On My Own
Posted at 5:26 pm March 9, 2007 by Kay Ferguson
You are probably wondering how our little Su Lin is doing on her own. At first it was a bit of a struggle, but she is now settling in, getting used to new trees, grass, pond, and watching her big brother next door. She now has her own bedroom and garden room with her own sunroom, in the building next to the viewing exhibits. A few days ago, she climbed her new tree to discover another panda staring at her from the tree next door. She started bleating at this strange new bear. Mei Sheng bleated back to her and the conversation went on for several minutes as Su Lin met her big brother. What fun it was just to watch her responding to her brother in his tree. I’m sure they will chat often and even look for each other from tree to tree.
Su Lin is so adventurous, climbing high into this new tree, pulling branches off like she used to do in her previous exhibit. She is getting comfortable with her new surroundings, making it like she wants. Su Lin is seeking out all the new smells, even scent marking in her new surroundings. I’m pleased to say she is doing well.
Last week, in the early afternoon, I peeked over the wall to find Su Lin sound asleep high in the tree; just across the rock wall was her big brother sleeping high up in his tree. It was such a peaceful sight to see. It is great to watch the youngsters thriving and enjoying their afternoon naps. I hope you will visit soon!
Kay Ferguson is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Scroll to the end to leave a comment. Pinging is not allowed.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Why can’t Su Lin and Mei Shung spend some time together? There are others zoos in the US where the male and female live and play together. I would be interested to see this work.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Thank you so much, Kay, for letting us know about Su Lin. Although the romance of Bai Yun and Gao Gao is fascinating, I have missed hearing about the little princess. Glad to know she is settling in and feeling comfortable in her new place. But the best part of your post was the description of Su and Mei Sheng bleating happily to each other. That’s wonderful! Hope the other’s sight, sound, and scent are comforting to both siblings.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Delighted to hear that she is settling into her new home. I would have loved to have been there to witness Su Lin and her brother catching sight of each other in the trees. Thanks for keeping us up to date on all the happenings in Panda Land!
March 9th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Hooray! Kay, Thank you for the fine update on Su Lin and Mei Sheng! I’ve been peeking at the Cam early hoping I’d see Sweet Su. She still looks so small in her den,but I think she is very content. It’s been fun watching Gao Gao and Bai Yun trading places. I’ve finally figured out who is who no matter where they are. I do have a question. Each seem to enjoy different types of bamboo. Is there a difference in the scent/taste of bamboo? Also, do the stalks have a very moist center? Is that why they love to rip off the bark first? Also, I do have a question about the pregnancy in a Panda. Are you able to do sonograms and see the little panda? The labor of Lun Lun we were told was 34 hours long. How and why is labor so long? Also, the weaning at 18 months appears to be similar to the brown bear. I am wondering why in the China preserves, the weaning is as I’ve read, at 6 months. I have been watching Mei Lan and Lun Lun and I do think that 6 months is too early…..until I watch Lun Lun dragging Mei Lan around and pulling her from her perches. Did Bai play ‘hard play’ with Su and Mei and Hua? I began watching Bai and Su in Sept. 06 and by then they were the best of friends. Thank You for all the information you and Suzanne are providing!
Sincerely,
Bobbie Wood
March 9th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
My heart is just so happy to read your report about Su Lin’s first bachelorette pad. It sounds like she is making it her own. I can just imagine the decorator showing her drapery swatches and paint-board samples.
It’s also fun to imagine Su Lin and Mei Sheng having a great conversation.
Let’s see… what did they say?
” So, have YOU called Mom lately?”
” No, I’ve been too busy and you know how she is on the phone.”
” Yeah, she always nags me about what I am eating.”
” Well, I wouldn’t want to be in your paws if you don’t call at least once a week.”
” That’s true, she can be a real BEAR!”
I was thrilled the other day to see Su Lin when I turned on the PandaCAM. She was in her bedroom ” sorting” her bamboo… At least that’s what it looked like to me. It is nice to have your report of how well she is doing. Thanks!
