A Great Time Was Had By All!
Posted at 11:49 am August 2, 2006 by Megan Owen
Su Lin entered her exhibit today to find some beautiful and tasty suprises: a two-tiered ice cake topped with a big ” 1″ and decorated with apples, carrots, and honey (see Happy Birthday to Su). This beautiful creation was flanked by a mini panda ice sculpture and the name ” Su Lin” formed in ice letters. Her first stop, however, was a pink and purple polka-dotted gift box which she climbed right into. Bai Yun was soon to follow and she also had fun with the box before moving on to the treats on the cake. Both Su Lin and Bai Yun will be able to play with these items for most of the day and they are both a great source of enrichment for the bears and enjoyment for the zoo visitors.
Each time one of our panda cubs has a birthday, the San Diego Zoo’s Forage Department provides them with these beautiful treats, and every year the ice cakes get more extravagant and creative. They are truly impressive. We will be having something like this for Mei Sheng on August 19 (he turns 3!), so keep your eyes peeled for the next creative birthday ” cake” provided by our Forage Department.
Megan Owen is a research laboratory coordinator for the Office of Giant Panda Conservation/CRES.
View all the birthday action on Panda Cam.
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August 2nd, 2006 at 12:16 pm
to all the folks who supplied the treats that went into Su Lin’s birthday cake, Thank You. You sure helped make her 1st birthday a very special and tasty one. I guess we don’t realize just what it takes to put something like this special cake together. GOOD jOB.
August 2nd, 2006 at 12:31 pm
You could not have asked for a better response from the birthday girl and her mom at this morning’s party. Congratulations to both them and to the zoo.
August 2nd, 2006 at 12:57 pm
I watched Su Lin climb on top of her birthday cake and of course I captured it as a postcard and sent it to myself so I could enjoy the moment any time I want. Wish I could have been there. The cake was beautiful. Thank you to all of the staff at the San Diego Zoo for sharing with all of us watching the cams.
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:34 pm
She had a wonderful birthday today and I watched her until I unfortunately had to leave for a bit! Thank you for the picture and that cake is indeed a cute and tasty one! Happy birthday, little girl! We love you!
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:35 pm
Hi,
I was able to catch Su Lin by hitting the postcard x a lot. The cam seemed to be white most of the time – lots of people trying to watch at the same time, I guess. It was a very special day with special presents. She is the best present to us and your web cam (and postcard feature) helps us watch this special girl. Thank you again for letting us share her.
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Su Lin really enjoyed her Birthday cake and the purple box and treats, thanks to the SDZ staff! Bai Yun and Su Lin’s many panda fans did, too! Thank you for sharing her special day with all of us who watched on the Panda Cam.
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:51 pm
That picture of her climbing on top, engaging in her feast, is as precious as she.
Happy birthday a little bit of something cute…and that you are…it’s so hard to believe 1 year has passed. And you’ve come a long way…if only we could freeze things in time and keep them forever…we’ll just have to hold on to the memories…and you and mom have given us a heartful…
Hugs and kisses to you, mom, and all the people involved in providing, examining you…and taking care of you.
We love you all….lots.
Tami
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:55 pm
I love pandas!!! I really enjoy seeing them!
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Thank you to all who made Su Lin’s first birthday celebration so enjoyable for her–and all the panda fanatics. From her pre-celebration cuddling with Bai in the bedroom to her adorable investigation of all her treats, it was a heartwarming occasion to watch. The pictures of Su’s acrobatics on her cake are priceless. What a confident, determined little bear she is! We’re grateful to be able to share in this special day even though we’re far from San Diego.
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Wow, you were so fast in posting a video of this morning’s party. Thanks so much.
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:56 pm
Thanks for all of the great video work. The Meerkats are really appreciated. I got mostly a white screen during the celebration but just watched the video. Thank you for posting it so quickly! It was adorable to watch!
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday, Su Lin. I missed your festivities, in person, but watched the video and saw the pictures. You had quite a day. For such a cautious, timid little girl you certainly tackled the frozen cake treats (a la Tai Shan’s way). I have downloaded the latest screensaver pictures, which is a change from the screensaver pictures when you were a lot smaller. My day always begins with a cup of coffee and a visit, via pandacam, to see what my adopted daughter is up to. And, I can’t resist checking on you numerous times during the day. I’m don’t handle the heat very well, but If this hot spell ever lets up I will try to get down to see you, in person, again.
Your human mother
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:39 pm
I enjoyed watching Su Lin climbing her cake, too. You folks were not exaggerating. That cake was indeed an extravaganza and an engineering feat. It was not only beautiful and scrumptious, but mighty sturdy to withstand the weight of Su Lin. LOL. Thank you so much.
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Thanks for posting the time of the party. I set my alarm clock and got to see it! Kudos to the ” cake bakers” and ice letter makers.
Happy Birthday to our little, cute something!
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:30 am
And the winner for the best balancing act on an ice cake is…………Su Lin!! YEAH! Happy Birthday, little one – sure enjoyed watching you and mama have fun yesterday. Looking forward to number ” 2″ and big brother Mei’s number ” 3″ in a couple of weeks.
