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About Author: Jennifer Becerra

Posts by Jennifer Becerra

389

Comparing Panda Brothers

By
Jennifer Becerra
– May 20, 2013Posted in: Animals and Plants, Pandas
Bai Yun seems to be keeping an eye on her cub in this Panda Cam screen shot.

Bai Yun seems to be keeping an eye on her cub in this Panda Cam screen shot.

Xiao Liwu is a very different cub from his older brother, Yun Zi, but in a good way. He is very smart and is the youngest cub to respond so well to us keepers. Yun Zi did not start shift training (learning to move on and off exhibit when requested) until he was a little older than Mr. Wu is now (9 months old).

The important thing to have with the training and shifting is a reward (usually food) motivation. Yun Zi enjoyed honey water, and he was really good at following Bai Yun when she went into the bedroom, and after he arrived in the bedroom, he would come to us for his reward for coming inside.

Mr. Wu has plenty of motivation with play to follow us to the shift door, but he has learned that the play ends at the door. And sometimes he seems to just want to be carried to the shift door, so we keepers can do all the work! When he starts eating diet items regularly, he will start being motivated to come inside when asked. Xiao Liwu now weighs 31.7 pounds (14.4 kilograms).

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

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334

Yun Zi and Hammock Update

By
Jennifer Becerra
– April 24, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Pandas, San Diego Zoo Blogs
Here's another view of the new artificial tree.

Here’s another view of the new artificial tree.

It’s been great to see giant panda Yun Zi’s exhibit go through so many changes in such a short time, and we are not done yet! He will get a hammock. His old one is badly torn up—they don’t last forever with all the use they get. Our Exhibits Team is on the job making a new one, but we have to be patient. They are extremely busy with projects all around the San Diego Zoo. Also, as keepers, we need to find the perfect place to hang the hammock so he will both use it and remain visible for visitors.

It’s been an experience to see Yun Zi sleep at the top of his 15-foot tree—now he can see his mom and baby brother. He is also enjoying the new location of his “lounge chair,” and the guests can now see him up close. Tomorrow, our Horticulture Team is going to help us add new plants and sod to both exhibits. Yun Zi is also continuing his blood-draw training, so we will be able to get a blood sample without using anesthesia. He is excelling with all his training.

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

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228

Yun Zi and His New Tree

By
Jennifer Becerra
– March 22, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized
Yun Zi checks out his new tree while munching.

Yun Zi checks out his new tree while munching.

I am very excited and extremely thankful to all our panda fans for the addition of the long-awaited artificial tree to the San Diego Zoo’s panda exhibit. It will provide many uses for our bears for years to come. This large tree can serve as a rain shelter, shade and climbing structure, and will be a great place for pandas to sleep.

SJ Rocks has done a magnificent job on the tree, and it’s more than I expected. I was very fortunate to be able to help in the design process with my manager and supervisor’s assistance. We started out with different tree options and decided on a bonsai-type tree. It is 15 feet (4.5 meters) tall and 6 feet (1.8 meters) in circumference around the base. There is a walk-through center for shade and four large sleeping branches. Each of the branches has room to put live plants on the ends (to act as leaves) and in a few select places in the trunk of the tree.

The tree is extremely impressive to see, and I am so pleased with how it turned out. Yun Zi was given access to the tree yesterday, and it will probably take him a few days to master it all. What fun!

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

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118

First Snow Day for Panda Cub!

By
Jennifer Becerra
– March 18, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Yun Zi was 2 when he saw his first snow.Tuesday, March 19, starting at 7 a.m., we are preparing for snow in the panda exhibits. We are very excited and thankful to all the panda fans who donated money to give this wonderful enrichment to our giant pandas. I am sure we will see you at 9 a.m. sharp in person or starting around 8 a.m. on the Panda Cam!

It’s a bit of a process to actually make snow and put it in the exhibits. We have a truck that comes in and is specially designed to turn large ice blocks into snow. There are large hoses that we can hold and deliver (spray) snow into the entire panda exhibit. Snow will be blown into Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu’s north exhibit and into Gao Gao’s exhibit in the main viewing area.