March 10th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Did Hua Mei ever have the opportunity to see Mei Sheng and chat with him?
March 10th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Thank you, Kay, for putting my mind at rest. I am so pleased to know that little Su Lin who seems to be growing up fast has been keeping well and happy. I can just imagine her and Mei Sheng sitting in their trees bleating at each other. I would love to come and see for myself but, regretfully, I am living in Europe and, therefore, can only watch via webcam. But this is also a lot of fun thanks to all of you at SDZ who make this possible.
March 10th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Hi Kay,
Thanks for a heartwarming post. Just knowing Su Lin has acclimated to her new environs has made me very happy. Can’t wait to see Sun Lin and her brother Mei Sheng playing together in the near future. They will surely have a lot to ” talk” about!
Kay, Always love your updates.
March 10th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Kay – Thanks so much for such a reassuring update! We know the most important thing is the well being of all of the animals at your zoo. I wish so much that I could be there to see and hear Mei and Su vocalizing and watching each other. It will be so exciting to hear about their adventures when they are allowed to get together!
Right now I’ve got the SDZ (watching Su high up in a tree), 2 sessions at the NZP (watching Mei and Tian together and the antics of Tai) and the Memphis Zoo. I miss Lun and Mei Lan so much because I’m not able to watch them during their hours. It’s just a crime that my workplace blocks all video!!
Keep up the wonderful work! This may be a VERY exciting year with the possiblity of all 4 of our zoos raising cubs!!! How far you have all come to protect these wonderful animals!!!
March 10th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I am so happy that Mei Sheng and Su Lin have discovered each other and are having conversations from their treetop perches. I am more hopeful than ever that they will eventually be able to play with each other. Thank you for this beautiful account. I must see them soon.
March 10th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Oh, Kay, how I would love to see those two young panda cubs (oops, young adults) talking to each other from their high perches. How exciting for Su Lin and Mei Sheng to discover their close relationship directly. Hey P. Wong, could you please translate these afternoon chats for those of us who do not understand their native language? Thanks, Kay, for keeping us up on the actions of the ” kids” . bettyb
March 10th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I trekked from Chicago to SDZ on 2/23 to see Su Lin, but she had been moved, and it wasn’t posted! But I saw all the other cam babies and animals, and Gao and Bai looked content. Since nobody from the outside can see what you are describing, Kay, couldn’t somebody take a picture of Su and Mei in the trees chirping to each other and post it? This is the easy solution to the inability to see them. I go to NZP several times a year when I have business in Washington, so it’s easy to keep up with Tai. I’m going to Atlanta next month, and Memphis again if they have a cub. I love boring conference calls because it’s my Panda Cam time! Are the politics between Wolong and Chengdu such that genetic diversity could not be achieved by a mating between Tai or Sheng and Mei Lan? China is having such success with their programs that I would think they would want genetic diversity encouraged where they don’t have to pay. In any event, my charity dollars are going to pandas and St. Judes. Thanks Kay.
March 11th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Kay, Are visitors able to see Su Lin and Mei Sheng?
March 11th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Thanks, Kay, for another wonderful blog. It sounds so exciting, and you told it so well, I felt like I was there watching. I have observed that in the past week or so Su Lin appears to be resting and eating more comfortably. She seems to have adapted well to her new ” digs.”
I have had a hard time telling which bear was up high in the tree when I watch the time-lapse video. Whichever one it was they certainly enjoyed the view.
