As the (Panda) World Turns
Posted at 12:56 pm February 26, 2007 by Suzanne HallSince moving Su Lin, Bai Yun has relaxed considerably. She had been increasingly restless as last week progressed, but her behavior has now calmed since she no longer can hear Su Lin calling to her from next door. Interestingly, since Su Lin has been moved away from her mother, she has also stopped calling to her. Perhaps this is a case of ” out of sight, out of mind!”
Su Lin has been moved to an off-exhibit area at the Giant Panda Research Station that includes a bedroom and two open-air rooms. One of the rooms, known as the ” garden room,” has a climbing structure in the center and a view of a wooded hillside. All three areas are in close proximity to her keepers, and she can see them as they go about their tasks each day. The keepers have been taking a little extra time to interact with her while she is in the back, and with their help she has settled in nicely in her new space. She doesn’t know this, but she is currently inhabiting the space her mother had access to when Su Lin was born.
This is a temporary set up for Su Lin: ultimately, she will be moved into another large, off-exhibit space with large trees. Those long-time visitors to the San Diego Zoo will know this area as Bai Yun’s first exhibit space, before our facility was renovated in 2000. Mei Sheng and Gao Gao have been rotating through that space for the last several weeks, and we wanted to give it a few days to allow any remnant male scent to dissipate before putting Su Lin out there. This is another attempt on our part to minimize any stress she might feel. Although our adult male Gao Gao is a reasonably gentle bear, Su Lin may be nervous if she comes across the recent scent of a big male. With some time and a few good rains, she should be more comfortable there.
For his part, Gao Gao is adjusting very well to being in his new space on exhibit. He listened intently the first day, when Bai Yun was on the other side of the gate calling to Su Lin, who had been in the exhibit only hours before. Gao Gao replied to Bai Yun’s calls with some bleating of his own, which must have surprised Bai Yun! Aside from this, Gao Gao has been his usual bamboo-eating self since his arrival back on exhibit.
In the near term, neither Su Lin nor Mei Sheng will be on exhibit. After any breeding activity from our adults (and, to our surprise, Bai Yun is showing some very early physiological signs already!), we may be able to bring the younger bears out to the exhibit for the public to see. At that time, if the bears are amenable, we may allow them to play together on exhibit. This is the only area such an introduction can be done, so our youngsters will have to wait until after breeding season to have this opportunity.
However, they may introduce themselves to each other from high tree tops in the off-exhibit areas they will be living in until then. Already, Mei Sheng likes to climb as high as 40 feet (12 meters) up the poplars in his area, looking down at guests around the Zoo. From that vantage point he will surely be able to see Su Lin when she moves next door.
Suzanne Hall is the senior research laboratory technician for the Giant Panda Conservation Unit of Applied Animal Ecology/CRES.
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February 26th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Thanks, Suzanne for bringing us up to speed on ” musical” pandas. Everyone seems to be quite content with their quarters now. The close-up of the snoozing Gao is fabulous! Thanks Meerkats for such a priceless view into his life. It is the first time I have seen his precious ” little ear” up close. He is a very handsome guy.
When Su Lin and Bai Yun were first given access to Exhibit 2, hours after it was vacated by males, Mei Sheng I think, did they show much reaction to the male scent left behind? Granted Bai was there with Su so she would not have been as startled by male scent perhaps. It is curious that since she is now on her own that she would be more cognizant of the size and age of a male. One of the many wonders of nature at work.
It will be interesting to see which panda climbs higher since they both like it way up there in the trees. It will also be interesting to see if they try to climb higher since for the first time they will each see another panda up high too. Could Mei Sheng see Su Lin up in the trees in Exhibit 2? I know a couple of times she went pretty high up, especially in the first day or two that she had access to the exhibit.
More excitement and enrichment on the way for all 4 pandas, and their keepers. It will be hard to get ” chores” done with all the research and observation opportunities. It will also be hard for us pandaholics to get work done between glimpses of what is going on.
Will Cameras 11-15 be working in the new area Su Lin will be moving to?
February 26th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Suzanne, thanks for the update. Some of us were wondering where Su Lin is now, since we haven’t see her up in a tree recently. After she is moved so she can climb up high again, it’s going to be interesting to find out how Mei Sheng and Su Lin react to seeing one another.
If Bai Yun is showing early signs of moving into estrus, it’ll be a good time for us to get to watch as things move toward possibly having a new cub down the road. Wow! That will be wonderful, it happens!!
This is like having a front-row seat at a very special movie, except it’s in real life!!! Thanks for providing the opportunity for all of us to be a part of it. (;-)
February 26th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
As usual, Suzanne, you are so full of such wonderful information. I wonder what Su Lin would do the first time that she sees Mei Sheng next door….would sure love to see them play together! It is great now that I know for sure who I am looking at with each panda having their own ” C” number. Sure wish I could get down there to see the pandas but guess I will wait until Su Lin is back on exhibit.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Looks like Bai Yun has become a bamboo munching machine too. Guess she is trying to get her weight up prior to breeding again. She doesn’t get much of break does she?
