Comments on: In Response to Your Inquiries… http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/ Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:10:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Julie R. Sedgwick http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-224215 Julie R. Sedgwick Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:02:45 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-224215 Zoo Staff, I loved watching little Hua Mei and I always think of her when I make my way to the zoo with my 2 young children. She is still a great topic around my families dinner table on Sunday's. My mother and I used to check the PandaCam everyday to see her when she was just a cub. How is she doing? How many cubs has she had? I would love to know how she is... I do miss her so. And will she ever come back? Julie Sedgwick Zoo Staff,

I loved watching little Hua Mei and I always think of her when I make my way to the zoo with my 2 young children. She is still a great topic around my families dinner table on Sunday’s. My mother and I used to check the PandaCam everyday to see her when she was just a cub.

How is she doing? How many cubs has she had?

I would love to know how she is… I do miss her so.
And will she ever come back?

Julie Sedgwick

]]> By: Sayuri http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15571 Sayuri Thu, 02 Nov 2006 19:07:39 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15571 Thank you, Suzanne, for solving the mystery of Gao Gao's tongue! Now, I have more wacky questions. Last month at the zoo, I was told that Su Lin was losing her baby teeth. Does she pretty much have adult teeth now or are they still on the way? I assume she'll need adult teeth to fully manipulate bamboo. Do you keep baby panda teeth? Thank you, Suzanne, for solving the mystery of Gao Gao’s tongue!

Now, I have more wacky questions.

Last month at the zoo, I was told that Su Lin was losing her baby teeth. Does she pretty much have adult teeth now or are they still on the way? I assume she’ll need adult teeth to fully manipulate bamboo. Do you keep baby panda teeth?

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15499 Margaret Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:08:53 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15499 Suzanne, How are Marcella and her cub coming along? I keep hoping to see more pictures of the precious cub, but I have missed them. With all the little ones being born at SDZ and WAP, you all have your hands full. Especially, as you are preparing Mei Sheng for his long journey home to Panda homeland. Suzanne, How are Marcella and her cub coming along? I keep hoping to see more pictures of the precious cub, but I have missed them.

With all the little ones being born at SDZ and WAP, you all have your hands full. Especially, as you are preparing Mei Sheng for his long journey home to Panda homeland.

]]> By: Candy Coleman http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15498 Candy Coleman Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:07:46 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15498 These blogs bring me such joy and such sorrow. These blogs bring me such joy and such sorrow.

]]> By: Kristi in Dallas http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15457 Kristi in Dallas Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:22:13 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15457 Thanks Pamela G for the update on the little cub with the harelip. I was concerned he wouldn't be able to nurse or even breathe correctly. It breaks my heart that we have to lose a precious baby panda but nature knows best I suppose. I like to think he is in heaven and thriving as the beautiful baby he was. I'm glad to know he had a twin sister and she is thriving. My guess is that if his mommy was in the wild she may have rejected him. At least for the little amount of time he had he was well taken care of and much loved. Thanks Pamela G for the update on the little cub with the harelip.

I was concerned he wouldn’t be able to nurse or even breathe correctly. It breaks my heart that we have to lose a precious baby panda but nature knows best I suppose. I like to think he is in heaven and thriving as the beautiful baby he was. I’m glad to know he had a twin sister and she is thriving. My guess is that if his mommy was in the wild she may have rejected him. At least for the little amount of time he had he was well taken care of and much loved.

