Comments on: Why Am I Black and White? http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/ Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:31:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-24593 Margaret Tue, 16 Jan 2007 22:28:02 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-24593 Kay, I love the picture of Bai Yun with the puzzle feeder! I saw Tai Shan with one for the first time yesterday. He knocked it around many times to get the food out. Mei Xiang was in another room, and finally came to get her share. She kept batting it away from him until he lost interest and went to find treats and toys elsewhere. Then I noticed they also gave one to Tian Tian. He just kept head butting it to get the food to drop out. He was very noisy! As with the research on which paws the various pandas use to eat their food, it is interesting to see how they get the food out of the feeder. Bai and Mei both hold it upside down and let the food fall into their mouth. The first time I saw them do it, I thought they were drinking out of a gourd. The males I have seen so far just bang it around with brute force. No ettiquette! I wonder if the girls were smarter and figured out how to hold it and shake it and get the food directly into their mouths. The boys' clumsy way of getting it out inevitably causes some to drop and be scattered and lost. Kay, I love the picture of Bai Yun with the puzzle feeder! I saw Tai Shan with one for the first time yesterday. He knocked it around many times to get the food out. Mei Xiang was in another room, and finally came to get her share. She kept batting it away from him until he lost interest and went to find treats and toys elsewhere. Then I noticed they also gave one to Tian Tian. He just kept head butting it to get the food to drop out. He was very noisy! As with the research on which paws the various pandas use to eat their food, it is interesting to see how they get the food out of the feeder. Bai and Mei both hold it upside down and let the food fall into their mouth. The first time I saw them do it, I thought they were drinking out of a gourd. The males I have seen so far just bang it around with brute force. No ettiquette! I wonder if the girls were smarter and figured out how to hold it and shake it and get the food directly into their mouths. The boys’ clumsy way of getting it out inevitably causes some to drop and be scattered and lost.

]]> By: Virgil http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-23148 Virgil Sat, 06 Jan 2007 14:43:55 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-23148 Kay, What great information on the Pandas. I did not know they were so versitle and " Playful" . I was also wondering why they were black and white. Maybe it is from their orginal habitat and needed the colors to blend into their surroundings. Boy this was really interesting and I hope to get to the zoo to see them. You have such a intersting job and I see you really enjoy what you do. Thanks for being there for all the visitors. Kay, What great information on the Pandas. I did not know they were so versitle and ” Playful” . I was also wondering why they were black and white. Maybe it is from their orginal habitat and needed the colors to blend into their surroundings. Boy this was really interesting and I hope to get to the zoo to see them. You have such a intersting job and I see you really enjoy what you do. Thanks for being there for all the visitors.

]]> By: Kristi in TX http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-22217 Kristi in TX Tue, 26 Dec 2006 05:01:43 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-22217 Thanks, Kay, for this interesting topic...I've always thought the pandas' color is for thermoregulation as well as camoflage. They are such beautiful animals to have evolved in such a unique coloration. I was thinking the color black is an excellent heat absorber so the panda's ears, nose, legs and back absorb heat in their climate to keep these vulnerable areas from losing body heat where it's really needed. The panda's abdomen being white doesn't need to retain heat because this is the part of the body that doesn't lose heat as readily (it being the location of most body fat). But their eye patches make great sun glasses for reducing glare from the sun and snow. I like to think of these bears as wearing a jacket, boots, and a pair of ear muffs and goggles! Whatever the reason for their coloration, the Giant Panda is a wonderfully unique creature that has evolved for a specific reason and for me that reason is to love a beautiful, sweet animal in a sometimes really bad world.... I also want to wish everyone at the Giant Panda Research Station a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. hope for more panda births in the next year. I also want to send my Christmas wishes to Bai Yun, Su Lin, Gao Gao and Mei Sheng: my wish for them to have a wonderful Christmas and New Year too! I'm so happy they got their Christmas presents and cannot wait to see Gao Gao and Mei Sheng hanging out in their new panda hammock! Thanks, Kay, for this interesting topic…I’ve always thought the pandas’ color is for thermoregulation as well as camoflage. They are such beautiful animals to have evolved in such a unique coloration. I was thinking the color black is an excellent heat absorber so the panda’s ears, nose, legs and back absorb heat in their climate to keep these vulnerable areas from losing body heat where it’s really needed. The panda’s abdomen being white doesn’t need to retain heat because this is the part of the body that doesn’t lose heat as readily (it being the location of most body fat). But their eye patches make great sun glasses for reducing glare from the sun and snow. I like to think of these bears as wearing a jacket, boots, and a pair of ear muffs and goggles!

