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About Author: Suzanne Hall

Posts by Suzanne Hall

9

The Bears Thank You

By
Suzanne Hall
– May 17, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Pandas, Projects in the Field, Uncategorized

Enrichment toys are vital for a recovering sun bear's health. Photo courtesy of BSBCC

Several months ago, we put out a call via our Animal Care Wish List asking for donations to provide enrichment items for the sun bears housed with our new collaborative partner, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). You responded generously, and I am pleased to say we were able to send six new toys to the bears at the BSBCC. Thank you so much for your generosity!

The sun bear is a rare bear whose habitat is dwindling rapidly under pressure from deforestation. Primary causes of forest loss include illegal timber extraction and the development of palm oil plantations. Very few studies of wild sun bears have been conducted, and a population census of this species, or the Bornean subspecies, has never been conducted. However, their numbers must surely be on the decline as their habitat steadily shrinks.

One of my objectives is to find more opportunities to conduct research with sun bears, to learn more about them and facilitate conservation of this species. We have had the opportunity to observe the growth and development of four sun bear cubs born to our resident female, Marcella, but a larger sample size of animals was needed to conduct any statistically meaningful research into various aspects of their biology. Enter the BSBCC.

Siew Te Wong founded the BSBCC in Sabah, Borneo, to serve as a rescue and rehabilitation facility for orphaned and injured sun bears. “Wong,” as he is called, had conducted field work on these animals but recognized the need to provide care for bears impacted by forest loss and the illegal pet trade. In only 4 years of operation, the BSBCC has accumulated more than 20 sun bears. Some are destined for Wong’s developing reintroduction program, which will see them repatriated to the wild in time. Others are not good candidates for release and will likely live out their years at the BSBCC.

Thankfully, the BSBCC goes the extra mile to ensure a good home for its sun bears. It has several large outdoor pens that are essentially areas of enclosed natural habitat: giant trees, heavy canopy, soft forest soil, and a multitude of plants and bugs for the bears to enjoy. The enclosures are so natural that wild monkeys and birds often cruise in and perch in the canopy of their trees. The bears are carefully managed so that agreeable animals can be housed together as playmates when possible. Even so, there are so many of these animals that on any given day a few of the bears will be rotated inside so others can enjoy the outside spaces.

The BSBCC likes to provide enrichment for their indoor animals to ensure that their environment remains as stimulating as possible. And that’s where you come in. Your donations helped to aid in maintaining a quality of life for these bears that ensures their physical and emotional well-being. The photos here demonstrate that the bears are enjoying the toys immensely!

We are excited about developing our partnership with the BSBCC into a research opportunity. This will aid in the conservation of the smallest bear on Earth and could lend insight into the bear family tree. We know from our past work, for example, that sun bear mothers and panda mothers are very similar in their attentive maternal-care styles, and both pandas and sun bears differ from the less active hibernating bears like brown and black bears. What other similarities and differences between the bear species will we find?

Your gifts of enrichment were the first step in what I hope will be a long and informative road that leads to new discoveries about sun bears. Thank you again.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Monday: Black, White, and the Blues.

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37

Monday: Black, White, Blues

By
Suzanne Hall
– March 26, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Pandas, Uncategorized

Gao Gao tries to encourage Bai Yun into a mating posture.

Sunday, March 18, was a great day at the San Diego Zoo’s Panda Trek, with three copulations achieved between panda adults Bai Yun and Gao Gao (see post Sunday: Persistence Pays Off). Despite the rain and wind, our bears had been paired five times.Toward the end of the day, however, Bai Yun had shown reluctance to drop her shoulders to the ground into the posture we call lordosis, and this made things more difficult for Gao Gao. It is an absolute necessity for her to get low so that Gao Gao has the access he needs to ensure a copulation.

On Monday morning, March 19, we assessed Bai Yun at first light to determine if there was a possibility of pairing them again that day. All of her behavioral signals still looked good: she bleated frequently, gave us a ready tail-up when touched, and walked backward toward us. When we put her out into the exhibit to assess Gao Gao’s response to her across the howdy gate, her behavior remained strong, and she began chirping at him.

