Surprising Su Lin
Posted at 8:19 am June 6, 2006 by Ellie Rosenbaum
It’s become a habit to round the corner at the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station viewing area and look up, the better to locate Su Lin’s perch for the morning. Imagine my surprise when I confronted a curious little face with bright dark eyes looking back at me with the same surprise! Finally, finally, Su Lin was down from her trees and interacting with her mother, Bai Yun, first thing in the morning. Up the climbing structures and down, following Mom or being followed, this ” play” time continued for a good half hour after the Zoo opened, allowing early visitors to share in the fun.
It’s easy to see that both bears are having a great romp, but looking carefully, you can’t help but wonder if there’s some serious instruction going on. Bai Yun will gently but firmly grab a mouthful of cub (mostly fur), and then wait patiently for her youngster to squirm free. A few seconds later, the cub having trotted off, Bai will amble over and grab Su Lin again, and again, and again. Bai Yun has but eight months left in which to impart all those important panda ” life lessons” before she and Su Lin separate forever, as they would in the wild.
Two things impressed me: Bai Yun’s incredible patience and skill and Su Lin’s strength. Being a third-time mother clearly shows in Bai’s handling of her newest cub. She seems to me to be more nonchalant with Su than she was with Mei Sheng (her second-born cub), if that’s possible. Even though she weighs less than 40 pounds (18 kilograms), Su Lin is amazingly powerful. She’s a steady climber, at least as steady as a cub can be. Watching her hang from horizontal branches, sloth-like, from the structures is a vivid reminder of just how strong these wild animals are.
It’s hard to decide which behavior is cuter: the ” sloth hang and crawl” or the ” trot-trot-trot” as Su Lin tries to put some distance between herself and her mother. These behaviors should be increasing over the next few months, so we invite you to stop by, either in person or via Panda Cam, in hopes of catching a glimpse for yourself!
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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June 6th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
I haven’t been lucky enough to see Su Lin frolicking with her Mom in the AM’s. I miss seeing her!
June 6th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Su Lin is sooo very cute and smart! I remember when we were worried that she was not moving about much…say in late November. She’s made up for lost time in the past 6 months. **Sigh***babies grow up too fast, don’t they?
June 6th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
I kinda worry about Su Lin’s weight, though I know she is handled by experts who know far better than me. Given Bai Yun’s age, maybe Su Lin does not get as much milk as she needs? Is it possible to feed Su bear some panda formula so that she could get more nutrients?
June 6th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Oh, I just wish I could be there to see that! But thanks for sharing and making the scene come alive. Su Lin has progressed to the next grade — it is like she is no longer in elementary school. It will be all too soon that she will be graduating, with honors I am sure, thanks to her capable teacher. They grow up sooooo fast!
June 7th, 2006 at 7:20 am
Thanks Ellie. What a treat it must have been to come face to face with our little wonder. I can’t wait to catch one of their ” play” sessions – I always seem to miss them. I make up for it though by watching Tai and Mei in Washington. Now that’s one spunky boy. Wouldn’t it be great if, somehow, our little Su and Tai could meet and spend some cubby time together. I bet Susie would give him a run for his money – LOL. Thanks again for a wonderful story about our little princess.
June 7th, 2006 at 7:52 am
Eugena, I too wondered about Su Lin’s weight several months ago. I know she’s a good 10 lbs. lighter than her cousin in DC. But I think she’s proven that she’s doing just fine, and we know her capable keepers are watching her closely. I keep in mind that she’s a little girl bear, and that her daddy is a small bear.
I have missed her play and ” instruction” with Bai. Looking forward to seeing her on the ground more and interplaying with mom.
June 7th, 2006 at 7:57 am
Great blog, Ellie! I’m really looking forward to seeing Su Lin and mom interacting, hopefully tomorrow morning. Maybe see you then.
June 7th, 2006 at 8:24 am
I wonder if the mother has more to teach female cubs than their male cubs. Sure, boys need to know how to survive, but other than that, they don’t really need to know how to take care of babies and passing all the skills to their offspring. Su Lin seems to be very good at everything so far. Her size, compared to her brother, seems to be just right. It’s my understanding is that she may be heavier than when Mei Sheng was her age — probably from all the muscles she’s building.