Sadly, Yun Zi’s new tree will not be done in time (due to a couple of days of rain), and he will stay housed next to Bai Yun and Mr. Wu for a few more days. But don’t fret! Yun Zi will be getting snow, too, and we will make sure he has a mound of it to play in.

We are all excited to see how brave Mr. Wu is and what his first reaction will be when he puts his paws in it. Hopefully, it will be a wonderful play day for both bears and guests!

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

Here’s Zhen Zhen when she saw her first snow:

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615

A Tree for Panda Yun Zi

By
Jennifer Becerra
– February 15, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Just wait until Yun Zi sees his newest gift from panda fans!

Just wait until Yun Zi sees his newest gift from panda fans!

It’s official! We are going to start building Yun Zi’s artificial tree very soon! We have talked to our wonderful contractors and have decided on its design and placement. It is going to look like a large bonsai tree and will be around 15 feet (4.5 meters) tall. We are very excited and thankful for the donations from all the panda fans that went into this! Our Horticulture Team added a new Chinese elm tree in Yun Zi’s exhibit as well on Thursday, February 14.

We will be taking down Yun Zi’s current climbing structure to make room for the 6-foot (1.8 meter) base of the artificial tree. The tree will take approximately four weeks to build on site (yes, it will be built in the exhibit!) as long as weather conditions are ideal (no rain). As a keeper, I really enjoy exhibit renovations, and to help design something like this tree is amazing. I am really excited to see how all the pandas will enjoy it and use it (as you know, we sometimes rotate the pandas into different exhibit areas).

There is a lot of preparation that is being done to Yun Zi’s exhibit currently, so please be patient with us and understand that he will have to be off exhibit during this entire process. Gao Gao will remain on exhibit as long as he seems comfortable during the building phase of the tree (Gao Gao’s exhibit is right next to Yun Zi’s). Yun Zi will be in the indoor bedrooms close to his keepers, and during the day he will have access to the outdoor habitat next to Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu’s north exhibit. When you are visiting Mom and cub, look up in the trees and you might see Yun Zi!

Jennifer Becerra is a senior panda keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Panda Cub: The Den.

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408

Panda Cub: The Den

By
Jennifer Becerra
– January 18, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized
A boy and his moat!

A boy and his moat!

As of January 17, Bai Yun showed us keepers that she is done using her den. How? By leaving a fecal sample in there. When this happens, we clean the den (remove the bedding and disinfect the floor) and close the den door for good. Xiao Liwu is now old enough where he will be spending most of his time high in the trees with Mom.

Some of our panda fans have been curious to know about our panda cub’s nursing activity. Xiao Liwu and Bai Yun both decide with he nurses these days. He seems to nurse early mornings and early evenings. I am sure he nurses throughout the day, as we are not always watching, but it’s not on a regular schedule, since he nurses when he wants to!

We do weigh him regularly and have the nutritionist look at him to body score him. The body score is a great tool to measure body fat and hydration levels. At his exam on January 15, Xiao Liwu weighed 17 pounds (7.8 kilograms) and measured 33 inches (85 centimeters) long.

Click to enlarge chart

Click to enlarge chart

One of our readers asked if baby pandas shed their coats, like human babies get new hair later on? When panda cubs start getting fur, it has a slightly pink tinge to it. We call it “baby fur.” As they reach around 5 to 6 months, the pink fur does grow out and shed. Have any of you noticed this with Xiao Liwu?

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Happy 10th Anniversary, Gao Gao.

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207

Happy 10th Anniversary, Gao Gao

By
Jennifer Becerra
– January 15, 2013Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized
Happy anniversary, Gao Go!

We love Gao Gao!

We are all excited to be celebrating another anniversary for Gao Gao, as this is his 10th year here at the San Diego Zoo. Gao Gao likes his parties to be low-key and with his close human friends. We will be spoiling him with frozen applesauce treats, his favorite smells, and toys. He enjoys cinnamon spice, apple pie spice, and any musky scents. His favorite toys are the ones he can sleep in full of soft bedding.