An interesting side note: Bai Yun reserved her chirp for her mate this year. She was almost never heard emitting this vocalization outside of his presence. Our past research has demonstrated that males can ascertain a female’s breeding readiness from the structural content of that chirp, and it seems Bai Yun wasn’t wasting her efforts on chirping at any of us! It’s as if she knew that only Gao Gao could decipher the message.

For his part, Gao Gao was in fine shape. We might have expected him to be a bit sore and slow on Monday, given his high level of physical exertion the day before. Certainly that had been the case in recent years. This time around, he seemed to suffer no ill effects. He was at the gate right away that morning, and although he wasn’t initially showing signs of high motivation to pair with Bai Yun, he was nonetheless interested in checking her out. He stood at the gate in the rain and mud and watched, sniffed, and vocalized.

After a half hour of assessment, Gao Gao decided she was still ripe for his attention. With rain buffeting us, we opened the howdy gate. The bears moved toward each other right away. In a few minutes time, the two were tucked inside the passageway between the two exhibits, attempting to achieve the correct position for mating.

We’ve always been quite lucky in San Diego, at least since Gao Gao arrived. While pandas can take quite some time to achieve the mating position in a manner that allows copulation, our pair has typically been very efficient. We have never had to wait more than a few minutes, perhaps half an hour, before they succeeded. Having watched mating introductions in Wolong, I know that it isn’t always so easy. Sometimes staff observes for an hour or more before a mating is accomplished, particularly if the breeding pair involves one or more inexperienced animals.

On Monday, I felt like I was back in Wolong. As each attempt to achieve the correct posture failed, Gao Gao would push and pull and nibble on Bai Yun, coaxing her into shifting a little to allow him a different angle to work with. However, on this muddy, wet day, Bai Yun seemed very reluctant to leave her sheltered spot in the passageway. Not only was she out of the rain there, but she was also on a cement pad, out of the mud! Could this possibly make a difference for a panda? She is a bear, after all! In the wild, pandas mate in snow and rain and mud and all kinds of conditions. But Bai Yun has apparently become something of a princess during her time in San Diego. She seemed reluctant to give herself over to getting that dirty and wet. Unbelievable.

We watched as the minutes ticked by: 30, 45, 60 minutes passed. Gao Gao was getting a little tired from his efforts. He’d pause briefly to sit beside her, panting heavily. But after a breather, he returned to his duties, trying to force her to move her body so that he could gain access. As time wore on, she seemed to be tiring, too, and she moved into the low, lordosis posture less frequently.

After about an hour and 15 minutes, we decided to try to reset the bears and get them out of the tunnel passageway. If we could get them back to Bai Yun’s exhibit area, then perhaps they could find the slope that had facilitated their copulations in the past; with Bai Yun head-down on the slope, Gao Gao seems to have better access. So we called them apart, closed the howdy, and let them line up once again. They weren’t ready to quit and were anxious for us to reopen the door.

After about 15 minutes apart, we gave them access again. Unfortunately, Bai Yun moved straight for the passageway. Once again, she parked herself on that cement pad and refused to budge. Gao Gao worked hard to get the job done, but Bai Yun was no longer getting into lordosis, and she wouldn’t allow him to drive her out of her sheltered spot. Finally, after a cumulative effort of about two hours, Gao Gao gave up.

He walked away. But she followed. She turned her backside to him and chirped away. He walked away again. And she followed. She was not ready to give up, apparently. But neither was she willing to drop her shoulders for him. And Gao Gao was tired. He finally let her know he wanted to be left alone. At that point, staff intervened, and we separated the two into their respective enclosures. The howdy gate was closed between them, most likely for the last time.

Although we would have liked to see another breeding on that day, we were pretty happy to have accomplished three copulations during this breeding season. As Bai Yun’s estrus behavior waned throughout the week, life returned to normal at Panda Trek. And now, our focus shifts to what lies ahead. I know you’ll be with us on the journey toward the possibility of a new panda cub in San Diego.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.