Can visitors on the Skytram see the two youngsters up in the trees? While Gao and Sheng were in the back exhibits people said they could see them from up in the air. If so, I hope that they can get a good view of them in the trees. At 40 feet up, they are hard to see from the ground. Will Sheng be in an area with trees that tall in Wolong? Or do they keep the males in the smaller barred enclosures you see pictures of when Mei Xiang and Tian Tian came from Wolong to the US? The photos and videos I have seen of the females in Wolong look like they are in ” holding pens” as opposed to open areas with lots of natural vegetation. I remember reading that Hua Mei was given a larger secluded space to allow her to acclimate. Hopefully Sheng will be treated with the same celebrity status as he will be the first male Panda offspring to go to China from the US. Besides, his dad (Gao) is a former video star in China, and his mom (Bai) was the first captive born Panda cub born from artifical insemination. That alone should make their offspring celebrities!
Since Su and Sheng are ” out of sight” for the foreseeable future, at least until the breeding season for their parents is over, please keep us posted however you can, blogs, videos, photos, so we can stay up with their lives. If Bai Yun doesn’t cycle as early as they hope, will time run out for Sheng and Su to physically meet in one of the other exhibit spaces before he goes to China?
March 11th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
We visited the zoo today and tried to catch a glimpse of Mei Sheng and Su Lin in their treetop perches — but no luck. I did hear from some of the staff on duty that little Su Lin had been peeking through cracks separating their enclosures trying to see her brother.
March 11th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
It’s been so nice to see Su Lin eating her ‘boo contentedly when I’ve had a chance to tune in. Along with the others, I’m looking forward to seeing what develops when she and Mei Sheng actually are able to be in the same area and hopefully will get along well together. So many new things are happening and many of us enjoy sharing them with our panda friends here! Thank you for letting us in on this corner of the world.
March 12th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Thank you so much for the update. When I tune in on the Pandacam, I have often wondered how precious Su Lin has been doing – and your update has put my mind at ease. I bet listening to the two siblings talk to each other was a ” hoot.” I wish I could have been there to see/hear it! Watching Mei Lan and Lun Lun at the Atlanta Zoo is a treat, and I know I am not the only one who is waiting for another cub at the San Diego Zoo, especially since Bai’s cub rearing days are limted.
Thank you for all you do for this beloved animal, and for providing the background and history so well to those of us who are so curious!
March 12th, 2007 at 8:08 am
When we visited the pandas yesterday, I thought it was unfortunate that only two could be seen. The youngest twosome — of great interest to zoo visitors and pandacam viewers — were ” off exhibit.” The San Diego Zoo is the first to have four exhibitable pandas at one time and should take full advantage of that great viewing opportunity. While I have heard many reasons why this is the case, I would look for how it can be done, not why it cannot. While a narrator at an additional site may be a burden, it could be done during more limited hours, on a few days a week or with a VAO and use signage. I think the SDZ is missing a great opportunity with spring breaks and summer bringing many more visitors to the zoo.
March 12th, 2007 at 9:48 am
You don’t need a Ph.D to see these pandas are bored out of their minds.
March 12th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Wow! Look how high up in that tree she is. She should be able to see the mountains, and Mexico from up there!
Looks like she has her own private ” Space Needle.” Is the tree next to ” hers” the one Mei Sheng inhabits? If not, how close are the two trees? Can they see each other fairly clearly or is the distance sufficient to make them appear smaller to each other? Has the frequency that they climb up high in the trees since Su has noticed Sheng? Since she has more recently had contact with another panda, their mother, she might show more interest in being closer to another panda. It is not surprising therefore that she is the one looking through the cracks to get a view of her brother. She may want to see if it is Bai Yun, unless she can smell him that far away, and therefore knows it is a male. Since they have never ” met” she wouldn’t know for sure, but may recall his scent left behind when he vacated Exhibit Number 2 before she moved in. I hope she gets more comfortable in ” her new space” and is able to spend more time in one place so she can feel more like it is her ” home territory.” She didn’t have much chance to get really comfortable with Exhibit 2 before it was time to move on. Such would be the process in the wild since she would likely have had to travel some distance to find her ” own space” and set up her new home in that area.