Whatever the reason for their coloration, the Giant Panda is a wonderfully unique creature that has evolved for a specific reason and for me that reason is to love a beautiful, sweet animal in a sometimes really bad world….

I also want to wish everyone at the Giant Panda Research Station a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. hope for more panda births in the next year. I also want to send my Christmas wishes to Bai Yun, Su Lin, Gao Gao and Mei Sheng: my wish for them to have a wonderful Christmas and New Year too! I’m so happy they got their Christmas presents and cannot wait to see Gao Gao and Mei Sheng hanging out in their new panda hammock!

]]> By: Jean http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-22202 Jean Tue, 26 Dec 2006 00:52:26 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-22202 Happy Holidays! It's great to see Su Lin and Bai Yun enjoying a bamboo feast together on this holiday. Regarding the blog, whenever the colors of the pandas are brought up, it always reminds me of Dan Dan – the famous brown and white panda. I wonder if she ever wondered why she was brown and white and all the other pandas, including her cub, were black and white. I do. Unfortunately, I read recently that her only son in captivity passed away without having any children. Hopefully there are some of her relatives still living in the wild. I've had a hard time finding much information about Dan Dan on the internet so I was surprised to see some video of her in a National Geographic Special called " Secrets of the Wild Panda” from my local library. It's a great video for any panda lover because Peking University zoologist Pan Wenshi follows a mama panda bear (Jiao Jiao) and baby cub in the wild to see why panda cubs thrived in the wild but often died in captivity. Fortunately, today we don't have the problem. :) It's a great video if you love panda cubs like I do and also would like to see Dan Dan. See if you can check it out from your library or find it somewhere else. Happy Holidays! It’s great to see Su Lin and Bai Yun enjoying a bamboo feast together on this holiday.

Regarding the blog, whenever the colors of the pandas are brought up, it always reminds me of Dan Dan – the famous brown and white panda. I wonder if she ever wondered why she was brown and white and all the other pandas, including her cub, were black and white. I do. Unfortunately, I read recently that her only son in captivity passed away without having any children. Hopefully there are some of her relatives still living in the wild. I’ve had a hard time finding much information about Dan Dan on the internet so I was surprised to see some video of her in a National Geographic Special called ” Secrets of the Wild Panda” from my local library. It’s a great video for any panda lover because Peking University zoologist Pan Wenshi follows a mama panda bear (Jiao Jiao) and baby cub in the wild to see why panda cubs thrived in the wild but often died in captivity. Fortunately, today we don’t have the problem. :) It’s a great video if you love panda cubs like I do and also would like to see Dan Dan. See if you can check it out from your library or find it somewhere else.

]]> By: Rita http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-22179 Rita Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:58:01 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-22179 It has been nice to see Su Lin down from the trees a lot these past few weeks. Looks like she is taking lessons on how to eat bamboo. Know there has to have been a lot of happy zoo visitors to see mother and daughter sitting together. It has been nice to see Su Lin down from the trees a lot these past few weeks. Looks like she is taking lessons on how to eat bamboo. Know there has to have been a lot of happy zoo visitors to see mother and daughter sitting together.

]]> By: Cathy G. (L.A.) http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-22098 Cathy G. (L.A.) Mon, 25 Dec 2006 08:01:28 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-22098 Hello to all of the panda lovers who post here and to the wonderful SDZoo staff who care for the pandas and those who are the " support" folks, too. We're all so fortunate that we have been able to watch Su Lin grow and develop into a lovely young panda this year. I'm looking forward to seeing " our" four bears at the Zoo very soon! It'll be the first time that it's been possible to do that and should be a wonderful chance to see them live. I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year! Hello to all of the panda lovers who post here and to the wonderful SDZoo staff who care for the pandas and those who are the ” support” folks, too. We’re all so fortunate that we have been able to watch Su Lin grow and develop into a lovely young panda this year. I’m looking forward to seeing ” our” four bears at the Zoo very soon! It’ll be the first time that it’s been possible to do that and should be a wonderful chance to see them live.

