Bear Watching
Posted at 1:00 pm January 24, 2007 by Kay Ferguson
I remember when the first pandas were here in 1987-88 on a 200-day loan. I was a regular visitor, and every day I would do my walking in the San Diego Zoo. It was safe and so enjoyable to watch all the animals, but to stand in line to see a bear? No, I don’t think so. (Pictured is the opening ceremony on July 27, 1987.) Then, in 1996, the pandas came once again, this time on a research loan, and they would be here for 12 years. After they were here for about six months I thought, ” I should see these rare animals from China.” But the lines were long, to say the least. Did I want to stand in line to see a bear? Yes, this time I really wanted to see what they were all about.
With water bottle in hand, I rushed through Fern Canyon only to find others rushing down Fern Canyon with me. This is crazy–I’m running to see a bear, but there must be some reason because all these people are doing the same thing! Then I stood with about 100 people; it was early and we started chatting about the pandas. I knew little about them at the time, so I was all ears. I learned a lot from the other guests and was getting excited about seeing these treasures. Finally, I reached the gate to the Giant Panda Research Station and stepping in I saw Bai Yun: young, sleek, oh my–so beautiful! And in the enclosure next to her was Shi Shi, sleeping like he could care less if we were there to stare at him. He looked much older than the female but he was so cute.
Now this is bear watching! I was hooked. I went daily to watch them, longing to be a part of their fascinating world. How could that happen? It seems like a dream now, looking back, that in just a few months I would be part of their world, landing a job with the Education Department as a narrator for the pandas. I could hardly wait to come to work and watch the bears daily. I was hired for just the summer, but that didn’t matter to me as I would get to know them and my love and passion for them grew. As the summer came to a close I found myself sad, just wanting to be here with them. To my surprise, I was kept on for the winter.
My dream continues: now stepping into my tenth year watching the bears, I feel a part of their world as I had longed for since the day I stepped through that gate in 1997. Yes, the lines are long at times but the pandas are worth the effort to see. Many changes have occurred here at the station: old Shi Shi has returned to China, Gao Gao came to replace Shi Shi and has been successful with his mating abilities, so we continue on with the quest. Giant pandas are beautiful bears and we must find the keys to their survival, that’s what research is all about. I’m just a tiny part of it all, but that’s fine with me”“-I get to watch the bears!
Kay Ferguson is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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January 24th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Dear Kaye, I, too, have gotten hooked on panda watching all over the world. I am interested in some details about the Pandas in Japan who were born in Dec. Is the mother taking care of both of them or does the staff at the zoo help? I have read that the mother panda in the wild will only care for one of them. How is this working out in Japan? I just suppose that you are in touch with them as well as Wolong. Thanks for your attention. N. Leavitt
Moderator’s note: See comment #49 in the blog, ” Independence Ahead: Weaning Su Lin” dated January 15, 2007.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Kay, see how easy it is to get hooked on these beautiful bears? They mesmerize you and bam, your hooked. I think you have more than a tiny part in all of this. You have opened a whole new world for alot of people, your caring and insight has brought a lot of understanding and joy to alot of people. keep up the great work and as always i look forward to your next story.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Thanks, Kay, what a wonderful remembrance of your introduction to the bears. We were blessed to be at SDZ in September 1987, and got to see Basi. She was quite a performer.
I was mesmerized right away by the pandas and still am. I have movies of our trip and people laugh like crazy as I narrate through the zoo. It seems my cinematography is not the greatest and the film goes so fast, with me mumbling there is an elephant, there is the panda, and so on. I must get my projector working again so I can revisit the panda exhibit now that you have brought it all back to me so vividly.
People tell me I should get a job at a zoo because of my fascination with the animals I read about in the online blogs. But in Richmond VA we are too far from a large enough zoo to find a job there. Talented writers such as yourself will have to live my dream job for me. I love reading your chronicles of your adventures.
You must really think you are living a dream to have been doing this for 10 years through the birth and maturation of 3 cubs. WOW!
January 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
It really is a testament to the wonderful work of the SD Zoo and the amazing people who work there – that I too am fascinated by the pandas – and all of the animals at the park. The pandas especially seem to be members of the family. I know so much about each of them – thanks to the blogs – so I can’t help but love them like they are my own. I too worry about our baby Su Lin – who grew up to be a beautiful little girl – living on her own. But of course, I know she will be just fine – just like big sister Hua Mei and brother Mei Sheng. And of course I don’t want Mei to leave SD – but he has a pretty girl waiting for him in China – so that’s OK too. They are our furry family – and we love them so. Thanks for sharing every detail of their lives – it certainly makes my life more fun – and my family tree a lot more interesting.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Yeah, time flies when you’re having fun (watching bears)! I just want to say we love your stories and keep them coming…
February 20th, 2007 at 1:20 am
To Nancy
Let me inform you that there is a home page of the twin cubs’ zoo which is called Adventure World (AWS).
Try to web search with keywords of ” aws panda land ” ….
And you can enjoy videos of the twin cubs’ brothers on You Tube.
Try to find with tags of ” panda shirahama ” …