? am blown away by the Galapagos turtle /finch and then keeper scritches begged for by the turtles.What a marvelous blog that was. Imagine knowing of that response and getting one too.!! Outstanding piece of work!!
Mr Wu and Bai look so comfy when they sleep in all those odd position…but I wonder if they ever wake up with a back ache or their neck hurts..kinda like when I sleep and wake up sometimes.
When they sleep their muscles and bones simply dissolve into a gel, except for their heads. It is hard to get gel to hurt, it adapts itself so well…..love grammie
I’ve got a good two feet of fluffy snow, how much do you want? Glad to hear our Little Gift is doing so well.
Mr. Wu is precious; fortunately, he seems very cautious in his actions.
Again my wonderful San Diego children have given me a trip out to see them next Wednesday. And of course we will be at the zoo early Thursday morning. Also since they bought me a years pass to the zoo we’ll be there every other day as well. A couple hours there and then on to the do other things but seeing Mr. Wu will definately be the first thing we do. Can’t wait !!!
Congrats Donna in Florida, your children have given you great gifts, love grammmie
Just curled up in a little ball of fur, guessing he is snoring gently, so content! Happy Chinese New Year to you Wu Wu and your family!!!!
Thank you for the update on Mr Wu. He sure is climbing a lot and having fun.
I finally made it to San Diego Zoo this past week. As soon as I entered the gates I headed to Panda Canyon. Dear Little Xiao Liwu and Bai Yun were both fast asleep the entire time . . . but it was still so fantastic to be there and see their beautiful sleeping faces.
Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu are just a wonder to watch. They are beautiful as are Yun Zi and Gao Gao. Yun Zi tickles me when he is walking and decides to drop to his side and do a half roll. He seems to enjoy it very much. Xiao Liwu loves his climbing and chewing on leaves and things. When he is climbing and crawling around on the apparatus he is constantly exercise his legs and such. Always pushing and stretching, etc. He is just a Bai Yun and Jack LaLanne protege. Love him so much.
You made me smile out loud!!!! Love grammmie
Today! was most enjoyable to see baby growing panda Liwu nurse from his Mom….How precious is that!!!!!!! His tummy was full and after climbing a bit on his Moms back he went on one of the branches on his back totally contented as he always looks… What a precious “Little Gift” Liwu is…Sunday my husband and I are going back to the zoo to see the pandas, it is such a blessing to be able to go there and see these fantastic wonderful animals……. Thank you Moderators for the Web Cam and all the “Keepers” for taking care of the beautiful, handsome pandas,,,,, The growing darling baby is getting so big and is nothing but cuteness!!!!!!!!!!!! Just a love, just like his Mom Bai Yun and dad Gao Gao……Mustn’t forget his older brother who to my husband and I is a comic in the early morning waiting for his breakfast………..
Poor Lil Wuu. He cant get a break. He has been trying to get some love from Mama and she aint having it. She was eating and he wanted to play but she wasnt having it. Then she was on the platform resting and he wanted to join her and she just pushed him off. Maaa, he just want you to hold him
Well, it’s also possible that he was after a little “grab where you can” and Bai surely saw the little devils in his eyes.
Just within the last two days Mr Wu seems to be really getting to grips with the bamboo canes. True to form it all seems to be coming together wonderfully.
When I checked the panda cam as I got online Sweet Daddy Gao Gao was giving the guests a lesson in boo eating for the advanced age panda. He thinks if you teeth do not work so good that it is okay, as long as everything else does, giving us a “Little Gift”. Love grammmie
The archives go from 2003 through 2008, but I was finding it hard to work through the current date back through 2009. I decided to try an experiment, so in the search box under the photo of Bai giving a lesson in choosing the right boo to one of her babies I put – Previous Blogs – getting great blogs to choose from, not only from pandas but for any animals at our zoo. Today I tried to re-examine the pages I got, but used – Giant Panda Blogs – and got just previous panda blogs. You can work your way backwards, or go to the end of 2008 and work forward, or just try anything that strikes your fancy. With this and the archives we can enjoy any previous blogs at will. I don’t know about other animal blogs, but the comment sections of the panda blogs contain a great deal of information, fun, and help. Be sure to expand your blog reading if you can, there is fun there too.
If you need any help finding things just ask. Other readers or the moderators will jump right in to help you. Imagine reading about the other 3 babies before Yun Zi….all babies born before our Little Gift, we all adore-they are all adorable and worthy of our attention too. It will give you a chance to make your own comparisons of their accomplishments.