It was very interesting to see how Bai Yun showed Su Lin what to do with the water in their pool. Su Lin got it right away. Su Lin watches her mother very carefully. For Su, Bai is the coolest panda in this whole world (OK, she’s the only panda she knows, other than some glimpses of Mei Sheng when he’s up in the trees). It’s so nice to see Su Lin down on the ground, interacting with her mom….for a change!
June 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am
I was fortunate enough to catch a play session between mother Bai Yun and our little Princes Su Lin yesterday. Su Lin tried to get away as usual, and Bai Yun ” scooped” her back with her paw as soon as Su Lin was getting out of Bai Yun’s reach. It was quite fun and endearing to watch.
Thanks for posting the latest picture of Su Lin on the biography page. She looks like Hua Mei in the picture below!
June 7th, 2006 at 8:55 am
Thank you Ellie, for telling us about what Bai Yun’s doing to teach Su Lin. Does anyone have an idea what the lessons might be about? I finally was able to watch them play on camera recently and what a treat that was! How nice for you to be able to see Su Lin up close like that!
Time is passing too quickly for all of us. I’d like to be able to see them be together much longer, but I know that isn’t Mother Nature’s way.
June 7th, 2006 at 10:10 am
An Interview With Bai Yun
Reporter: ” Good afternoon, Madame Bai Yun. Thank you for agreeing to speak to me.â€
Bai Yun: ” Hello. You have spoken to Second Daughter Su Lin several times.â€
R: ” Yes. She is very charming.â€
B: ” I am proud of all my children. First Daughter Hua Mei is a mother herself now. First Son Mei Sheng may soon make his Long Journey to meet his destiny. And Second Daughter Su Lin is growing well; she is strong and smart. My children bring me great honor.â€
R: ” Hua Mei is Shi Shi’s daughter. Do you remember Shi Shi?â€
B: ” Of course. He is old and wise. He told me of his first life.â€
R: ” His first life?â€
B: ” Shi Shi was born and lived in Panda Home for many years. His life was hard, but he was free. He began a new life after he was injured. His new life was hard, too, at first, but he came to understand and be grateful. He said that his second life was easy and comfortable. But sometimes he dreamed of Panda Home.â€
R: ” Do you dream of Panda Home?â€
B: ” All Pandas dream of their ancient home. It is our duty to pass the dream to our children, to keep the memory of Panda Home alive until we return to our mountains.â€
R: ” What else do you teach your chldren? How to play?â€
B: ” Pandas are born knowing how to play!â€
R: ” I’ve heard that you have a sense of humor. You seem very formal today.â€
B: ” If you want to see my sense of humor I could hold you upside down and give you a bath……â€
R: ” Uhh….no…no…thank you, but that won’t be necessary. Could you tell me about Gao Gao?â€
B: ” Gao Gao was also born in Panda Home. He is small, but in his heart and mind he is very big. His scent marks are boastful.â€
R: ” Boastful?â€
B: ” They are higher than he is! Second Daughter is also big in her heart and mind. She is like Gao Gao that way. I tell her that sometimes the smallest gifts are the best.â€
R: ” You said that Mei Sheng might be leaving soon. Does that make you sad?â€
B: ” Why should I be sad? All children leave their mothers. All cubs must go and make their own lives. It is the Panda way.â€
R: ” How do you prepare Su Lin to make her own way?â€
B: ” She will learn to find and eat her own food. She will learn to be careful around bigger bears. She will learn how to play-fight so that if she must really fight someday, she will know how to fight or to get away. Second Daughter still has these things to learn.â€
R: ” Did you teach her to make songs?â€
B: ” Second Daughter Miss Smarty-Paws Su Lin learned that by herself!â€
R: ” Would you sing one of your songs?â€
B: ” Perhaps if we talk again I will give you a song…and a bath!â€
R: Thank you, beautiful Madame Bai Yun!â€
June 7th, 2006 at 10:11 am
#8, Sayuri: Please tell us about Bai Yun showing Su Lin what to do with the water in the pool. I haven’t even spotted a pool yet. Love the new profile photo of Su Lin. Such a lovely.