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84

Sunday: Persistence Pays Off

By
Suzanne Hall
– March 20, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Our adult pandas' size difference is clear to see!

After an auspicious start on Sunday, which began with an early breeding between giant pandas Bai Yun and Gao Gao, San Diego Zoo staff had planned to give our pandas a break of several hours to rest. After the high level of physical exertion associated with breeding attempts, rest periods help recharge the bears’ batteries. The pandas grab a quick snack and a catnap and wake up feeling refreshed.

Somewhat unusually, Gao Gao maintained a very high level of motivation after that first breeding, refusing to rest. He motored about his exhibit, bleating and checking the howdy gate. He grabbed an occasional drink or bite to eat but kept his focus on his mate. Bai Yun, for her part, kept close to that gate, rear-presenting and making it clear she would be happy to have Gao Gao with her again. In order to take advantage of their obviously high level of arousal, we opted to skip the break period and allow them access to one another sooner rather than later. It paid off. At 10:29 a.m., a second mating was achieved.

Staff was elated. Both bears were doing well, we had two matings under our belt, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Despite the crazy weather (it was hailing on us at one point as we watched the bears wrestling in the drizzle), our charges seemed focused, strong, and willing. Surely now that they had managed to copulate twice, they would want to take a break, right?

Wrong. Maybe Gao Gao worried that Bai Yun might have weaker motivation the next day. Or maybe he was aware of his own tendency to be a little slower the day after breeding, feeling the effects of muscle fatigue and soreness. Or maybe he just likes his girlfriends covered in mud. For whatever reason, our boy just would not settle down! He continued to pace and bleat and paw at the gate when she was near. Bai Yun continued to bait him at the howdy gate.

It was decided that if the bears were up for it, we should let them have another shot. Again the gate was opened. For some time, the two worked the mating dance without success. The rain poured down some more, and the wind blew dried bamboo stems down from the stands surrounding the exhibits. And still they worked at it. Ultimately, they did not succeed, so we separated them again to reset the stage.

Almost comically, the bears again refused to leave each other alone. Really, Gao Gao? How can you be so undeterred by the mud and wind and rain? We are soaked through and exhausted just watching you. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you are a senior bear? But I digress.

After much debate, we opted to go with Gao Gao. Up went the howdy gate, down came the rain. They interacted for another half hour or so, but again no mating was realized. Surely, they must be done for the day, we thought. They had to be tuckered out by now. But…well, I think you can guess where this is going!

His motivation still urgent, Gao Gao was letting us know he was still very interested in Bai Yun. Some of Bai Yun’s sexual behaviors were still building in intensity, which was encouraging. However, as she tired, Bai Yun had seemed more and more slow about adopting a posture of lordosis, in which she lowers her shoulders to the ground. Let’s face it: Gao Gao, for all his vigor, isn’t a very big boy. If our female doesn’t get low to the ground, all the vigor in the world just isn’t going to help.

Maybe this was a factor of her age (“Oh, my aching back”), or perhaps the weather conditions (“It’s muddy and wet down there”). For whatever reason, Bai Yun was not as cooperative as Gao Gao would have liked, and this was a contributing factor to their lack of success midday.

Persistence pays off, however. The fifth time(!) we paired our bears, Gao Gao managed to coax Bai Yun into the proper position. He finally accomplished what he had been working so hard to achieve for the last few hours. A third copulation was realized at 1:28 p.m.

Sunday afternoon, we sealed the howdy gate between the bears and left them with a heavy feed. Our hope was that they would fill their bellies and rest. Ideally, we would like to see one more mating out of this pair, not because three isn’t a good number (it is!), but because we are interested in seeing if we could spread out the timing of their breedings a bit to ensure we catch that egg when it is released. The precise timing of ovulation in the breeding cycle is still a bit of an enigma to us, and we would like to have a wide breeding window to maximize the likelihood of fertilization. So we decided to come in again on Monday and try again.

Did Bai Yun remember to get her shoulders down? Did Gao Gao wake up too tired to try again? Did the hail return to spice things up? What happened on Monday? You’ll have to wait until my next installment to fill in those blanks. Right now, I’m going to crawl under a (dry) warm blanket and catch up on some rest myself.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Dependable Pandas.