At 23 years old, Gao Gao is doing quite well for his age. He is weighing a consistent 165 pounds (75 kilograms) and is still climbing like a young panda. He had a dental check up on January 8; they had to replace the bridge on his back molars. We have changed his food preparation to reduce the wear on his teeth and now offer him bamboo bread (made with bamboo ingredients). This is where he is getting most of his calories. We also pre-cut his favorite bamboo stalks into thinner and shorter pieces to make it easier for him to chew.

As to Gao Gao’s famous webbed feet, just his rear paws have the webbing, which is a little longer than the webbing we have between our fingers and is not noticeable unless he has a veterinary exam. He is also famous for the long hair on his rear paws: we call them his slippers.

We are happy for Gao Gao to reach this milestone in his life. He has been an exceptional mate to Bai Yun and is the father of five cubs. He continues to amaze us with how smart he is and with his gentle nature. All of his cubs have followed in his footsteps. And personally, I would say that Xiao Liwu is most like his father. So here’s to 10 great years with Gao Gao and, hopefully, many more to come!

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Thankful for Panda.

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165

Thankful for Pandas

By
Jennifer Becerra
– November 27, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Pandas, ZOONOOZ featured article

Jen is thankful for Xiao Liwu.

I was the fortunate one to help out with Xiao Liwu’s 14th exam on November 20. We have been thinking about nicknames for the little guy, and most seem to like Liwu or Mr. Wu for this newly active one. This exam was a challenging one, as Mr. Wu is starting to crawl more and climb on his keepers. For this exam, we decided to let him explore some new toys, such as a black Kong chew toy, a green ball, and some bamboo leaves. He wasn’t too sure about the Kong. He seemed to like to look at it, but when he touched it, he got a little nervous. He is just learning what different substrates feel like: two weeks ago he felt grass for the first time in Bai Yun’s off-exhibit garden room, and he wasn’t sure so he cried for his mom to pick him up.

Mr. Wu is working on perfecting his skills of climbing in and out of the den on his own. He will have to get more comfortable out of the den and in the garden room before he makes his exhibit debut. We are excited to share this little cub with all his fans in the future. As keepers, we rely on Bai Yun’s cues to let us know when Xiao Liwu is ready to go out into the exhibit. She likes to make sure all her cubs can walk and climb up a tree before they go into a bigger space. We are hoping he will be available for viewing sometime in January.

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Panda Exam 9: Crawling.

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261

Panda Exam 9: Crawling

By
Jennifer Becerra
– October 18, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Keeper Juli brings in the bright-eyed boy.

Today, keeper Juli and I got to work with the cub during his 9th exam. I had not held the cub since exam #2, and he has grown significantly since then. It is amazing and a privilege to watch his daily milestones.

Now 11 weeks old, he is 21.6 inches (55 centimeters) long and weighs 7.2 pounds (3.3 kilograms), which is the same weight as last week, but he is more active now, climbing out of the den by himself. PK Robbins, the attending veterinarian, did notice that his little canines are starting to come in under his gums, and he is starting to get a spot on his tail.

Jennifer enjoys her special time with the cub.

This little guy definitely loves the camera, as he was trying to crawl toward our Zoo photographer, during the entire exam, raising one front paw, followed clumsily by the other. PK said it was “like a toddler holding onto the furniture.” His physical development is on track for a panda his age. He is just starting to stand up on all four paws and is working on his balance.

Jennifer Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Panda Cub Exam 3.

View more images from today’s exam in our Panda Photo Gallery.

Click chart to enlarge.

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145

Panda Cub Exam 3

By
Jennifer Becerra
– September 6, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Our boy is 39 days old. What a heartbreaker he is!

Veterinarian Meg Sutherland-Smith confirmed it’s a boy for proud parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao!

We had the cub’s third exam this morning. Animal Care Supervisor Gaylene was the lucky keeper to pick up the chubby cub this week while Bai Yun was happily eating her breakfast of bamboo, biscuits, apples, yams, and carrots. The little cub now weighs 3.2 pounds (1,452 grams), 14 ounces (400 grams) more than last week! The cub was very calm during all his measurements, which were taken by our nutritionist.

We are all very excited to know that the cub is a boy. That is three girls and three boys for mother Bai Yun.

Jen Becerra is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, Yun Zi: Favorite Cues.

See more exam photos in our Panda Gallery.

Click to enlarge.

 

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