June 7th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
thank you, Pamela G, for your latest interview. Bai is a very wise mother, i’m sure she will teach her children well. looking forward to your next interview. you sure brighten up a day.
June 7th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
How nice to see Su and Bai playing a little in the afternoons recently. I missed the pool activity- pictures? It’s so precious when Su follows mom around.. big panda, little panda.. I just love that. Thanks for the interview with Bai, Pamela. She is a wise Panda!
June 7th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Pamela, that was wonderful! Thank you.
I only see Su Lin when she is sleeping, although I was treated to her being out of the tree one day weeks ago when a keeper gave her a bucket to play with (and eat from, I think) while the enclosure was being cleaned and new bamboo was spread. I have to admit, I envied the keeper for her job because after Su Lin dropped the bucket off the rooftop of the little cave, the keeper ruffled the princess’s fur as she walked by to retrieve it and hand it back to her. Hehehehe… How cute!
June 7th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
#12–Linda(Los Angeles)-I think of the pool as the Bamboo Basin, because that’s all I’ve seen it used for since I’ve been viewing the Panda Cam. Bai uses it for her eating area, but I guess now that the warmer weather is here, a swimming pool takes precedence–there is always another place to eat…#11–Pamela G.—thanks for another riveting interview. We can certainly see where Su Lin derives much of her intelligence…Ellie–I enjoyed your descriptions of Bai and Su’s play/escape sessions. I’ve seen a few in the later evenings, but it will be so much easier to see when Su is down during the daylight hours.
June 7th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
i worry so much that bai yun is hurting su lin. i think su lin doesn’t enjoy playing with her mother because she always seems to be running away from her. i just spent a wonderful half-hour watching su lin on the panda cam tumbling and turning summersaults while her mom slept–almost as though she were saying, ” mom! wake up! look at me!!!” was it yesterday that i saw su lin go for a swim? it was so cute. i only live a half-hour away from the zoo, but i fear by the time i get there, su lin will be back in a tree sleeping. thanks for the opportunity to see them on the panda cam.
June 7th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
3:35 SD time; what great pictures of Su playing and mom sleeping on the climbing structures! Reeealy cute! This is so great because I too have missed all her play sessions and have only seen her sleeping in the trees. How can mom sleep with her head hanging down so far–I’d have a headache.
June 7th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
This is the last song for a while, as I will be away for some time. Thank you all for your generous encouragement. Pam.
Bai Yun’s Lullaby
Hush, tiny Panda cub. Sleep in my arms.
I’ll feed you, and warm you, and keep you from harm.
Sleep, tiny Panda cub. Sleep and grow strong.
I’ll whisper Panda secrets, for I will not have you long.
Wake, little Panda cub. Open your eyes.
You’ve known only darkness, now watch your first sun rise.
Move, little Panda cub. Crawl around the den.
Soon it will be time to leave. I will tell you when.
Walk, little Panda cub. Come and follow me.
We are going out today. So many things to see!
Play, growing Panda cub! Climb and roll and run!
Let the watchers marvel at this small child of Bai Yun!
Go now, grown-up Panda child, go and make me proud.
Remember what I taught you, and remember your White Cloud.
Sleep now, tiny Panda cub, all this is yet to be.
For now, it’s just the den, and milk, and warmth, and you and me.
June 7th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Pamela G. Lovely interview with Madame. Su Lin seems to be enjoying playing down below more now. She appears to have reached a different stage in her development and enjoyment of things like water in the pool. Too bad we all can’t join her!
I wish we could keep First Son here longer. There are plenty of male cubs at Wolong now. Today I looked at some of the pictures of the cubs we played with there and it brought back all the wonderful feelings of being with them in their play yard. They enjoy tumbling, shoving and climbing so much, it makes me laugh to watch them together. I hope more people from SDZ will have a chance to go there to see the cubs and Hua Mei.