You will learn how we DON’T say goodbye when they grow up and leave for mom and dad’s birth land to fulfill their destiny of helping save their species. They will be well cared for for the rest of their lives, and NEVER forced into the wild. Our zoo’s policy is to NOT announce a leaving date. It is safer for our darlings, and they are not exposed to a circus atmosphere here they would not understand. So every time you see a panda reaching the age of possible return to China, enjoy them fully now, now is all they seem to know (except meal times….they know those) . Love grammmie
I just took another look at a photo, and saw something I had not noticed before. I am not sure how Gao “sees” his Luv, Bai Yun, but if he looks at her upside down he will see her head is shaped like a lovely inverted heart. I have been watching her since Yunior was born, how could I have missed it? Enjoy the photo, it is great all by itself…love grammmie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/8416230138/in/photostream/
I absolutely love the recent picture of Bai and Wu Wu together — I’m sure Bai has already had it framed for GG as a Valentine’s Day gift! I’ve been checking the links that you posted–thank you, Grammie for taking the time to do that. The photos of the entire Gao Family just melt my heart!
Here is another video from Friday (as I had a lot of wonderful footage) and one from Saturday The 1st shows some darling clips of Xiao Liwu throughout the day (with the exception of his morning workout and play session with his mother). The 2nd shows the 4 times Xiao Liwu encounters Bai Yun on the climbing structure and hammock.
2013-02-08 Video Diary of a Busy Panda Cub
http://youtu.be/72cHygqU-IQ
2013-02-09 Close Encounters of the Mommie Kind
http://youtu.be/na8se2XZ76o
Both videos are fall free ~ so enjoy!
The Wu self’s fur seems to be changing in texture. Have always loved the pic at the top of the blog with a seemingly slightly curly haired cub (Yunnie?) – now Liwu’s coat seems to be longer and curlier in these films. Cuter than ever – cant decide whether the damper weather has frizzed him up, or it’s a thing all cubs go through. His head shape is becoming much more bear-like, and he’s growing so fast? What a little scamp, though, isn’t he? Precious boy….
Dear DoxieMom~~
Love watching them♥
THANK YOU for your videos!
They are Terrific
You do a SUPER job!
Thanks again~~
puppygirl
Thank You again. I see You have introduced a new standard for Xiao Liwu videos: FF (Fall Free). So handy! What about NMM (No Mean Mother) too?
And one more video from Saturday for those of you that might have missed seeing Xiao Liwu nursing in the Garden Room (the 1st time we’ve seen him nurse on Panda Cam since the den was closed). Also shows him mouthing bamboo, playing with his mother’s ears, and joining her on the platform.
2013-02-09 Xiao Liwu Nursing and more from the Garden Room
http://youtu.be/nTxWm6iLxr0
I was just checking out a photo of Hua Mei here…………
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/2166227858/in/set-72157601057288299/
And started down the road presented from 2003, now understanding why folks who have seen her say she is the one who most resembles Bai Yun.
If you see the photos of Hua Mei and Gao Gao at the “howdy gate” the ears are not easily helping identify them, but you can see from the paws on the left that that is HM, not GG. I guess that is why we need multiple identifiers for our pandas. I hope you enjoy them like I did, and explore some more on your own on this and other accounts. We are so lucky to have photographers share their great works with us…..love grammmie
Friends and readers I have two great blog links to share with you. One I found from when Yunior was little answering 10 big often asked questions then and now too!!! It was one of the four photos below the blog, and above the comments section.
http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2010/02/01/ten-panda-questions/
The other I found when trying to lead my tablet to this page so I could tell you about the one above, it looks good too. I have not read either comment section yet, nor the body of the second, unless I read it when written. Oooopsy, this is a new article on Pandas Live On, let me see if I can break the link.
www (dot) pandasliveon (dot) com/
Repair link by removing spaces and (dot) and replace with a regular . Or dot. Love grammmie….good reading.
Thank You, Grammie!
The link was very interesting. I’m beginning to believe I must spend rest of my life here by my computer. There simply is so much fascinating material.
There is a second broken link in black below, a couple of lines. Yes your duty from now on is to man, or woman your computer just in case a panda burps, or Mr. Wu breaks into song. You never know when something wonderful will happen around the pandas. I caution against watching dirty……a gang of mothers might hold you down and give you a BAFF…….you know what that is like!!!,!!!! Love grammmie
I’m waiting eagerly for the day he breaks to song, but unfortunately there is no voice in the PandaCam. And God beware of watching dirty; the BAFFs seem to be horrible! Fortunately we have plenty of saunas here in Finland.
Kristina
Grammie
.
Thanks for sharing these pictures and thanks to whomever took them. She’s also a beautiful bear. She doesn’t look like Bia, but Xiao Liwu kinds has her eyes and some of her features. She has the most beautiful heart shaped nose. Big
Oh yes….that nose is a great heart….love grammmie
Do Pandas sleep for long extended periods of time, say 6 to 8 hours?
My, Yunnie was very active already this morning!!