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21

Dependable Pandas

By
Suzanne Hall
– March 19, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas

Open the door, please!

Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night…

We’ve had some wild weather here in Southern California for the past few days. Saturday night, a blustery storm passed through. Blowing winds, downpours of rain, some hail, and snow in the mountain areas left everything sopping wet and cold. But Bai Yun woke up Sunday morning ready to breed. And as always, our trusty male Gao Gao was up to the job.

The exhibits were slick with mud and water, and Bai Yun seemed a little less cooperative than usual. Gao Gao had to convince her to drop her shoulders to the ground to allow him to get the best positioning. Bai Yun weighs 231 pounds (105 kilograms), and Gao Gao is a mere 163 pounds (74 kilos) by comparison, so “convincing” involved a lot of nibbling on her shoulders and pulling at her midsection to get her just right.

Fortunately, he succeeded in his endeavors, and at 8:04 Sunday morning, we had our first copulation of 2012. It’s possible that more of these will follow. Ideally, we would like to get one or two more breedings out of this pair today to make this season a success. Even if the weather remains a challenge, Gao Gao has proven that stormy conditions will not stay him from the swift completion of his appointed duties.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Getting to Know You, Again.

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82

Getting to Know You, Again

By
Suzanne Hall
– March 13, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Pandas, Uncategorized

Bai Yun's not interested in food these days!

Giant panda Bai Yun continues to march through estrus. Her rate of scent marking has increased from its baseline of roughly .08 bouts per hour to a whopping 43 bouts per hour this morning. She is walking through water quite a bit, a behavior that likely aids in scent dispersal, as her drippy fur leaves a trail of wet odor while she motors about. She continues to ignore her bamboo and even spit yams back at the keepers during a hearing study trial today. She’s fussy, and squirmy, and acting totally normal for a female in estrus.

On the physiological front, she has also given signs of her status. Her genitalia have enlarged in size and changed color. Swabs of her reproductive tract indicate that its composition of cells is changing in a manner consistent with an approaching breeding window. We are running hormone samples when we can get them, but so far today Bai Yun hasn’t given us enough urine to submit something to our lab.

We were thinking we might need to open the howdy gate between our adults in a few days, in anticipation of a breeding window. However, this morning Bai Yun could hear Gao Gao bleating on the other side of the wall between them. She was very attentive to his calls, and she even bleated back several times. It’s unusual for her to be bleating already, her “advertising stage,” remember? She should be silently marking. But no, she was clearly telling us this morning that she was ready to get reacquainted with her mate.

In response, this afternoon we opened the howdy gate for visual access. Gao Gao, as anticipated, was happy to check out the view, and several times he quietly approached while Bai Yun was nearby. For her part, our matriarch sat in close proximity to the gate for the better part of half an hour. She sent him mixed signals: a chirp (which says “come hither”) followed by a bark (which means “stay away”). Sometimes she sat still looking at him; sometimes, she charged the gate. Back and forth she went between the vocalizations. When she chirped, Gao Gao would stay close, sniffing at her and the gate. When she barked, he would leave, but only for a little while. He knows not to be gone too long.

In the coming days, Bai Yun’s barks and ambivalence will give way to more solicitous behavior. Gao Gao will help us keep track of her change of status with his behavior. Follow along on the Panda Cam, and see if you can see that change yourself. We’re looking for rear-present, tail-up behavior on her part. With him, we are looking for a consistent presence at the gate, even pulling at the gate when she is near. When she starts backing into that gate with her tail raised, you’ll know it’s time.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Who You Calling Old?

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43

Who You Calling Old?

By
Suzanne Hall
– March 12, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Pandas, Uncategorized

Bai Yun was more interested in eating a few months ago.

Giant panda Bai Yun is getting along in years, now 20 years old and on the tail-end of the known breeding spectrum for giant pandas. We’ve been telling you for some time that we don’t know what effect her age might have on the ability for her to breed and produce a cub in 2012. Apparently, Bai Yun did not get the uncertainty memo, because she is now showing strong signs of estrus.