]]> By: Christine (NJ) http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15445 Christine (NJ) Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:57:59 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15445 Breeding 8 generations of dogs has taught us, unfortunately, that one defect like a harelip is usually accompanied by others; in this case, it was a heart defect. Such congenital defects are usually caused by some mistake in genetic combination or by some trauma, like a virus, during the pregnancy. Like human Down's Syndrome, they're not hereditary and are thus a surprise. The cleft lip would seem to be more likely to affect nursing and the ability to " latch on" well than the ability to eat bamboo. In both humans and animals, the cleft lip can be accompanied by a cleft palate, which makes ingesting milk virtually impossible; animals with it either can become " poor do-ers" who can not maintain body heat or gain weight, and die of such " unthriftiness." Dying from a heart defect was probably a quicker, less painful death than being unable to get sustenance and starving to death. Defects like harelips and cleft palates occur, unfortunately, at predictable statistical rates in both humans and domestic animals, so I think the captive pandas have been extremely fortunate not to have experienced this before. Thank you so much, Suzanne, for answering our questions--and for trying to help the Chapultapec breeding efforts. I should have known that SDZ would be on top of every single reproductive panda issue worldwide! Breeding 8 generations of dogs has taught us, unfortunately, that one defect like a harelip is usually accompanied by others; in this case, it was a heart defect. Such congenital defects are usually caused by some mistake in genetic combination or by some trauma, like a virus, during the pregnancy. Like human Down’s Syndrome, they’re not hereditary and are thus a surprise. The cleft lip would seem to be more likely to affect nursing and the ability to ” latch on” well than the ability to eat bamboo. In both humans and animals, the cleft lip can be accompanied by a cleft palate, which makes ingesting milk virtually impossible; animals with it either can become ” poor do-ers” who can not maintain body heat or gain weight, and die of such ” unthriftiness.” Dying from a heart defect was probably a quicker, less painful death than being unable to get sustenance and starving to death. Defects like harelips and cleft palates occur, unfortunately, at predictable statistical rates in both humans and domestic animals, so I think the captive pandas have been extremely fortunate not to have experienced this before.

Thank you so much, Suzanne, for answering our questions–and for trying to help the Chapultapec breeding efforts. I should have known that SDZ would be on top of every single reproductive panda issue worldwide!

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15444 Margaret Tue, 31 Oct 2006 20:09:34 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15444 Pamela G, thanks for the update on the little cub. Yet another reason why twins are born naturally in 50% of all panda births. In the wild I wonder which one of the cubs the mother would have raised? The cub had a fighting chance due to the intervention of humans. I guess that means that now the 27 cubs this year are down to 25 still growing. Let's hope the rest are strong and make it through their tough first year. Pamela G, thanks for the update on the little cub. Yet another reason why twins are born naturally in 50% of all panda births. In the wild I wonder which one of the cubs the mother would have raised? The cub had a fighting chance due to the intervention of humans.

I guess that means that now the 27 cubs this year are down to 25 still growing. Let’s hope the rest are strong and make it through their tough first year.

]]> By: barbara http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15427 barbara Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:49:12 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15427 Pamela G, Thank you for letting us know about the little cub. As sad as the news is, i'm sure that everthing possible was done for the little one, and that now he is in a better place. I'm glad to hear that the little girl is doing well and thriving and has a bright future. Pamela G, Thank you for letting us know about the little cub. As sad as the news is, i’m sure that everthing possible was done for the little one, and that now he is in a better place. I’m glad to hear that the little girl is doing well and thriving and has a bright future.

]]> By: Candy from Iowa http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15424 Candy from Iowa Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:24:17 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15424 It is very heart wrenching to hear about the little cub passing away. However, it is a perfect example of the survival of the fittest. It is just nature's way of making sure the strongest survive and the best genes are passed on. Unfortunately this poor little cub had more than 1 health related issue. We must be content in knowing that his twin sister is healthy and strong! It is very heart wrenching to hear about the little cub passing away. However, it is a perfect example of the survival of the fittest. It is just nature’s way of making sure the strongest survive and the best genes are passed on. Unfortunately this poor little cub had more than 1 health related issue. We must be content in knowing that his twin sister is healthy and strong!

]]> By: Loh http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/27/in-response-to-your-inquiries/comment-page-1/#comment-15418 Loh Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:35:21 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/#comment-15418 The biggest miracle in Wolong this year is that a cub weighed only 51 grams ( 1.8 ounces) when born. I wonder if it is the smallest cub on record; it survived and has now grown into the normal size as other cubs. People in Wolong gave it a nickname " 51 gm" . The biggest miracle in Wolong this year is that a cub weighed only 51 grams ( 1.8 ounces) when born. I wonder if it is the smallest cub on record; it survived and has now grown into the normal size as other cubs. People in Wolong gave it a nickname ” 51 gm” .

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