Just wondering, did anyone catch the snow day for the polar bears yesterday? It was fun seeing them dig and slide in the snow, one in particular (I’m not familiar with the bears). I checked this morning, and there still seems to be quite a bit left. Wonder how long it will stay in San Diego weather?
It will be fun to see our pandas play in it.
I slept all day and missed the polars….if there is video I would love to see it. Love grammmie
Grammmie,
See my post on Sun night 10 PM for liniks. Enjoy.
This is especially for You, Grammmie (I noticed I have spelled Your name wrong. Thank You Danielle!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mGkspGc_6s
There is not so much action but you can see how the bears enjoy the snow. I hope You enjoy too!
Question – what is/are distinguishing features of Yun Zi? Is his belly fur quite dark with what looks like a dark stripe in it??? Thank you for all the videos, blog reports and the joy of this panda cam…
Wish list stop next, would love to see snow day around LiWu’s birthday.
It seems they go through many changes by full adulthood, so keep watching. Some of the babies in this family are ending up with a dark bolero that buttons up from the belly to their chins, others just a lightly unbuttoned sweater that hardly covers anything. Real adulthood seems to be the time that things settle into their real pattern.
As for Yunior…..if you mean the lateral darker stripes, they are actually hair growth patterns. They are not like “cowlicks” like the patterns on top of their noses, but more like not brushing his fur so it keeps repeating, but I do not know if they will continue in their same spots. Love grammmie
Thanks Grammmie – I’m new with LiWu at cub watching and loving every minute of it
I bet Rochester refers to where you live, not your name. I was born near there, across the lake in Toronto. I had to travel all the way to San Diego 56 years ago, to be near the most wonderful zoo I have ever seen. By the time the Pandas arrived we were not able to get around the zoo, but if you ever get a chance to travel here to see them please do so. If too far there is Washington D. C., Atlanta, and Memphis where more pandas reside. They are aunts and uncles to the babies born at the San Diego Zoo. If you ever tune in to Tailand, cousin Princess Lin Ping is there. She used to have her own 24 hour. Channel on TV ..love grammmie
I just checked the panda cam…..a close up of the hammock, his ball, and little gift’s fat little bottom. It is totally cute, love grammmie
If You are for the bottoms, this should interest You.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristina_a/8464277837/in/photostream
Kristina
Absolutely, adorable. I sure missed it when it happened, and I hope everyone takes a moment to view it. Did you notice the rounded heart shape he achieved??? He is talented right down to his bottom….love grammmie
DoxieMom , Thank you always for the wonderful videos. What a difference it makes to be able to watch the web cam……I love to be able to see the pandas daily, and close up……..It was great to see sweetness darling Liwu nursing from his Mom, I was lucky to see it right when he did on the web cam…….His Mom is so beautiful, what a gorgeous panda Mom she is…..
And Grammmie, I noticed you use three (M) letters in your name!!!!!! Thank you too! for the videos and all what you do for us to see the wonderful pandas…..
Does it hurt Bai Yun when her baby growing cub Liwu bites and pulls on her skin and ears???????? He doesn’t know because he is still learning the sweetheart baby Liwu……he is nothing but cuteness!!!!!!!! love him to pieces!!!!!!
I hope you have the most wonderful time ever!!! Love grammmie
About those 3 ‘ms’ in my name……I was going to join in on a game where various players can chat while playing……and the “accident” happened. Everybody loved it so I decided to stick with it…..now it seems natural, and a bit goofie like me. I like sharing videos and photos when I come across them….those with the time and motivation will see them, those who cannot know they are there anytime they want to look at them, or have the time to spare. We are all on different schedules, or no schedule at all, I am one of the lucky ones…..love grammmie
I was wondering why you can’t install a platform in the trees, like Wu’s, that was big enough for him and Mama Bai so she could cuddle up and be comfortable too?
Thank you for your response.
~Gloria S.
Thank you so much, San Diego Zoo Panda Team, for the great cameras – and expert camera-operators – providing these incredibly clear and close-up shots of the pandas. You are truly a global zoo. Thank you for sharing the panda experience with all of us!
Happy New Year to our panda family!
will you be letting us know before snow day so we can all tune in for the festivities
I just adore this cuddly little panda! Thank you for letting us watch him, close up and personal! He s also special to me because we share the same birthday!