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:21 am
I really enjoyed watching Su Lin on the panda cam enjoying her Birthday Cake, and the fun boxes. And I’ve downloaded my Su Lin screen saver. So cute!! Thanx, SDZ, again for sharing with us!!
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:53 am
Take a look at the video for Su Lin’s bday. Two things…Miss Fancy Pants gets pretty dirty. Honey and mud?? And secondly, the view of the two keepers smiling and seeming to be shedding some tears…which made ME mist up. It’s all too sweet and beautiful. Thank you, again, for this wonderful experience.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:34 am
I was so looking forward to Su Lin’s birthday. It looks like the ” cake” and all the trimmings were absolutely precious, and I’m sure Su Lin (and Bai Yun) had a blast. But I must say the video coverage was very disappointing. The live video feed kept freezing up, and I never did see much other than a few ” frozen” shots over a 20-minute period. Then I waited for the video clip to be posted, only to find only a series of still photos…no action. I’m sure these are all technical difficulties that I’m sure can be corrected, and the number of hits at that time was extreme, but unfortunately I can only guess how cute the celebration was, as the video coverage was not up to par.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:40 am
A great time was certainly had by all of us panda fans! I realize that pandas don’t understand the concept of birthdays, but they certainly sensed that there was something special about yesterday. Su has such personality. She climbs so carefully and plays so hard. I love it when she rolls around with glee and relaxes with her boo or treats. It was thoughtful of you to give Mei a box of his own to enjoy. Thanks for making our princess’s birthday so special for pandas & panda fans alike!
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:38 am
I just wanted to take the time to say thank you for the adorable screen saver that you have offered, and thanks to all who have taken the time to help Su Lin make it to be a year old. All your work is awesome. Thanks for caring about all the animals that are endangered, including my favorite, the panda. I offer you all a standing ovation for all your caring, hard work and a great big thank you from all the pandas. Without all your efforts some of the cubs wouldn’t even exist in China had you not taken care of Hua Mei. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:35 am
She was soooo funny in her BD box, what a cute panda. I enjoy watching both Su & Tai and I just hate it when the boss walks in
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:24 am
I do so enjoy watching the Panda Cam. Yesterday’s festivities were hilarious! The cake was stupendous and our birthday girl made me laugh! I had the joy of holding a baby panda in Chengdu at the Research Center in May! They are SO cute and I love watching the pandas! Thank you for providing such a wonderful diversion during my day.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:49 am
sorry!!!!! are there videos of her birthday????? where do i go to see them????
Editor’s note: From the Panda Cam page, click on ” Watch video of the celebration” in the gold sidebar.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:50 am
Happy Birthday, Su Lin!!! Thank You so much for sharing her special day with us and the year you’ve given us.
What a beauty!
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Cathy C. (#15) There is a good video of yesterday’s party on the ” Live Web Cams and Zoo Videos” page (refer to editor’s note on #23). I have watched it a number of times and it always makes me tear up.
I have recently noticed an increase in getting the ” white screen” on the panda, elephant, and polar bear cams. Maybe the recent heat wave caused some damage.
Editor’s note: An increase in traffic to the Web cams will sometimes cause the white screen.
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Thank you for a wonderful first birthday celebration yesterday!! I was there as I have been in the past with her brother’s and half sister’s birthdays. It always amazes me how much fun they all have with the ice cakes; even Mom loves them. Su Lin is such a cutie and she put on a show yesterday for us. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything, again thank you for the great work you do with the Pandas.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:06 pm
A special thank you to all the people who made yesterday such a treat, not only for the pandas but us as well. BTW, I am in Pasadena and had excellent coverage, hardly dropping out at all (a few flickers). I am on a MAC and using Widgets to view the panda cam, I didn’t access it directly from the webpage. Maybe that made a difference. Thanks for the quick pictures and video as well.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:58 pm
Ref. my comment 18…thank you for fixing the video clip! It is adorable. Until now I got only still shots when clicking on the exact same reference. My sweet little girl sure had a good time! Would love to see her and my boy Tai play together…what a time they’d have!
Thanks again for fixing the video clip…it made my day!
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Thank you for the lovely screensaver of our lovely Su Lin! She is growing into such a little beauty! Thanks to everyone who gave her and her mommy such great fun on her birthday.
August 4th, 2006 at 6:58 am
I downloaded your Su Lin birthday screensaver late last night but didn’t have a chance to watch it then. When I walked into my workroom this morning, I was absolutely delighted to see a big picture of adorable Su on the computer screen..and then another…and another…. One picture was cuter than the next and the last shot was especially darling. It was almost like having the panda princess (and her mom) right in my home.
Thank you so much for giving pandamaniacs like myself our own present on the occasion of Su Lin’s birthday–it’s a gift that keeps on giving all day long.
August 4th, 2006 at 7:25 am
Will video of Su discovering & enjoying her cake be made available? The pictures are adorable, similar to Tai Shan’s birthday last month!
Editor’s note: There are 3 links to the birthday video from the Panda Cam page. Enjoy!