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year!

]]> By: FC http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-22054 FC Mon, 25 Dec 2006 01:54:53 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-22054 Kay, I have enjoyed reading the blogs for a few weeks now. The pandas are very interesting. Hope to visit the San Diego Zoo soon. The pictures are so cute! I can't imagine how much fun it would be to watch them for a while. Kay, I have enjoyed reading the blogs for a few weeks now. The pandas are very interesting. Hope to visit the San Diego Zoo soon. The pictures are so cute! I can’t imagine how much fun it would be to watch them for a while.

]]> By: charleen http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-21960 charleen Sun, 24 Dec 2006 05:24:59 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-21960 bai yun is ssssoooo cute. she is sooo pretty. i love her. i love pandas!!! she is getting to be so big now!! very cute panda!! bai yun is ssssoooo cute. she is sooo pretty. i love her. i love pandas!!! she is getting to be so big now!! very cute panda!!

]]> By: Chari http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-21916 Chari Sat, 23 Dec 2006 19:13:14 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-21916 Hi, Kay! Been keeping up with all 3 panda babies this whole year and a half! Su Lin and Tai Shan are still great crowd pleasers at 1 1/2 years old at their respective zoos. And now, we have the newest cub in Atlanta named Mei Lan that is just growing like a weed and is so cute! She just got her name last week, and from watching their pandacam, she's figuring out how her legs move and trying to do some crawling. Brings back memories of Su Lin learning how to crawl when she was that age, doesn't it?? Mei Lan is 3 1/2 months old now; Lun Lun, her mom, is taking very good care of her. Keep up with the great work you all are doing at San Diego Zoo, OK? You all have a very good Christmas holiday season, and a great New Year in 2007. I'm hoping that the pandas at the Memphis zoo will be successful in breeding and having a baby panda cub in the next year or two! That will be exciting whenever that does happen! Merry Christmas everybody!!!! Chari Mercier :) St. Pete, FL Hi, Kay! Been keeping up with all 3 panda babies this whole year and a half! Su Lin and Tai Shan are still great crowd pleasers at 1 1/2 years old at their respective zoos. And now, we have the newest cub in Atlanta named Mei Lan that is just growing like a weed and is so cute! She just got her name last week, and from watching their pandacam, she’s figuring out how her legs move and trying to do some crawling. Brings back memories of Su Lin learning how to crawl when she was that age, doesn’t it?? Mei Lan is 3 1/2 months old now; Lun Lun, her mom, is taking very good care of her. Keep up with the great work you all are doing at San Diego Zoo, OK? You all have a very good Christmas holiday season, and a great New Year in 2007. I’m hoping that the pandas at the Memphis zoo will be successful in breeding and having a baby panda cub in the next year or two! That will be exciting whenever that does happen!
Merry Christmas everybody!!!!
Chari Mercier :)
St. Pete, FL

]]> By: Lisa Anderson http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/12/21/why-am-i-black-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-21864 Lisa Anderson Sat, 23 Dec 2006 08:38:57 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/why-am-i-black-and-white/#comment-21864 I am enjoying the picture of Bai Yun with the puzzle feeder enrichment toy. It is such fun to watch the pandas wrestle with this, and get the " maraca" in just the right position to allow the treats to come out. Bai looks beautiful as always, and what a smart mother bear she is! Happy holidays to all at SDZ and also on this blog, and may your new year be peaceful and blessed! I am enjoying the picture of Bai Yun with the puzzle feeder enrichment toy. It is such fun to watch the pandas wrestle with this, and get the ” maraca” in just the right position to allow the treats to come out. Bai looks beautiful as always, and what a smart mother bear she is!
Happy holidays to all at SDZ and also on this blog, and may your new year be peaceful and blessed!

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