We surely will be getting the donations together for his birthday in July, so will you be joining Bai Yun and Mr. Wu to play in the snow.??? It should be fun until the snow melts, then everybody gets a lovely mud bath treatment for their skin. That is the only part of snow day Bai doesn’t like is cleaning the cubbie. If you also need a BAFF watch out, Bai only likes clean cubbies around her. Love grammmie
Xiao Liwu seems to be growing at a fast clip these days. He must be chugga lugalin when he’s nursing. He seems to be gitting bigger by the minute or else it’s the great cameras.
at around 2:20 PM PST, watching Liwu and Bai in the platform. Liwu was near the log “ladder”. As soon as Bai was done eating, she went in near the log. I think she did not want Liwu there so she shoved him as if to say,” pls. do not be in my way”. He did not move. She shoved him again but he was holding on to the steel pole and got shoved again. He kept holding on to the pole. The tenacity and stubborness of this tyke.. He is just so adorable and even though it is a lesson, it is hard to watch. Finally, a final shove dropped him on the ground.. He went around the log ladder and decided to just stay in the ground and play instead of going up again. One just has to love this little gift so much!!!
This interaction was just amazing. He’s getting bigger and stronger every time I look. Today, he was tenacious and was showing his Mom that “you can shove me, but I’m not going to fall. Three times she shoved him and three times he hung on, then the last time was the final. He didn’t even seem to mind this time. He showed his Mom, the big bully. I think she was proud of him Did you guys miss the arm pump from Mom as she went down. Big smile on her face. That’s my boy she was saying.
Panda cam check in…..momma on the garden room shelf eating, baby on rest of bamboo playing fight the foot. Adorable scene, I hope many of you get to see it. Love grammmie
Here are two videos from Sunday, both dealing with pretty much the same thing just in different locales … the 1st shows Xiao Liwu and Bai Yun trying to share the mini-hammock in the North exhibit, while the 2nd shows them on the Garden Room platform this afternoon:
2013-02-10 Xiao Liwu: Sunday Hammock Play
http://youtu.be/iv7Z1yAs85k
2013-02-10 Xiao Liwu Pole Dancing and more…
http://youtu.be/O_QIOkrhFi8
Thank you all for your comments, and for watching the videos. Viewership, along with comments both inspire me to continue making videos that will both entertain you and educated you.
My turn to finally express my gratitude to you, DoxieMom, for all the great postings–here on the blog, and I also subscribe to your YouTube link. I so appreciate seeing things I missed during the day. Our Internet was out most of the day Saturday, but I knew you’d catch the highlights–thank you so much! Also, on Friday a.m., our Little Gift was so entertaining in the Garden Room, right when I had to leave for work. Knowing you’d post it later (you didn’t let me down), I was able to walk away from the computer and get to work on time!
I discovered the panda cam early September, and I’ve been hooked ever since. My daughter has even suggested I may need an “intervention”! It’s such a healthy addiction, though, a true stress-reliever. Thank you so much for being an “enabler”!
You’re the BEST!
You are not alone, Dona. My friends and relatives think I’m totally nuts with my pandas. I have a habit of posting “A Panda of The Day” on my FB-site, and I can only see them rolling their eyes when they see it.
Hilarious! In the first one the Milk Bar seemed to be open but the Customer was busy with other things. In the other the pole dancing was unbelivable. I almost cheered by my computer: “Stick on, Little Man, stick on!”
I will catch up with video watching after my morning panda nap. I haven’t slept enough yet, but as usual, drawn directly to the comment section.i am sure they will be enjoyable as they always are. Thank you, again, for all of your hard work……love grammmie
HAPPY NEW YEAR to the Pandas…. I know Bay cub Liwu is born under the sign of the [dragon]…And, Bai Yun’s Birthday was in the sign of the Ram, does anyone know when Gao Gao’s birth animal sign???? Being he was born in the wild and does anyone know how old Gao Gao age is????? The Veterinarians would know! I think??????? Darling Liwu has a lot of fun with the bamboo, he is so cute next to his mom trying to do like Mom…..I saw Bai Yun push the “Snuggle Puff” right off the platform, I know!, I know! it’s a teaching tool, nevertheless, I feel bad for Little Liwu who doesn’t understand the reason……I would just want to hold him and cuddle him! of course that is not possible! I’m just thinking out loud!!!!!!! The Keepers are really lucky to be able to go near the baby panda cub!!!!!!!! Thank you everyone at the zoo for taking good care of the animals there…………
The vets have estimated his age to be about the same as Bai Yun, but they can only be “sure” to within 1 to 2 years, plus or minus. There are so many variables that pinning things down to exact times is very hard. If I am remembering correctly a few years ago he was thought to be one to two years younger than Bai. As we go along new discoveries will make those estimates much more accurate. All I know is that even with those Furry, Fluffy, Sexy Feetsies he is still to young for me………….love grammmie
Bai is so amazing in her parenting. BUT…does she get to the apples & biscuits first because she is truly that selfish with her food (like my Mother in Law ha ha ha) or is this another parenting technique to teach her boy if you don’t eat it when you find it then *someone* else will? Another survival tool?
Again I’m not an expert, but I think it makes sense. When the cub is young he/she gets all his nourishment from mothers milk and mother needs all the food to produce the milk. When the cub is older and can get his/hers own food it’s for both of them to provide themselves. For an adult animal the most important thing is to keep on living and produce new offsprings.