How long would an adolescent female remain alone and wandering in the wild? Especially since she will not be reproductively mature for another 4-5 years? That is a long time to remain in a solitary environment without any contact with other adolescents or adults occasionally. It is interesting scenario, since other animal species that remain solitary as breeding age adults may remain as female or male groups as adolescent animals for protection as much as anything else. Maybe adolescents choose trees for their ” friends” for security. However, since they have to forage for themselves, how do they have time to climb trees and forage at the same time? Do they sleep in the trees, and forage while on the ground?
March 12th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Well, well.. Princess Su is a young adult and seems to be getting on quite well in her treetop perch. Happy to hear she and her big bro have been bleating and spotted each other. I hope Gao Gao and Bai Yun will be parents again- Bai is an excellent mother and Gao Gao a great romantic!
I seriously doubt that the pandas ” are bored out of their minds” – they’d be doing the same thing in the wild; eating and sleeping. Then there’s that hunting for food thing that they’d have to do in the wild.
March 12th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Thanks so much for this update on the little Princess! I’m glad she can see and communicate with another panda. It’s good to hear she is doing well; thank you for describing what goes on ‘behind the scenes’.
March 12th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
I just looooovvvvvvvvveee OUR bears!!!!!!
March 12th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Thank you all for taking great care of the little girl and her parents…
I have learned a great deal…maybe humans are not so different after all.
Keep up the great work and give the princess a little pat on the head for me.
March 12th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Conversation with Mei Sheng #14
Tourist: Hello, Mei Sheng.
Mei Sheng: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: Now what are you doing with those tin cans?
M: Hush! Sh-h-h-h. Don’t tell anyone, OK?
T: OK. So what’s going on?
M: I’m going to attach a long wire to connect the 2 cans.
T: Huh?
M: Then I will toss one of the cans over the other side of the wall for Su Lin.
T: Now why would you do that?
M: I plan to have tete a tete conversations with her during the evening.
T: What? Don’t you already communicate with each other while perched in your respective trees?
M: Yes, but those were public announcements. We want some private time together.
T: Public announcements? What were you announcing?
M: Ba-a-a-a-a.
March 12th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Someone needs to turn on the lights in C4. It has been dark the last two nights. Maybe the time change has caused a problem.
March 13th, 2007 at 6:20 am
Are you finding that Su Lin needs less human ” attention” for socialization as she is getting used to being on her own? I haven’t seen keepers anywhere near her when she is on Panda Cam which could just be timing. Have you noticed any changes in behavior in either Su or Sheng since they spotted each other? Someone mentioned Su looking through cracks searching for her brother. Does he appear to do any searching for Su Lin? It is interesting to see whether knowledge of his presence makes her calmer because she knows another Panda is nearby, or agitates her because she wants to meet them up close and interact with them.
All 4 pandas do not appear bored to me. They are very busy doing what Pandas do in captivity or in the wild, eat, eat, eat, sleep, eat, eat, eat. Since they spend about 16-18 hours a day eating to survive, it doesn’t leave much time for long naps, or foraging. And, as Loriann said, in the wild they would have to be out foraging before they found a bamboo ” patch” large enough to supply their nutritional needs. It is hard to picture them doing anything ” exciting” other than searching for more bamboo and checking scents of other animals in the area. They do that now where they are, which is why they are given enrichment items to keep their minds occupied, and their food is moved around so they can ” forage” for it.
It is interesting to see what different zoos use for enrichment. The puzzle feeders seem to be very popular and come in many shapes. The young cubs especially like the variety of ” toys” but bamboo still reigns as the favorite attraction.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Hello Kay. Thank you again for writing about your observations. It’s nice to know what the sub-adults are up to. Now my question is, how far apart are those trees where the 2 perch? I ask this because I wonder what range of distance they may still perceive each other by sight. Or do they perceive by odor? Then what is the distance range for odor? And do they have hearing ranges similar to ours?
March 14th, 2007 at 6:40 am
P Wong, I have the same questions. I am curious what Su Lin can really see when she ” peeks through the cracks” between exhibits. Is their vision focused enough to see anything.