For a few weeks, she has been off her regular bamboo-feeding pattern. In the last few days, her bamboo consumption has dropped precipitously. In addition, she has kicked into high gear with scent marking and restless locomotion. When I observed her this morning, she was scent marking at a rate of once per minute when awake. Considering that a typical non-estrus day might have one or two scent marks in 24 hours, this is a pretty significant increase.

Our research on the typical behavioral expression of estrus has shown that a female panda begins by increasing her rate of scent marking and then decelerates marking before becoming vocal. That is to say: first she focuses on laying down scent along her wandering path to advertise her condition to males that might wander across her home range. Then, when she is ready to mate, she begins to call the male(s), which start tracking her closely once they read her chemical messages.

I didn’t hear any vocalizations from Bai Yun this morning, but that isn’t surprising. She’s still in the advertising stage. You can see her in relatively constant motion throughout the day as she traverses her exhibit laying down scent. One byproduct: with all her restless energy and decrease in feeding, we can expect to see a slight decrease in her weight over the next few weeks. Not to worry: after her hormones settle back down, she will focus on packing on the pounds she loses during estrus.

A note about timing: Bai Yun hasn’t had a breeding date in March since 2003. However, she is clearly on track to peak this month. We are still not certain we will accomplish a breeding with our older pair, but I can say that even Gao Gao seems ready to go, with increased scent marking and restlessness characteristic of a male in rut. All signs point to a likely pairing, and well before April.

So Bai Yun is pushing the boundaries. Although her behavior thus far doesn’t guarantee a breeding or a pregnancy or a live birth, the age factor hasn’t stopped her from having a strong, early estrus. Perhaps her long years of great nutritional and veterinary care are paying off. Is Bai Yun younger than her calendar years? Who can say? Cast your bets.

Just don’t call her old.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Pandas Play Peek-a-boo.

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43

Pandas Play Peek-a-boo

By
Suzanne Hall
– February 21, 2012Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Yun Zi

Many of our blog readers have commented in recent weeks that they are concerned that they haven’t seen giant panda Yun Zi on Panda Cam or in person. Some have expressed concern about his apparent disappearance. I thought I would take a moment to explain some of the factors contributing to his absence and to reassure you that Yun Zi is just fine.

As you know, the San Diego Zoo has new HD cameras that have vastly improved your Panda Cam viewing experience. No more grainy, foggy, or blurry images online. Instead, we have clear, enlarged images that help you get a better feel for the pandas and their enclosures. However, not every one of our facility’s 30-odd cameras was replaced with the HD system. Several of our areas are still serviced by our old, standard cameras. However, the old system is not compatible with our new HD service. That means that when a bear is in an area with an old camera, he or she will not be visible on the Panda Cam.

So why not simply rotate a bear outside where he is accessible both to the visiting public and the Panda Cam? We would do that, under typical circumstances. However, we have a few other factors at play that are influencing our decisions about panda placement. For one, the panda gift shop is being rebuilt. During the construction, we are watching the bears very closely to document their response to this disturbance and ensure the welfare of our animals throughout the process. We are in a current holding pattern of minimizing all other transitions for the bears to further reduce any potential stressors. That means we are keeping animal rotations to an absolute minimum so long as the bears seem comfortable.

We are also creeping close to the breeding season for our adults. The main viewing exhibits are the home base for Bai Yun and Gao Gao once estrus begins, and the place where any breeding would occur if the two were inclined to copulate. Bai Yun has been doing a little scent marking lately, although she is likely weeks away from beginning her estrus. Even so, this is just another factor in play when we make determinations about which bear will be in any given spot on any given day.

Currently, Yun Zi is being housed in an area with the old cameras, which is why you haven’t seen him. He spends his days with access to behind-the-scenes bedrooms and off-exhibit outdoor areas, including our “classroom” exhibits. If he is high in one of his trees, a Zoo guest can catch a glimpse of him when strolling past the facility or riding the moving walkway to the landing near Owens Aviary. If Yun Zi is on the ground or in his bedroom, all areas fitted with older cameras, he is not visible to the public.