Yes I guess the lesson is eat quick because somebody else will. In time you will see her “inspect him” for snackies, to the point that she actually looks inside his mouth, and removes any snackies she can from there. For some reason it seems all mothers do this. We say they are just making sure they get every treat, the moms blush, look as angelic as they can and tell us they were checking to make sure it was safe to eat. By the time they finished checking the snackie got swallowed…………love grammmie
Now showing in the Garden Room….mamma Bai eating bamboo on the shelf, and baby taking a nap between her left side and the wall. Peace is ruling. He must have tired out, my last look showed her eating, and him having a work out with her foot. Love grammmie
Just watching some of the videos. How can Mr Wu and mom be so cute. I love when he climbs on her. Bai is one patient mom. So loving and she sure loves to play with him as much as he does with her. Thanks again ever so much SDZ for sharing our beautiful pandas with the world
My first Chinese New Year Part 1
This ish my first Chinese New Year. I ish born in the Year of the Dragon and this year is the Year of the Snake. Mama ish a Goat. We don’t know about Papa cos he is born wild. Or as he says born to be wild.
On Saturday, my sissies and brothers came home to have dinner. The Reunion Dinner ish very important. It is on the eve of CNY. Chinese will travel long distances to attend the Reunion Dinner held in their pawents’ home. Yun Hui came too to pay wespects to his grandpawents. Mama was so happy.
Su Lin and Zhen Zhen brought snackies that Mama and Papa love from China. Papa grinned all night. Mama gave him a fierce wook to stop him eating them all. Sheng brought toys for me and magazine for Yunnie Ge Ge. It has some pictures of Ms Panda Uniwes 2008, whatever. I got a toy car and ‘bu dao ong’. It ish a cute inflated toy that leaps up no matter how hard you push it down. I wike very much.
Ma coooked many special auspicious dishes. I am still nursing but she let me taste some of them. Yum, wait till all my teethfies come out. Can’t wait. Then we all chatted. It is very cold in China now. Sheng Ge Ge said they nearly could not fly out. Zhen Zhen said the other pandas returning to US and Europe were carrying so many prezzies they nearly took up the whole plane. Lani Ge Ge and Tai Ge Ge are bac tonight with their mummies and daddies. On Monday, they will come to visit us as Mama is throwing a party.
On Chinese New Year Eve, we try to stay awake as long as possible to see in the New Year. Also there is a belief that the longer we stay awake, the longer our pawents will live. I want Mama and Papa to live looooong loooong. My sissies did not sleep. They giggled and chatted with Mama all night long. Mama held me so I slept a little bit, so that doesn’t count wight? Hee Hee Hee.
At midnight, Papa, Sheng Ge Ge and Yunnie Ge Ge sneeked some fiwecwackers and lighted them. I was allowed to light one wocket. WOOOOOOW! Gong Xi Gong Xi! Xing NIan Kuai Leh, Wan Shi Ru Yi! to one and all.
Blessed new year to your Mr. Wu Wu and all your wonderful family! I’m a snake!!
The only part of their celebration I didn’t believe was that Momma held him while he slept. I know that can’t be true, because he’s such a wiggly, independent little tucker. LOVED THE STORY!!!!!
Love this story.. More little one
! Everyone in your family have so much talent.. the stories of simplicity and innocence, love, family togetherness, respect, love of life …and … humor… are so endearing and a joy to read!
It should really be a book and perhaps with your Auntie Rita’s wonderful pictures of you and your family!
So Your Papa says himself born to be wild. Well, a Real Wild Thing he seems when he is lying in his Tube!
But don’t tell him!
Thank you, Wu Wu, for your post about the beginning of the Chinese New Year at your house.
Sounds like you really had a good time!
I L.O.V.E. YOU, sweet little guy~~
puppygirl
Here is the polar bear snow day. They had so much fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJrYjEZ4Hfo
Preparing the snow in their enclosure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOFfkjd24k0
There is also an hour video if you search utube with ‘San Diego Zoo polar bear snow day 2013′. Just didn’t want to make dear moderator watch an hour!
Apoligies…First link not from 2013 but second one is from Sunday. No short videos yet from this year but hour video is from Sunday.
Thanks for capturing this for us. They were having such a good time amercing themselves in that snow.
This is the actual video “Preparing the snow in their enclosure”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfRIo9c1xnI&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Fun to see how they do it! I didn’t record either myself so thanks so those who did…I just did the detective work!
I will watch these later after my nap, I am looking forward to them. Everybody who videos for us, is a wonder to me, it means I can get the sleep I need even if I nap all day…..who could ask for more??? Love grammmie.
thanks for sharing the snow day videos. I watched some. it was fun to see the polar bears enjoying the snow.