June 8th, 2006 at 2:12 am
How precious these pandas are! Patricia (#17), don’t worry about Su Lin, I’m sure she is having a whale of a time playing with her mother – I noticed that Tai, too, kept appearing to run away from Mei Xiang during play bouts, then he would wheel round and pounce back at her. I suspect wriggling out of mom’s grasp and trotting away is an invitation to play – ” chase me!” .
I just love coming here and reading the comments from fellow pandaholics of all ages and nationalities; these bears should be designated ambassadors for peace!!
June 8th, 2006 at 6:32 am
Thank you, Ellie, for a lovely glimpse of Su Lin and Bai Yun. I could almost see that sweet, curious face looking at you. When you wrote that Bai and Su would ” separate forever” in a few months, it gave me a start. But, then, as you (and Pamela G. in her interview with Bai Yun) noted, it is the Panda Way. Btw, Pamela G.–thank you for another wonderful interview. You captured the essence of Madame Bai.
June 8th, 2006 at 7:58 am
Thank you, Pamela G. Your interviews are heartwarming. I’m looking forward to Su Lin’s song and what she thinks about her lessons. What does she think about the creatures with the sunglasses and cameras?
June 8th, 2006 at 10:13 am
The web logs from the panda team are wonderful… very informative. I’ve been watching Su’s cousin Tai more… got to visit NZ twice. In November I’m hoping to visit SDZ.
Pamela G. … you’re very good with words!!
June 8th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
Oh, Pamela! What a lovely lullaby. It brought tears to my eyes with its warmth and sentiment. Thank you. I look forward to your return when you’ll bring us more of these pearls. Be well.
June 8th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
Pamela, your lullabye made me cry – I’ve never read anything so beautiful. Thank you.
June 8th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
beautiful, Pam. Very touching.
June 8th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Pam…your lullaby is so lovely…… Though you say you’re no poet or writer, I think your love for these amazing creatures brings magic to your words. This lullaby is so touching and beautiful…I can’t think of any ‘professional’ poet or writer who could do it better. You really capture the essence of ‘panda-ness’!! *sniff*
June 8th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Pamela G.–What a great talent you have!!! I loved your interview with Bai! Your beautiful lullabye made me cry also. Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with all of us.
June 8th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
It is interesting the difference in how Su Lin & her mother interact with each other and the interaction between Tai Shan & Mei Xiang in Washington. I’ve been watching Tai & Mei on Panda cam since Tai’s birth almost a year ago & enjoyed watching how maternal Mei was with her cub. She was so protective of him. Now I notice that when Tai initiates play with Mei she will push him away and often leaves as if she’s saying, ” Don’t bother me” . I guess this is normal but it makes me a little sad when I remember how she’d never let him out of her sight when he was younger.
June 9th, 2006 at 5:57 am
thank you Pamela for sharing your talent with us, I love so much what you write about pandas.
June 9th, 2006 at 6:49 am
Pamela G.–Thank you for the absolutely beautiful and poignant lullaby. It so accurately evokes the feelings that all mothers experience–like looking forward to their baby’s future but not wanting it to arrive too quickly.
June 9th, 2006 at 7:12 am
Pamela G through my tears Thank you for the beautiful lullaby. Thankyou for sharing
June 9th, 2006 at 8:43 am
After reading these comments and watching the Panda Cams, you can’t help but love these beautiful animals! Little Princess Su and Tough Guy Tai are precious. Poor Tai seems to be fully recovered after his little fall this week; Mei took splendid care of her big boy. Maybe we’ll have another baby in Atlanta this fall to watch on Panda Cam and love from afar. Any word on Xiang Xiang from the wild? Please keep us posted if you hear anything about him. Hope everyone has a great weekend; sure do enjoy hearing from so many panda lovers!
June 9th, 2006 at 9:17 am
Pamela G. – as always, beautiful words. And as you see, many people agree. On behalf of all your fans, I wish you a good trip to wherever you are going, and a safe return.