But even when he is out of sight, he is clearly not out of mind for our readers. You’ll have to be content to know that we are taking great care of our young male, and he is happy and healthy and content. Soon enough, when the time is right, he’ll be back in view in the exhibits. And if Bai Yun mates again this spring, she will eventually be pulled off exhibit for an extended period as we watch her for signs of pregnancy. Yun Zi and Gao Gao will be our panda ambassadors, but many will ask: when is Bai Yun coming back on exhibit?

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Changes for Gao Gao.

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69

Changes for Gao Gao

By
Suzanne Hall
– November 22, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas

It has been awhile since Gao Gao’s surgical procedure, and he has had a good recovery from it. The surgical scar on his belly healed up nicely, and he has returned to being a mobile, active bear. Thankfully, the results of the procedure allowed us to rule out many significant issues that might have been causing his intermittent gastrointestinal (GI) issues, so we can rest a little easier knowing our bear is not suffering from a serious medical condition.

We are, however, working to determine the ultimate source of those GI issues. From time to time, Gao Gao gets a little sluggish and skips a meal or two. After a day or so like this, he rebounds and returns to his normal self. We aren’t quite sure why. It doesn’t appear to be related to the production of mucous stools, something common to pandas living in a zoological setting. Nonetheless, while we are working to get to the bottom of his health issues, the keepers are providing him with extra-attentive care.

We are looking at a multitude of potential contributors to his condition, including dietary influences and the wear pattern on his teeth. Unfortunately, our old boy has a number of dental issues, and we are suspicious that some of the wear and tear in his mouth may be the cumulative result of a life of bamboo consumption. Though we provide him with excellent dental care, bamboo is a pretty tough, fibrous plant to process, and years of stripping and chewing the culm has left Gao Gao’s teeth pitted and worn down.  We saw a similar pattern with our old male, Shi Shi, whose teeth were also worn down in his later years. It’s possible this amount of wear is now making it harder for Gao Gao to properly process his bamboo, leading to his GI issues. As a result, our veterinary and nutritional staff have prescribed various treatments to improve his bamboo-feeding experience: limiting the size of culm strips he gets and feeding bamboo shoots and bamboo bread, for starters.

Though our boy is fully recovered from his procedure, work to help Gao Gao get his system back on track continues. However, you can come wish him well throughout the process, as he returned to the main viewing exhibit over the weekend.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Gao Gao: Road to Recovery.

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100

Gao Gao: Road to Recovery

By
Suzanne Hall
– October 10, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Bears, Pandas, Uncategorized

Bai Yun is in the main viewing area while Gao Gao recovers.

Giant panda Gao Gao has been secluded in the upper portion of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station as he recovers from his procedure of last Thursday (see post Gao Gao Surgery: Get-Well Wishes). By all accounts, he is doing well. The keepers have fashioned a little nest for him out of hay, and he has used this mattress as his primary resting spot for the last few days. They are keeping a watchful eye on him, and our volunteer observers pulled extra shifts over the weekend to help monitor him as well.

We are noting everything he eats, when he drinks, when he walks about, and when he urinates or defecates. We are pleased to share that he has been eating and has taken to the bamboo bread our nutritionists have been making especially for him. He has passed some stool in the last 24 hours, indicating proper bowel function. And he has been moving around a little, getting out into his sunroom briefly. All of these are positive indicators of a good recovery. So far, so good.

Thankfully, Gao Gao has paid little attention to the stitches in his abdomen. After some initial scratching (they must be itchy!), he has ignored them. In time, they will dissolve and fall out. In the meantime, we are pleased that they do not seem to bother him much.

Although he appears well on the road to recovery, it will be some time before he is deemed fully healed, so you can expect him to remain behind the scenes for a while. We will provide you with regular updates as to his progress. Thank you for all of your well-wishes!

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Sun Bear Saga.