My first Chinese New Year Part 2
On Sunday morning, Mama woke all of us up to get ready. We wear brand new clothes. I wore my green Chinese jacket with faux fur and green pants with gold piping. Mama said I looked handsome. My sissies kept saying how cute I was. SIGH. My sissies and mama wore ‘cheong sums,’ My ge ges wore brightly colured Hawaiian shirts and Mama let them. Pooo.
Mama and Papa then sat in two chairs and we then knelt in front of them one by one according to birth order. Hua Mei went first. She knelt and wished them long life. Sheng wished them good health. Each time, Papa and Mama would give us a red packet or hong bao with some munnies inside. When it was my turn, I wished them love always. Mama giggled and Papa had a goffy smile. I was given a hong bao but as you can guess, Mama took it away as she said she will keep it for me. After me, Yun Hui wished them and then he had to wish his own Mama, Su Lin. He hugged her and Mama teared.
Then we had breakfast. According to our custom, we have to eat something sweet first so that we will have a sweet year. Mama made dumplings in syrup. Yums.
After breakfast, I played with Yun Hui. My car comes with paddles and we drove the car round and round the enclosure. Then we cwimbed some trees and uh oh I tore my pants. But hee hee since it was Chinese New Year, Mama could not scold me.
Sweet Wu Wu~~
Thank you for writing. We love knowing what’s going on with you and your
family.
I agree with your sissies! You ARE Sooooo Cute!
Am sure you did look handsome in your new clothes. They sound So Very nice!
With or without something sweet to eat, you will have a sweet year cos you are SOOOO Sweet ♥
Have fun with your car ! BTW~~I’m sorry you tore your pants but that’s okay.
Things like that happen to busy little boys sometimes.
I L.O.V.E. YOU~~
puppygirl
Xiao Li, thank you for describing your very first CNY! I hope this special year brings you lots of love, fun, munney and sweet treats! You have a whole world out there who think you are the “bee’s knees” – oops, I’m showing my age.
Thank you for bringing a smile to my every day.
Love,
Grandma Jilly
Oh my heart, that picture of Mr Wu is too much. I am pinching myself, he is too cute!
My Darling Little Gift;
Your writing skills are growing fast, just like the rest of you. You write with great description, right down to your pants.
I am very happy for you that all of your brothers and sisters were able to visit, and I hope someone was able to get photographs of all of you together pictures like that
happen rarely and should always have a nice picture, for remembrance. Did brothers and sisters get there in time to wave at their favorite Hooman Aunties and Unkas? Happy new year to each and every one of you….love grammmie
10:45am – Hysterical – Xiao Li has awoken from his keebler nap, found Bai sleeping in the tree, and has spent the last 15 minutes trying to emulate her and find a spot where he is comfortable and can catch some zZZs with his head hanging down. Maybe this combination of limbs, no, maybe this limb over here. He certainly is tenacious – won’t give up!
Happy New Year Gao Gao’s!
I happened to look at that, too. It was hilarious when he tried to find the correct Panda Positions!
Looks like our baby is having a hard time finding a place to get comfortable.
Please don’t fall, sweet baby!
Yeek! He does bounce! Great job on the camera.
I just watch Bai Yun drop little wu from one of the platforms on his head.
Now he acts alittle slow and tipsy I sure hope he is OK, will some one check him out. I didn;t the mom would do that.
Xiao Li has mastered the art of body surfing down the moat!
LOL, I was fortunate enough to witness that.
I love watching thebaby, he makes me smile so much and cheers me up no end after a stressful day at work……..He gets hmself into so very funny situations love him xxx
I have a couple of questions…(1).. Have the keepers given Xiao Liwu any biscuits soaked to make them soft yet? I read they were going to do this in a previous blog, and wondered how he did with them. (2)..At 6 months of age, does he still rely on HIH Bai to stimulate him to go to the bathroom, or does he do this on his own now?
Moderator’s note: Cubs really begin eliminating on their own when they are crawling.
Okay, thank you for the quick response.
We are offering Mr. Wu soaked biscuits with warm water. He is doing very well with them and chewing on them. We offer a small amount, and when he is done with them he walks away.
Awe…god bless his little heart. Glad to hear he’s trying new things. You guys and gals are the best! If I haven’t said it yet, THANK YOU for all the work that is done for these beautiful bears.
Right now I’m having some NOT so good thoughts about Mom!!
On the mini-hammock, couldn’t believe she picked up sweet Wu Wuuu, turned him upside-down and then threw him off!
Made me gasp, feel anger towards her then I started to cry. I was SO worried about him that he was hurt. Surly had to have the breath knocked out of him.
He stayed in the spot where he landed for a while and when he walked away, it looked like he had trouble walking.
Bless his heart. That sweet sweet baby♥
In a little bit he was sitting in his box and she went and rooted him out of that!!