June 9th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Pamela, your lullaby is magnificent. I am so touched and am blinking back tears reading your splendid words. I really do feel you have a talent and if you chose to, could turn your talent into writing panda books for children. I wish you all the best on your trip and look forward to your sharing more panda insights upon return.
June 11th, 2006 at 6:43 am
I seldom catch Su Lin on panda cam, and wish SDZ would post more pictures of her. The last picture in her picture gallery was on mud day, some time ago. Washington’s zoo posts new pics of Tai Shan (and Mei) regularly in its panda cub photo gallery. The only pic I saw of Su on mother’s day ” snow day” was one on the blog page. I’d love to see more photos of my ” adopted daughter.”
June 11th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
There seems to be a change for the better in the camera protocol. It is following the pandas around more and seems to be trying to show the best available picture. Perhaps a volunteer or intern is controlling it? Whatever, thanks San Diego Zoo!
June 11th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Bai Yun seems to be making Su Lin play for her supper now. Bai at times pushes Su away or turns her back to her when she wants to nurse, so Su cannot eat and run up the tree as she was prone to in the past. She dances around Bai, who often continues eating or napping.
June 11th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
I’ve had the privilege of watching several of these ‘training romps.’ I’ve also seen them after dark. They were in the bamboo eating area (for lack of a better term) about 9 tonight. Bai Yun wandered off and Su Lin stayed. Seemed to take a nap for awhile and then was sitting there eating bamboo, looking like a small version of Mom! Earlier today it appeared that Su Lin was nursing; would this be accurate? I am so grateful for the opportunity to share in this experience – watching the development of an important new life in conservation efforts. Thanks.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:03 am
At 5:45 a.m., San Diego time, Su and Bai were sleeping next to each other up in a tree. What a lovely scene to see first thing in the morning.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:49 am
Conversation with Gao Gao.
Tourist: Hey Gao Gao, we’ve got some news to report from Madame Bai.
Gao Gao: Oh, should I take a break from my muncheroos?
T: Well, that depends.
G: So what’s the scoop?
T: We hear Madame Bai says your scent is boastful?
G: Me, boastful? She really says that?
T: Yeah, she says your scent is high for your stature.
G: Well, I suppose it’s only natural… (crunch, crunch)
T: Why do you say that?
G: Well, maybe because my arms don’t have to push up as much weight? What do you think?
T: Oh, you’re just being humble.
G: So what else did she say?
T: She says all pandas dream of their ancient home.
G: Well, I suppose I do, but I like it here, too.
T: How so?
G: Well, the food is good. (crunch) And plentiful.
T: Yes?
G: The games are fun.
T: Really…
G: The varied accommodations are nice, appeals to the senses.
T: You mean the scents?
G: Uh huh.
T: So would you like us to convey your thoughts to Madame Bai?
G: Nah, I think I’ll speak for myself.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
How sweet–we are headed to California next month–hope to catch Su Lin and Bai Yun in one of their play sessions. That would sure make a 5-hour plane ride worthwhile:)
June 12th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Dear panda fans, I wish that you had been at SDZ last Sat. In the morning, Mei Sheng was treated to a thorough back scratching by his keeper. He was leaning into the fence, kicking his legs with happiness. Guess he thought he was at the spa! In the afternoon Su Lin came down to nurse and play with Mom. When Su nurses, she’s serious. She’s 40 vigorous pounds of panda! Bai & Su were playing & rolling in the fresh soil. It’s so much fun to see the stately Madame Bai Yun doing somersaults! The play was rough & tumble, with Su escaping, looking at Mom to see if she was following, then running back to Mom for more play. Mei Sheng was a Mei-niac in the afternoon: running up & down trees, hanging upside down, rolling all over the exhibit gleefully demolishing any plants that got in his way. I’m sure it was fun to watch on the PandaCam, but there’s nothing like seeing them in person!
June 12th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
Pamela, there must be an artist out there somewhere that could illustrate a book to your words. I know I would buy it! Thank you again for your wonderful lullaby – it is absolutely enchanting. You have quite a talent!