August 4th, 2006 at 9:05 am
Luann #5, thanks for the hint to get around the ” white screen.” Just a click on ” Send Postcard” and there is the picture. For the birthday celebrations, cake, the videos, all those that care for our wonderful bears and everyone who reads and contributes to this blog: THANK YOU!
August 4th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Su Lin is just adorable!!! Thank you for sharing her with us!!!
August 4th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
That cake was beautiful. I can’t wait to see what you do for Mei Sheng’s 3rd birthday!
August 4th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I was able to watch most of the panda cam showing Su Lin on her BD. She was a princess at her own party and knew exactly what to do. I’ve never seen so much activity from her. I also downloaded the screensaver and wallpaper. I think you captured all of Su Lin’s personality. Thank you for sharing her with us on this special occassion.
August 5th, 2006 at 7:43 am
I also watched the cam of Su Lin ’s birthday party in my house in Japan.
I had to wait for the starting time at midnight in Japan. We (husband and I) enjoyed watching her climbing and dropping from her birthday cake. We laughed that Bai Yun was holding the cake too and stayed for a longer time than Su Lin. We really wanted to watch more; however, we had to give up at 2:00 a.m. in Japan!
I went to the SDZ two years ago and I saw Mei Sheng at that time. I have felt very happy to be able to watch his sister by cam now. Actually, I didn’t know about this wonderful blog page. Thanks a lot to the staff of the SDZ.
August 5th, 2006 at 8:27 am
Thanks, once again, for letting us enjoy Su Lin’s birthday!! I love my screensaver – seeing her so close up is wonderful. Much love to all the staff and the MANY wonderful critters at the zoo and in the world.
August 5th, 2006 at 9:10 am
Beautiful cake for a beautiful bear cub! I hope Mei Sheng gets one just as nice!
August 7th, 2006 at 6:25 am
I’m looking foward to Mei Sheng’s 3rd birthday and his farewell party. I have read that he may be going to New Mexico in another Zoo there?
August 7th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Please give all of us an accurate update as to what may be going on with Mei; we know his birthday is coming up and also the agreement for him to return to China. If you have any details please, please update us. I also heard that one of the pandas at Zoo Atlanta may be pregnant?? I always assume that the other U.S. zoos contact SDZ because they have been through all of this so many times???
August 7th, 2006 at 11:35 am
Wonderful party – great video – Many thanks for all your hard work and creativity on behalf of Pandas and human watchers. It was a thrill to see Su so active and on the ground for a change. It was fun watching Su and Bai in their tender play warm up to their grand entrance, too. Looked like they knew excitement was in the air. I wonder if Bai somehow tells her newest cubs what is going on from what has happened from previous parties? She sure gets into the act too and enjoys the goodies Su leaves behind.
Can’t wait for Mei’s big 3 next week. I am sure he never tires of these great celebrations. Good thing they are born in Summer so they can enjoy ice treats.
August 7th, 2006 at 11:43 am
Robin#40 Zoo Atlanta still, as of aug. 2, doesn’t know if loon loon is pregnant or not. they have tried to do sonograms but they haven’t been able to see anything; they also have been sending urine samples to the national zoo to have people there check. they Post updates every Wednesday afternoon on their web site.
August 7th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Personally, I think Bai was whispering in Su Lin’s ear – telling her that something special was planned for her big day : )
August 7th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
I just watched the videos of interviews with keeper Kathy Hawk and Dr. Ron Swaisgood on Su Lin and Mei Sheng. It was wonderful to hear their stories and insights on rearing these two pandas. Thanks for sharing with us!
August 7th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
I had the pleasure of viewing a sleeping Su Lin close up, but in a tree. I took some good shots of her. MY how she’s grown since my last visit of 12 January. I went back an hour later, she hadn’t moved. Mei Sheng and Bai Yun were both ” passed out” as well. Peg Irving was doing the announcing and was a wealth of info. Thanks, Peg!
August 8th, 2006 at 11:07 am
I am an ardent panda lover. I was thrilled to read on the CNN news site today that six baby pandas have been born in captivity in China so far this summer. I had the privilege of visiting both the Chengdu & Wolong Breeding Centers in June. I held a baby panda at Chengdu and planned to hold one at Wolong. However, after I arrived at Wolong, I found out I could go into the nursery and play with the 16 babies–the ” Panda Kindergarten” ! I did it twice! I asked one of the attendants to point out one of Hua Mei’s twins, and I held one of her babies each time. The trip to China was to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. I called it ” the trip of a lifetime,” but now I want to go again…next summer? I was fortunate to visit the SDZ and saw Su Lin & Mei Sheng on Dec. 27. Also went to the NZ and got a couple of glimpses of Tai Shan on Dec. 1. I appreciate the excellent care the pandas receive.
August 9th, 2006 at 5:59 am
Barbara Kelley, I read about your trip on one of my Google panda alerts. I think it is wonderful that you got to go on your trip of a lifetime. Congratulations on your 50th! Thanks for writing to the blog. All of us would love to repeat your trip, as we all love pandas so.
from another Barbara
September 6th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
YAY! Lun Lun just gave birth at the Atlanta Zoo! We have three baby pandas in the country right now!!