February 26th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
I am glad to see that all the pandas are adjusting nicely to their new arrangements. The weaning process seems so difficult but you have handled it extremely well by making the necessary adjustments such as moving Su Lin to the back away from Bai Yun so she can have a well deserved break and I am happy that sweet little Su is getting extra attention from the staff to ease the transition from her mother. The updates are very comforting for panda lovers who have a tough time understanding the process. I had a chance to visit the zoo a few days ago and it was a nice surprise to see Gao Gao on exhibit after so long. Mei Sheng was ” way” up in the tree, what a great view of the zoo he must have and despite being off exhibit visitors had a great chance to see him and take pictures. With Bai Yun and Gao Gao in the front exhibit now, I’ll bet the keepers are really busy trying to keep those two ” bamboo eating machines” fed
Keep up the great work and let’s keep our fingers crossed that Bai Yun and Studmuffin will produce another miracle (or two).
I look forward to seeing Su Lin have a chance to play with her brother Mei Sheng and in the meantime, hopefully they will see each other from high up in the trees in the coming weeks!
February 26th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I’m so glad we were unable to hear Su Lin calling for her mommy! As a novice panda cam watcher, these growing pains are killing me! (smile) Thanks for these very enlightening updates… they are much appreciated.
February 26th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Hello to all my fellow pandaholics. I have been staying away for awhile as (even though I know everyone is doing a wonderful job) I just plain CAN’T HANDLE IT!!! I love our pandas so much that I decided it would be better for me to wait until the process was a little further on. I have not heard from my friend in China who keeps me informed about Shi Shi. I will send him an email and hope to hear from him soon. Will let you know what he has to say. Everyone keep up the good work and all you pandamoms and -holics hang in there. Give all our critters my love.
February 26th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
It’s about 8:30 p.m. SD time, and Bai Yun looks totally racked out on top of the lair. Have a good rest, beautiful Momma Bear. You deserve it after expertly raising 3 gorgeous, healthy cubs.
February 27th, 2007 at 7:48 am
I hope Bai Yun doesn’t hear the news about the first panda cub born in 2007. It was a female cub born last Friday, February 23, at Wolong. ” Jinny set new records, giving birth for the first time at the age of 13 after a 324-day pregnancy, a miracle in captive panda proliferation.” Can you imagine being pregnant for 325 days to birth a cub the size of a stick of butter? It truely is a miracle birth.
Bai Yun might like that long rest between cubs, but she also might like to get on with the process. Hopefully she will have a successful delivery of two cubs this year. She is getting into middle age, and might like to do her part of producing cubs more quickly by multiple births now. She is a very experienced mother, so it would be extreme enrichment for her and her keepers to care for twins.
February 27th, 2007 at 7:51 am
It is 6:45 AM, a stack of fresh bamboo appears to be in the picture, and yet Bai Yun looks like she is pacing back and forth across the exhibit. Is she waiting for a keeper with treats? Or does she hear GaoGao next door and want to know what is going on? What would make her pace this early in the day? It clearly wouldn’t be Su Lin because she is far away, and gone out of her life/world.
February 27th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Suzanne, thank you for your very positive sounding report which was more than welcome. I feel that it is quite fascinating how nature seems to ” take its course” , i. e. after Bai Yun and Su Lin had been separated from each other and moved. After a short while they both looked quite content and at peace with themselves munching away at their bamboo. Su Lin looked so adorable! Let’s hope that Gao Gao and Bai Yun will ” fall in love” again when the time is right. Would Bai Yun reject Gao Gao’s attempt if she were not ready for breeding as yet? I am looking forward to carry on viewing the pandas via webcam which, owing to your and your colleagues efforts, makes it easy to all the ” pandaholics” worldwide. Thanks again!
February 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
All these ” firsts” are exhausting. Su Lin is on her own for the first time in her own space. Tai Shan is pretty much on his own now. And, and WOW Mei Lan climbed up the climbing structure for the first time all by herself! She woke up from a very long nap, and up she went, just like a pro. Now there will be no stopping her. She is a combination of Su Lin’s sweetness and cuteness, and Tai Shan’s explorer spirit.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Is that Mei Sheng or Su Lin way up in the tree? They are sure up high, and having a great time.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Our great explorer is in her new adventure playground – with such confidence Su Lin has done it yet again.
Bai, you can be very proud of your daughter because she has taken everything in her stride by saying this is the way to do it !
From what I have seen this morning, I believe that all the staff and Su Lin’s keepers will be very happy that all their efforts have been rewarded – congratulations to all concerned for making what appears to be a successful transition. Happy climbing Su Lin……..