June 12th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Hello everyone, It has been such a long time since I was able to be with you all here, even though I looked in on Babygirl and Mum as much as I could in between hospital stays. Day and night is back on for me now. Su Lin is almost a year old, my oh my. What a beautiful girl she is, and getting to be so big and in control of what she wants to do when she wants to do it. Mum is as loving and playful as she always was, but now that element of teaching is so obvious. Hello to friends old and new.
Take care
Valerie UK
June 12th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
P Wong – that’s a fun conversation…! Gao Gao sure is a laid back dude…
June 12th, 2006 at 11:22 pm
I am Chinese. I am very glad to see that the giant panda from China can have a good time in the US, and I love the giant panda very much. They are so cute, I often take a look at the giant panda on the Panda Cam live, but it’s evening in the US and it’s day in China, since the timezone is different.
June 13th, 2006 at 5:16 am
Princess Su and Madame Bai were just sharing a morning snuggle after Princess Su finished nursing. It was so sweet! Loved the story from Gao Gao, very cute indeed!
June 13th, 2006 at 6:11 am
I am wondering about the separation process in the zoo. I have not been observing the pandas to see how past separations have been handled. I am assuming that it won’t be all at once – just one day, Su Lin is taken from Bai Yun and that’s it. I am guessing that you have protocols for taking her away for more and more time over a period, so that when at last she isn’t brought back, she is used to being without Bai Yun, and vice versa. Could you say a bit about the process? I can’t help but have a perhaps anthropomorphic reaction to the idea of sudden and complete separation. But I am guessing that in the wild, pandas would gradually separate. I don’t know, though. Thanks for any light you can shed on this subject.
June 13th, 2006 at 7:07 am
I caught sight of Su Lin and mom playing…what a delight! Bai Yun would keep pulling Su Lin back to her. It is rare that I see action on the SDZ cam – I just never log in at the right time. I do manage to catch Tai Shan and his mom ‘lots of times’ and it keeps me in front of my monitor far too long sometimes but it is worth it to see the interaction.
June 13th, 2006 at 8:04 am
P. Wong, very fun interview with Gao Gao. The voice I hear in my head as I read this is one of a way mellow, California surfer dude…..what a long way from the wilds of China this handsome father panda has come
June 13th, 2006 at 11:04 am
Susan O (#44) – what a fabulous description! It melts the heart – I can just picture Mei enjoying his back-scratch; thank you! And lucky keeper who got to make him so happy…
Valerie (#46) – Welcome back! I know how you feel, I was in hospital for six weeks earlier this year and was worried that I was going to miss all the little milestones for Su and Tai. Fortunately my dear husband printed off any news and new photos and brought them to me; he also bought the Tai DVD and a portable DVD player so I could get my panda fix from my hospital bed! A marvellous aid to recovery, I’m sure you’ll agree.
June 13th, 2006 at 11:48 am
PWong you know gao gao very well. Just by watching him you captured his personality perfectly, he is so
laid back. nothing seems to bother him. Will we also be hearing from Mei Sheng?
June 13th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Conversation with Mei Sheng
Tourist: Hello, Mei Sheng.
Mei Sheng: Hello Mr. Tourist. Am I to perform some acrobatics this time?
T: Only if you’re in a mood to…
M: Yeah?
T: Well, uh, I was actually asked to have an interview with you.
M: Really? My first interview? How does that work?
T: It’s not hard. Since it’s your first, We’ll just keep it short and simple.
M: Should I consult my publicist?
T: A publicist? YOU have a publicist?
M: Yes, I occasionally meet with him at the Howdy Gate.
T: You mean Gao Gao.
M: Yup.
T: So he’s been coaching you on interviews?
M: Well, not yet.
T: So what’s he been teaching you?
M: So far, it’s just been hammy song compositions.
T: Oh, so you’re a song writer.
M: Well, I’m not very good at it yet.
T: You’re just being modest. Do you have a sample?
M: Well, here’s a short one.
