What is the cost of a giant panda loan from China? All zoos have agreed to pay an annual fee of one million dollars for each pair, and a one-time fee of not more than $600,000 for each surviving cub. But an even greater cost is that of doing research at home and in China. This is an enhancement activity that is mandated by law. All pandas in the U.S. are therefore imported for research purposes, not for breeding or exhibitry.
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Moving Heavy Animals at the San Diego Zoo’s Veterinary Hospital.

There are many similarities between a human hospital and a veterinary hospital. Much of the technology and treatments used are the same. The differences, however, can be quite big. For instance, transferring a patient from one room to another at a human hospital requires a gurney and a couple of hospital staff. What happens when your patient is a sedated 500-pound (230-kilogram) McNeil’s Deer? Moving the deer from the radiology room to surgery can be problematic if you only have three or four staff available.
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As part of our research activities, we often develop projects and studies for which we utilize our San Diego Zoo bears to answer some question about panda behavior. You may recall we started a rotation study back in December in which we have Gao Gao and Mei Sheng (pictured) swapping pens once a week. So far, it seems both of the boys are doing pretty well with the rotation, and the results thus far are telling us something important about the bears.
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Recently, Karroo has been running once a week at the Wild Animal Park’s Cheetah Run Safari. Majani is the male cheetah that launched this program. After running for almost a year, he is taking a 3-month sabbatical. In his place are Karroo and Kubali, two female cheetahs running on the weekends through the month of March.
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The subject of the giant panda’s color has come up repeatedly in the viewing area of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station over the last week in two forms: “Why are pandas black and white?” and “Why aren’t pandas black and white?”
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Our first Harter Veterinary Medical Center blog made mention of the various sizes of animals we treat, from very large to very small. Last week, we had two tiny patients in the hospital that we don’t often see here, especially not for digital radiographs: mountain yellow-legged frogs!
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After a week off to catch up on journal work (see ” A Day in the Classroom”), the San Diego Zoo’s Girls In Science students wandered back into the Zoo and met with Paul Maschka, senior gardener, and Christy Powell, plant propagator for the Zoo’s Horticulture Department.

We met up with Paul and Christy at the Bog Garden, which is located in the Monkey Trails and Forest Tales exhibit near the clouded leopards. Paul designed this garden, and we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different plant species that are found here and their very special needs.
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After boxing ficus (see Patti’s blog ” Borrowed by Browse” ), I met up with Bob, the San Diego Zoo’s eucalyptus expert. He’s been growing and harvesting these trees for 19 years! We headed off grounds to Miramar Naval Air Station, one of the many harvest areas around town. Many of us in California can recognize eucalyptus trees in the landscape. They were introduced to the state in the early 1800s as a source of wood for railroad ties. Eucalyptus species have a lot of oils that protect the tree from pests and decay, so railroad builders figured it would be very durable. As it turned out, the wood splintered easily (definitely not railroad material). The trees, however, thrived in our climate and are some of the most widely planted non-natives in California.
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Some of you have expressed an interest in learning more about the lives of pandas in captivity in Wolong. Over the years, much has changed at the breeding center, and staff at the San Diego Zoo has played a role in some aspects of this change.
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Kenai is our Arctic wolf. Currently he is staying with his brother, Keeli, at the San Diego Zoo’s Wegeforth Bowl because our area (Hunte Amphitheater) is getting a new roof over some of the enclosures. So, while all the hammering and welding is taking place, we thought it would be fun for the wolf brothers to spend some time together.
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