Update (October 11, 2011): We appreciate everyone’s concern regarding Gao Gao.  Veterinarians were able to rule out major concerns through the exam performed on October 6.  Although we do not know what was causing the panda’s discomfort, by taking this step to ensure early detection of any serious problem we made sure that there is nothing serious to worry about.

 

Update (October 20, 2011): Gao Gao is doing very well and has made an impressive recovery after his surgery. He has a great appetite, his weight is good, and he is back to normal activity. We are gradually easing him back into his diet but are also carefully evaluating each step and considering a permanent diet change to better suit age and teeth conditions. We don’t have a date for him being back on exhibit, but that step is in the future plans.

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42

Sun Bear Saga

By
Suzanne Hall
– September 22, 2011Posted in: Animals and Plants, Bears, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Pandas, Uncategorized

Marcella is still waiting for Francis to accept her.

It has been several months since our new sun bear male, Francis, arrived on the scene at the San Diego Zoo (see post First Steps for Francis). We had hoped that he would adjust to his new surroundings easily and would become a new mate for our female, Marcella. We had had great success with our previous male, Dibu, who has since gone on to breed naturally with a female at the Columbus Zoo, and our fingers were crossed that Francis could replicate that success. However, our new resident has reminded us that every animal is an individual, each with a particular personality and needs.

For starters, Francis has been more shy and reticent about his time on exhibit. It is common practice that a new animal be given access to the exhibit and behind-the-scenes areas when acclimating them to a new space. The ability to choose where they spend their time helps to mitigate any anxiety caused by the newness of their surroundings and allows them to explore the area at their own pace. However, when given access to his exhibit and bedrooms, Francis always chose to be out of the public eye, remaining in his bedroom. He hasn’t developed a level of comfort with his exhibit that we have seen with our other sun bears.

What’s more, Francis has been less than receptive to the presence of Marcella. Since Francis had gotten along well with at least one other female in his past, we thought he would take to our matriarch. She is, after all, a gentle bear and seasoned in social relationships with males. When she wasn’t rearing cubs, she had been housed each day with Dibu, and they got along just fine. With both bears having a positive social history, our hopes were high. Unfortunately, their social introductions did not live up to our expectations.

On our first attempt, Marcella did her best. She showed interest in Francis with a decided lack of aggression during social encounters through a door. The male, however, was less enthusiastic. Francis escalated the interaction to aggression and made it clear he wasn’t ready to share his space with our resident female. So we backed off.

A few months later, Marcella came into estrus. We decided it was an opportune time to try again. Not only had Francis had plenty of time to become familiar with his surroundings, but the change in our female’s breeding status might entice our male to be more accepting of her. We tried another social introduction across a door, and Marcella had all the right moves. She was clearly near the peak of her estrus, and she backed up to him and took great pains to demonstrate how non-threatening she was. Unfortunately, Francis did not respond in-kind, and he was once again aggressive. The pairing was unsuccessful.

This reminded me of how things used to be with our giant pandas oh-so-many years ago when Shi Shi was our male. Despite panda Bai Yun’s strong, positive behavior, Shi Shi rejected her out-of-hand time and time again. We tried enticing him every way we could: carefully monitored social introductions, pen swaps to increase scent exchange, audio playbacks to heighten his awareness. None of it worked, and any time Bai Yun got close to him, Shi Shi fought her off. In his many years here, he never mated naturally.

We haven’t given up on Francis. He has been placed in an off-exhibit area where he can get a little human social attention, which he is receptive to. He gets lots of enrichment and TLC. And we are swapping scent between Marcella and Francis at least once each week so they can continue to be aware of each other. It is our objective that at some point in the future we will try a social pairing again.

It is critical that we don’t give up. There is no self-sustaining captive population of sun bears anywhere in North America or Asia, and the wild population is on the decline. Since Dibu moved away from San Diego (a good move if one wants to promote increased genetic diversity in the zoo-based bears), no cubs have survived to be added to the captive population in the U.S. We are just going to have to work that much harder to make things happen for Francis and Marcella. It’s important for these two individuals as it is for the species as a whole.

Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Bai Yun: Hero Mother.

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