I was Born (Sheng)
In ‘Merica (Mei)
From an order Tall (Gao Gao)
As lofty Clouds (Yun)
Billowing White (Bai)
Of lines Elegant (Hua Mei)
And Something Cute (Su Lin)
And so Beautiful (Mei)
Is my Life (Sheng)
- by Mei Sheng
June 13th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Finally I will go down to San Diego to visit my dear panda bears this weekend. Does anyone know what the best time is to visit them? Morning? Afternoon? Thanks for your reply in advance, I am so so so excited now:)
June 14th, 2006 at 5:23 am
P Wong, thanks so much for the ” cool” interview with Gao – too cute! I’m glad to hear that he likes it in San Diego – coming from the wild he knows it’s not always fun and games (and safe). Right now I’m picturing Gao with a pair of wild shorts on hanging 10 on a surf board – LOL!!!!!!! (Lisa #52). Hope there’s a second part to your conversation with Mei and Su’s daddy.
June 14th, 2006 at 9:59 am
Gigi #56, I go once a month, usually on Sat. Usually Su & Bai have been most active in the late afternoon, maybe between 3:00-5:00 p.m. I’m told that they are active early, but I don’t usually get there until 10:30 or so. Mei Sheng is also active around the same time in the afternoon, but he’s not on exhibit this weekend. You’ll get to see Big Daddy Gao Gao-wish him a happy Father’s Day for me! Sometimes I check out other animals midday, like gorillas. Have a wonderful time!
June 14th, 2006 at 10:04 am
P.Wong EXCELLENT. your interview was great. what a way to incorporate the whole family into one song. I
can just see Mei with publicist. what’s next? maybe an agent, public appearances. waiting for your next interview.
June 14th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Wolong now has a web page and a panda cam. The panda cam is only on two times a day for twenty minutes each time which isn’t much. With the expected traffic, I wonder if it will be possible to log on. I am so excited, hopefully they will feature different pandas and we will be able to see Hua Mei.
June 14th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
How wonderful! Thank you, Pamela G and P Wong for the moving interviews and lullaby. I have often posed the question, ” If you could interview a panda, which panda would it be and what would you ask?”
June 14th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
(Thanks to everyone for the encouragement – P Wong)
Conversation with Gao Gao #2
Tourist: Hello, Gao Gao.
Gao Gao: Hello. (snap, crunch)
T: Would you mind if I ask you something?
G: OK. Shoot. (crunch)
T: What do you think about Mei Sheng going into show biz?
G: Show biz?
T: Yeah. Show biz. Like compete on American Idol.
G: Why do you ask?
T: I think he’s got talent.
G: Really?
T: Yes. Really.
G: And you’re asking me?
T: You taught him song writing, didn’t you?
G: Oh, uh, yeah… something like that.
T: So what do you think?
G: I thought I was giving him Chinese lessons.
June 15th, 2006 at 4:37 am
On June 2nd, my husband and I arrived at the zoo at 9 A.M. and headed immediately to the panda exhibit. Expecting to find the baby panda snoozing in a tree, we were stunned to see Su Lin tearing around the enclosure, climbing anything she could find, and always returning to play with her mother. We watched her in this active mode for about 30 minutes and were overwhelmed by the experience. To say Su Lin is adorable falls short of the mark. The ” play” behavior we witnessed between Su Lin and Bai Yun was very similar to the style of ” play” between Tai Shan (in the National Zoo) and his mother. How amazing and delightful these pandas are!
June 15th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
P. Wong, thanks so much for the second interview with Gao Gao, and Mei Sheng’s debut interview and lovely song. Very fun and creative! Looking forward to more.
Ellen, I would love to see the Wolong cam. Wouldn’t it be terrific to catch the kindergarten cubs at play?
Mary, so glad you got to see Su Lin and her mom in action, hard at play. I think we will see more of this as Bai Yun steps up the teaching of her Second Daughter. We have much to enjoy in the future!