I love your conversations between Mr. Tourist and Mei Sheng. Can’t you just picture these two precocious adolescent Pandas having an evening tete a tete when no one (humans or Panda parents) are there to listen? I would love to see and hear video shots of them communicating either in the trees or on the ground. Being scientifically realistic, I wonder what they were saying to each other. Maybe something like ” What are you doing here, or, What/who is in this area, or, I thought this was my territory?” Since it was bleating, and sounds like it was a friendly greeting, I wonder if they were glad to encounter another young Panda. From Kay’s description it sounds like it was a pleasant enrichment time for both of them.
As for the distance of hearing, how much can Bai and Gao hear from the area where Sheng and Su currently are? i.e. Would they have been able to hear the bleating since they were up in the trees, and the keepers could hear it?
March 14th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
What a beautiful face Bai has!! It is 12:08 PM, and the Panda cam is focused up close on her eating right beside the visitor glass railing. It is the best view I have ever seen of her. She is a magnificent animal. No wonder she has such charming and cute cubs! She looks very happy and seems to be enjoying the view while munching away. You can get a really good closeup view of how she bites and chews her bamboo.
Thanks Meerkats!!!!!!!
March 14th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
# 30 Margaret – After reading your comments I went back and watched todays video and you are absolutely right about the incredible camera work on Bai! Fantastic job – to the Meerkats for the great shots this morning!! Bai is truly a Queen Bear and Sir Gao Gao her knight!
March 15th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Even thought the cat is treated like a sister to my daughter. she is not. These animals have tiny brains and relatively nonexistent IQ. I don’t agree with ” bored.” I do agree that more thought needs to be done on how to show these animals. Frequently, there is a vacant panda cam – with four animals, one should be on view most of the time. Enjoy the dispatches.
March 16th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I finally got the chance to be 10 feet away from a live Panda yesterday at the NZP. Tai Shan was sleeping just inside the glass that shields him from his adoring public. He looks so peaceful, BIG, and dirty. His hair was not pure white like it looks on the camera, and it was full of dirt and grass from him lying around on the ground. I saw him from a distance eating very peacefully leaning against a rock. Even Tian Tian and Mei Ziang wandered around at the edge of the moat that divides them from the public. It was a once in my lifetime (so far) to get so close. It is an experience I will treasure forever.
What it really highlighted for me is how much Tai and Su have grown in their 18 months, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. They are much larger and more adult-like in stature, and they are very adept at eating their bamboo, and fending for themselves. They can both amuse themselves in the ways they like best. She loves to climb high up in trees to snooze, and he likes to sprawl out in the sun. Sometimes he climbs up in trees, but his are not as tall as 40 feet, and he seems to prefer the sunny ground or logs for sleeping lately.
I was also surprised at the consistency of his ” poop.” From the panda cam shots I have seen from both SDZ and NPZ I always thought that the consistency was very dry, full of organic matter. Although the ” pellets” are well formed, they also contained a good quantity of water, and were more like moist, not runny, mud pies made with grass in them. Kind of like I imagine the dung cakes that indigenous people make in third world countries that are used for fires for heating and cooking. It reminded me of the recent blog by the ZooQuest Interns on the endocrinology studies of hormones they were working with in grinding the dung to separate the feces materials from the organic matter. Perhaps a ” gross” topic but very interesting and educational.
That is why I love reading these blogs. I learn so much. When I go to the zoo and talk with the researchers or visitor guides they look at me funny like where did I learn all this. It was from the excellent information that the SDZ keepers, researchers, volunteers, and students have provided for all of us to learn about the conservation of the magnificent animals in their care. I believe the feeling I had when I finished my 3.5 hour visit with my animal ” friends” is what they are after. I felt like I had been sharing time with ” friends” keeping up with them, and wanted to know more about how they are being conserved, and what I can do to help the process.