February 27th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Su Lin looks so happy out in her big open world with so many places to climb. What more could a young independent panda girl ask for? She has her choice of an awesome climbing structure or very big tall trees, and all the boo she can eat. And, she might even see her handsome brother high up in the tree not far away. That will be a first for her and for him to see another panda high up in the trees.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I’m telling you… before you know it she will be calling boys and trying to sneak out at night. Good thing big brother Mei Sheng is there to keep a eye on her.
February 27th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
That Margaret from VA — I totally love her to death and always enjoy what she writes. But does she have nothing to do but watch the cam 24/7? She must not have a job.
February 27th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Pandaholic – Shhhh, I do it between tasks.
February 28th, 2007 at 8:01 am
the weather here on the east coast has been in the 40’s for the last few days and it seems that thoughts have turned to spring and love is in the air. Tian Tian and Mei Xaing were in the yard together this morning and poor Tian didn’t get the better end of the encounter,Mei pinned him down and gave a few nips they were loud and poor Tai went running up the tree to get a look, he stayed for quite a while. I guess the love bug will be hitting SDZ soon. I am glad to see our big girl is getting used to her new life. thanks to the keepers for giving her a little extra attention to make it easier. and congratulations to Ji Ni on the first new baby in 2007. I hope that Gao Gao and Bai get in the mood.Margaret I too love your writing, you always fill in what i missed thanks.
February 28th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Whew! I think EVERYONE has finally settled down (from weaning process), although I feel sorry for Tai–he LOVES to wrestle and play, and now he is all alone =-(. In the wild, do the the panda cubs that are weaned find other cubs to ‘play’ with? I know everyone tells us they are solitary animals, but if all these pandas are raised with bamboo given to them without foraging, don’t you think they MIGHT become more sociable as they don’t have to fight for bamboo territory? Like the male and female in Washington are now together, and eat in close proximity to each other. So is it only a male and female that can be housed together, and never two males or two females? I guess I didn’t realize that Mei Sheng and Gao Gao weren’t together (duh). But, we’re actually saying that Su Lin and Mei Sheng CAN be put together up until mating age?? Thanks, for any info you can give.
February 28th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Looks like Bai Yun is getting much deserved long naps between bamboo feasts. She seems to pace more when it is time for new bamboo than she did previously. Maybe her appetite has picked up???
February 28th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
One of the volunteers at NZ told us that there is a plan for Gao Gao to father Mei Xiang’s next cub (via artificial insemination)! Is this true?
February 28th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Lynn #22,
Semen was collected from Gao Gao earlier this year and transfered to NZP for use in an artificial insemination.
March 1st, 2007 at 11:07 am
So does that mean that Tian Tian is getting his fun now and won’t be bred with Mei Xiang? She is slowly beginning to accept Tian’s presence at her side. This togetherness it appears is also part of their research into a first time mother coming back to estrus after weaning her cub. He was scent marking big time this morning, so hopefully that bodes well for her hormones returning to the breeding state.
NZP said after Tian’s annual physical last Fall that his semen count was low and that was disappointing. It makes sense that they would also introduce GaoGao’s unique wild genes to the pool.
Mei Sheng, Su Lin, and Tai Shan’s sibling may end up related after all. Since Tai Shan is already related through Tian Tian’s and Bai Yun’s father (PanPan), they will be one big happy family. Since GaoGao is such a good breeding male, he may have an especially great year at producing offspring, on both coasts of the US no less. That will give our poets some great fodder for writing about long distance romance from the Panda Romeo himself! I can just imagine the Panda Christmas story for 2007. By then, Mei Sheng, and probably Tai Shan, will be in China looking for their own loves to start their family lines.
All this excitement is exhausting, and Yes, it makes it hard to work. That is why one must make quick trips to the SDZ website during the day when I can get a 30 second to one minute break. Some people take smoking breaks, I take zoo camera and blog breaks. It also helps to live on the East Coast which allows better timing to catch the news and views at all 4 US zoos with panda residents.
Are Gao and Bai likely to be socialized prior to breeding to help her hormones along? Do they show much interest in ” play” when they are together or are they all breeding business? Tian seems to enjoy playing as well as business.
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:28 am
Thanks, Suzanne, again for another update, I think it is great that the zoos are able to get together and help. I love the pandas, there is just something about them. I hope that all the efforts that are being made helps to take them off the endangered list. Thanks for all the care you all give and the study you do at the SDZ. I know all your efforts have made it possible for there to be cubs here on U.S. soil. Thanks
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:29 am
well friends, like I said, LOVE is in the air. I was watching our D.C. family and Mei Xaing and Tian Tain were sitting happily eating some treats from a box each had, having a good old time. When I checked a little bit ago Mei was very receptive to Tian and they were having a VERY good time with each other. so i guess spring has sprung. How are Bai’s hormones coming along, does she seem interested in being with Gao Gao. I, like Margaret, must be creative with my time, but thankfully I have a great boss, so as long as the work gets done all’s good