June 16th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
To everyone:
I must give credit to Pamela G. for her inspiration and setting me off on such a fun tangent. And I thank Jeannie, Barbara, Lisa Anderson, Bernice (I hope I didn’t miss anyone) for the added encouragement. Below is the next installment. – P Wong
Interview with Gao Gao #3
Tourist: Hello, Gao Gao.
Gao Gao: Hello. I seem to see you alot. You must have a membership pass.
T: Well, it’s for biz, uh, for pleasure.
G: So, what IS your business?
T: Well, uh, I’m a talent scout.
G: Hmmm. Kinda what I thought.
T: Well, I heard you composed some catchy Canto Pop-genre love songs.
G: Yeah. They’re an essential part of my being.
T: Huh?
G: Yeah. The scent marks… high up on the walls, trees, rocks.
T: So you’re mighty bold after all.
G: Hee hee. Hey, while I’m at it, would you like some ‘boo? (crunch)
T: Uh, no, thank you.
G: It’s great for your digestion, alleviates painful mucous stools.
T: No… Thanks. Does the bamboo reflect in your songs, too?
G: Sometimes.
T: So do you have .mp3 format versions that we humans may hear?
G: Well, I did upload some tunes to community websites.
T: Which sites are they?
G: Well, I’m not supposed to tell.
T: Why?
G: Blog rules. And then the recordings are a little mediocre anyway, done ” a capella.”
T: Oh, but we can polish them up, write you some nice arrangements.
G: Really?
T: So may I get clearance?
G: You may try my agent and/or website manager.
T: You’re some privileged guy, aren’t you? You’ve an agent and website manager…
G: Yep. Like I said before, I like being here in San Diego.
Editor’s note: We’ll get back to you about this, Gao Gao.
June 22nd, 2006 at 11:07 am
since our pandas are so smart and write songs, have publicists, and are the stars of the zoo I think everyone should vote for the panda billboard for the zoo’s 90th birthday. GO PANDAS
Editor’s note: Everyone can vote for their favorite 90th Birthday billboard. The link to vote is from our home page: http://www.SanDiegoZoo.org
June 22nd, 2006 at 7:28 pm
Barbara #66, I hope the panda wins, too. Seems like it’s running neck to neck with the orangutan at this moment.
June 26th, 2006 at 10:46 am
p.wong i have great faith that our pandas will win the billboard poll. i would like to see a picture of Bai and the kids in the car with Gao Gao changing the tire, surfboard and all. I plan on going to the D.C zoo in about 2 weeks . it’s about a four-hour trip, but well worth it. i am interested to see the differences between Tai and Su Lin for myself, and it will probably be the best time of my life.
June 26th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
Barbara, the panda’s winning at this moment and I’m a little surprised because the panda picture colors have less intensity. So now I vote that we change the car color from gray to red and maybe have Su Lin sitting pretty on the trunk while holding a little stalk of bamboo. Too bad we can’t have Hua Mei and all her babies in the picture. It would be nice if they can have a picnic lunch by the car while the car is being fixed. Hmmm. Maybe I should try composing a Jinshan painting. It’s a neat folk style Chinese painting. If you wonder what one looks like, you can search the internet. Meanwhile, when you meet Tai and family, please say hi for me.
June 28th, 2006 at 9:09 am
Ellen #60 once you get registered on the Wolong website they will e-mail you a time and give you a password to get access to the webcam
June 30th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
P.Wong,
One of the girls in our export dept. brought me a few pictures of folk art and explained that they kind of tell a story. One had a picture of a bird and different animals, the other had a panda with trees in the mountains. Her parents were from china and they all have heard of ancient panda home. It is thought to be a very special place. Each person has a different view of this, though. They also have pandaholics there to. From some stories they heard that Wolong is close to becoming a major tourist attraction.
July 29th, 2006 at 7:21 am
Su Lin,
Hope you are staying cool with this non-San Diego type weather. Bet you’re having fun in the misters that your wonderful keepers provide for you!
Keep growing, continue to be healthy and we’re just all so grateful to have you with us. Kudos to your momma Bai Yun for being the absolute BEST!
Haven’t seen you in a while — You’ve got a great big day coming up this week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!