The Panda Decade, Part 5
Posted at 5:41 pm January 12, 2007 by Ellie RosenbaumEllie recalls the first 10 years of giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous blog, The Panda Decade, Part 4.
As August 2000 arrived, the planning began for Hua Mei to celebrate her first birthday! It became an event, with specially crafted ice, bamboo, and vegetable cakes made by the San Diego Zoo’s Forage Warehouse staff; even the carillon in nearby Balboa Park played ” Happy Birthday” just for her. A giant birthday card was available for guests to sign and her many, many came to wish her well.
Hua Mei continued to grow and thrive, but big changes were afoot for the Giant Panda Research Station. The following winter, Bai Yun, Hua Mei, and Shi Shi were moved to temporary quarters in the Zoo’s Bear Canyon to allow for the construction of a new Research Station and viewing areas. It was in these older exhibits that Hua Mei first encountered snow, a scary thing until encouraged by Bai Yun. It then became a great play environment for sliding and romping, and she could eat it!
It was also in these exhibits that it became obvious that it was time for Bai Yun and her cub to separate, just as they would in the wild. Interaction between mother and cub became less frequent, play was becoming more aggressive, and as often as not, Bai and Mei ignored each other. After nights of them sleeping apart, Bai Yun in the bedroom and Hua Mei in the tree, the morning came when they were reunited and walked right past each other to switch places with barely a glance. The separation was complete. This then meant that we had three separate viewing units, each bear now living a solitary life. The pandas were rotated in various configurations: two bears on and one off exhibit. This is a situation that continues today, as in July 2001 the pandas moved back to Panda Canyon and their new homes at the current Giant Panda Research Station.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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January 12th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
What was the exact date of separation? And who stayed with Mama longer – Hua Mei or Mei Sheng?
January 14th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I love them, they are so cute, hope to see more in the future.
January 14th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I know it’s natural but the separations always make me feel a little sad- anyone else feel that way?
By the way, PBS broadcast Hua Mei’s 1st year. Perhaps people can find it if they search the web. It is worth it to see Hua Mei’s first steps out into the open air exhibit!
January 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
This picture of Hua Mei and Bai Yun with her first birthday cake is so cute! I love learning about Bai’s first born daughter. Thanks so much for the wonderful entries about her Ellie!
January 14th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Thank you Ellie,
It is good to be able to recap in our own minds just what is/has happened to our wonderful pandas. My mind works overtime reading all of the blogs – I imagine them all doing what you speak of
Thanks for updating us.
Valerie – UK.
January 15th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Thanks for fixing the Post Card application. This morning there is a great shot of Mei Sheng eating his bamboo with his elaborate climbing structure in the background.
January 16th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Ellie, sorry we got distracted by the news of the impending weaning process for Su Lin. We all enjoy reviewing and recalling Hua Mei’s amazing arrival and first year. It was such a big moment for Panda breeding, especially in the USA. Please keep sharing your recollections with us. We are all engrossed. I am particularly interested in the early life of Mei Sheng leading up to the wonderful adolescent bear he is today. Since we are about to witness the independent development of his sister, we are naturally interested in your recollections of how Hua Mei and Bai Yun reacted to each other as Bai Yun become pregnant with, and later delivered and raised Mei Sheng.
January 18th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
I was just reading about Hua Mei’s ” younger son” born 9-1-2004. Apparently he has unique ears, shaped like triangles. They really are triangular shaped, not like his twin brother’s or Shi Shi’s Bai Yun’s or Hua Mei’s. Interesting as I don’t recall seeing a panda with ears shaped like that. I noticed in the photo of Shi Shi on the SDZ website that he has unique ears too that stand up and then fluff out.