She’s like the “bully on the playground”!!!
Can’t imagine WHAT she is supposed to be teaching him with that behavior??!!
IMHO, it’s mean!!
Saw him go down in the moat. Couldn’t blame him for that! She couldn’t throw him off of anything down there.
Golly, I wanted to pick him up, cradle and hold him. ♥ What a precious baby ♥
I L.O.V.E. YOU, sweet, precious Li Wuu Wuuu~~
puppygirl
Thank you for a place to vent about this.
Have to tell you when all this happened (with tears flowing) I picked up my 8 yrs. old Maltese, hugged her and told her I Love her and no-one would Ever treat her like that.
I know, I know! She’s a puppy dog and Li Wu Wu is a bear. To me, they are both sweet precious babies to be loved and NO abusive treatment.
Hope in my post I haven’t rubbed anybody the wrong way. Please excuse if I did. You can bet if I could kiss Li Wu Wu’s “boo-boo’s” I would.
I L.O.V.E. YOU, Li Wu Wuuu~~
puppygirl
When I saw Bai on the mini-hammock rubbing her hind-quarter on one of the trees, it reminded me of my pot-bellied piggie. That’s what she would do to scratch her hind-quarter.
Yep, she lived in the house with me and 3 puppy dogs. She used the doggie door just like the puppy dogs. Piggies are very smart!!
Thank you, again, for allowing me to write all this~~
puppygirl
Dear Puppygirl!
Has it occured You that Your 8 yrs old Maltese isn’t exactly a baby anymore, but his own dog, who certainly loves You very much and whom You love back. I think we can show respect for animals treating them as adults when they are that.
Mr. Wu is yet a cub, of course, but he is a PANDAcub and therefore a little different from human babies. He seems to be very tough and take his mothers “bearishnesses” very well. So don’t be hurt for him.
Kristina
Puppygirl, I felt the same way and saw the same thing. I was so happy he went down in the moat to get away from her a bit. I understand the teaching when she is eating and doesn’t want to be disturbed, but I’ve seen her do this when she was just sitting or laying. What lesson would be taught at these times. Seems like she just wants him out of her way. I did see how slow he was after that fall, and i wish they would remove the logs and wood pieces around the trees in the classroom, so when he does get thrown off or fall he doesn’t land on them. I also felt like he was hurting somewhat after that. I do love all of these bears, but I just don’t get the lesson he was supposed to learn from that.
Dear Debbie in PA.~~
Thank you for your post. I truly appreciate your concern for this precious baby.
Like you, I understand the teaching when she is eating. The other times make no sense to me. Like in the video when he was trying to get on the platform and she pushed him off (twice) the log to it.
After the fall (being thrown) we both saw, I hope he was checked out to be sure he is okay. I worry about internal injuries. No matter that he can “bounce”. His little body can be hurt.
He was wobbley and walking so slow when he got up.:( Bless his heart♥ He went off by himself and sure didn’t try to go back up there as we have seen him do many times.
The Panda Keepers, the Nannies and the Doctors take such Excellent care of them and I have no doubt they love them.
I wonder if they have any concerns about her treatment of Li Wu Wu when she does things like throwing him off the mini-hammock for no reason?? Sure do hope they check him for injuries.
Like you, WHAT lesson was to be learned??
We can tell Li Wu Wuuu loves his Mommie. When he wants to be close to her and chases after her or trys to snuggle up to her. He needs and wants “some Mommie Love”.
Debbie, hope you have a Great Day!!
You have made me feel better and that I’m not crazy b/c of my feelings about this. Thank you.
Li Wu Wuu, you are a sweet, precious, precious baby! ♥
We L.O.V.E. YOU~~
puppygirl
Debbie in PA.~~
In my previous post, this is the video I was talking about.
2013-01-31 Xiao Liwu: The Good, The Bad, and The Adorable
http://youtu.be/-0IMCRjEmwk
Don’t like those falls (or shoves)!!!
Mom’s “my bad” !!
L.O.V.E. YOU, sweet Wu Wuuu~~
puppygirl
I also worry, because he gets tossed quite a bit during a day, and he has to be hurting from so many. If it was once in a while, thats one thing, but she does it pretty often. Also, now that I’m on a roll, hope no one gets mad at me, but I don’t see why they put treats and boo up on Liwu’s hammock. It just entices Bai to go up there, then she removes him. Thank goodness he has the moat to hide in…LOL
I felt the same way when I saw Bai try to get Wu off the sleeping platform on Sunday. She pushed him off 3 or 4 times, but he hung on the pole there and didn’t go down. Then she used her paw to put under his chin, against his chest, and force him down. When he got up from that fall, he looked so confused!! I love Bai, and hate to think badly of her, but I saw this recent video of Lun Lun and Po and LL seems so much more accessible to her (older) cub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=UppdViKwB6E&NR=1
I am almost at the point where I don’t want to think badly of her, and so may stop watching for awhile…..:(. Don’t know if I can, but it is sad to see that sort of thing day after day. Maybe I will continue to only watch the videos that DoxieMom labels “Fall Free”, or touching moments. As an older mom, I just want to hug him and say “it’s OK”. I know, I know. They’re bears, and acting the way bears act, but it’s heart-breaking, just the same.
Well…I no sooner wrote that, and just witnessed (very up close) about 15 min of snuggle/play with mom and cub. It was after a nap, and Bai seemed to be sweeter with him. AND it didn’t end in a push off the platform!! Maybe she has bad days, like we all do, or maybe she wasn’t feeling quite well…have to give her the benefit of the doubt after seeing these kind of moments.
Hey Pam S~~
When she does that it breaks my heart also.
I’ve had the same thoughts. Have said to myself I won’t (can’t) watch anymore. Then I would think I would be shooting myself in the foot not seeing this precious baby.
I Love him SO much and LOVE seeing and watching him. Have to see how he is and what he is doing.
I just get So upset when he falls. Am So afraid he is going to be hurt.
Really cannot handle Bai deliberately making him fall
Like we said before, What lessons in that??!!!
Like you, I’m glad DoxieMom is telling us if a video is “Fall Free”.
Darling Li Wu Wuuu is in my heart and he’s not going anywhere!
You are there to stay, little sweet baby! ♥
When I hear the song “You’ll Be In My Heart”, I think of Li Wu Wuu and yes, my eyes fill with tears. This may sound silly but it’s the way I feel. L.O.V.E. this precious Wu Wuuu !! ♥
Thanks for sharing your feelings.
puppygirl
You may never know the “lesson,” because it is not yours to know. The keepers and researchers may not know either, but they know enough to know that Bai knows.
Please stop putting yourself through this anguish-it’s not good for you and pretty much defeats the good that comes out of pandawatching.
Thanks for sharing Mr. Wu’s video. Can’t help to watch it a few times in a row. He’s indeed getting stronger!
What they are doing now is what I love to see.
Mom and Baby napping peacefully on the platform.
Li Wu Wuuu is not on the edge where he might fall off.
Mom Bai looks like she is smiling. lol Maybe she’s dreaming about Poppy Gao or some of her delicious treats!
Oops! Poppy (for her) IS a delicious treat!!
Dear DoxieMom~~
THANK YOU for your videos
They are SO Terrific and I look forward to them every day ♥
I REALLY Appreciate when you tell us when one is “Fall Free”.
Needless to say, I can’t handle those falls especially when Mom Bai deliberately causes Li Wu Wu to fall. 
THANK YOU!!!!!!
Wu Wu is SO sweet and SO cute!
With your videos I can watch him over and over.♥
:)
You do Super videos!
Thanks again~~
puppygirl
Some of you wonder what is involved in Panda training, what they are asked to do, how and why. I went to a blog about Yun Zi’s training in Jan, 2011, making him about 2 years old when the article was written. It tells you what, where, how, and why the pandas are trained in the first place. It has great information, and I only read the blog part, not the comments. I bet the comments are full of great stuff. Here is the link for the blog mentioned, enjoy…love grammmie
http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2011/01/11/yun-zi-training/
I just looked at some photos of the week old Takin having his first vet checkup and have a question. There are 3 lady NannyKeepers in the photos, is there a good reason that they all have the same color/shading of hair? It looks lovely, but I was surprised to see they all have the same highlights, etc.
The photos can be seen here…….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/page1/
Love grammmie
Could they be clones?
Probably because they are all stylin’ gals! I’m sure it is not a job requirement.
By the way, there was also a fine portrait of our charming Yun Zi.
Hi – we’ve noticed that Mom panda is starting to play a littler rougher with little panda. Sometimes when their playing, the camera pans away from them. Is the camera operator concerned that she’s being too rough and folks might be upset? Or are we reading too much into this?
Just curious. Thank you.
We love the pandas !
Moderator’s Note: The panda team has assured us that Mom and cub’s behavior is very natural. Enjoy watching the panda cam and try not to worry too much.
SDZ, what is XLW weighing in at these days? Miss the weekly updates on his health.
3/2/13 – Loving the acrobatics in the tree this morning ….. he is so comical with of of his antics. Always brings a smile and chuckle on a sometimes gloomy day.
As always … Thank you.
Hello,
I’ve been watching the panda cub and its mom since he was a new born. They are fantastic, he is so cute!!!
Recently I noticed that his mom wanders around nervously and wants to get into the den, but the door is closed and she keeps on wandering and checking if she could enter the den. Why don’t you keep the door open so that se can go inside whenever she wants? I feel so sorry for her……….