My hat is off to everyone in CRES and the SSP projects for dedicating your lives to helping animals that are losing the battle of helping themselves all on their own. We owe it to ourselves, and more importantly to the creatures that share this planet with us, to do everything we can, small or large, to help preserve this earth we all call ” HOME.” Otherwise they, and then we, except by the grace of GOD, would work ourselves into extinction. We are doing it to ourselves, no one is doing it to us.
March 16th, 2007 at 7:19 am
P.S. The lady at the Panda station told me it sounded like it was time for me to make a visit in person to SDZ. She was right, and I hope to find the $ to do so in the coming year. I want to meet the originators of these articles from SDZ as well as see the animals, if at all possible. 19 Years is way too long between visits.
March 17th, 2007 at 7:23 am
I just finished watching the slowed down version of the time lapse video of March 16. All I can say is ” Wow!” That is heads and shoulders above and better than the regular version where it is zoom, zip, zip, zip, zoom and the day is over. I hope you are considering making this a permanent change (for those of us with old eyes that are really bothered by the speedy images flashing in and out). Thanks!!
March 17th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
i sure wish someone would answer all these questions! i go to the sdzoo regularly and wonder where are the trees that mei sheng and su lin climb? are they visible from anywhere where the tourists can see them? they’re so high, i’d think they could be seen from many places!
March 19th, 2007 at 7:53 am
I don’t understand. If pandas are solitary animals, why is it that Wolong has this panda kindergarten that they have the cubs playing (living) together? Also, ever since Tai got weaned, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are together almost every morning and they seem so happy sitting side by side eating their bamboo. Have there been situations, either in China or anywhere, that the panda family (father, mother and the cub/young adult bear) was allowed to be together? Or it’s considered too dangerous that they may fight and hurt each other?
March 19th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Thank you to all of the keepers who keep us so informed. I truly enjoy the updates and those pandaholics, like myself, and all of the comments. Of late, I have been following those who try to understand how the pandas are feeling and would love to direct those of you to the Atlanta Zoo ” Cub Updates” about Mei Lan and her mom. The St. Paddy’s day log discusses ” anthropomorphize” from both a keeper and viewer perspective and it is very valid and informative! For those trying to impress ‘human’ feelings on these lovely animals – please read it!
March 19th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Christine – I was thinking the same thing when I read it this morning.
I have three dogs, and often try to figure out what they are ” thinking” or trying to ” say.” Since I don’t know ” dog” and they don’t know ” human English” nor do we understand the thought process or natural behaviors of our respective species, we don’t always ” communicate.”
The AZ update did an excellent job of clarifying what the research of repeated panda behaviours tends to indicate from a human perspective and how humans can react to it.
The interactions between Bai Yun and the cubs she was weaning are perfect examples of what well meaning humans don’t ” see” or understand. It wasn’t until eye witness accounts appeared in the blogs from people who were there watching for hours their last day together that I realized that what I thought I saw on the panda cam was not what was actually happening. The eye witnesses saw the direct natural view of the behavior which was very different than the isolated view I saw from the zoomed in or out panda cam. We might have thought there was ” cuddling” going on, when in fact Bai Yun was pinning Su Lin down to keep her from doing something she did not want her to do. What we thought was togetherness, in person appeared to be more like, ” It is time for you to go to your own space.”
I often am amused by human interpretations of animal behaviour. Aside from the repeated behaviours recorded during research sessions, anything else is conjecture, no matter what animal one is observing and discussing.
With three weaned cubs, and the vast experience gained from each, the SDZ keepers are equipped with volumes of research observations to know what certain behaviours tend to indicate. Such information now is useful as they approach the fourth breeding season for Bai Yun, and her third with the same partner, Gao Gao. They can refer to previous behavior patterns for indications of timing, mood, potential actions and reactions as they determine when they are going to be receptive to each other’s physical presence in close proximity.
March 19th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
I was so fortunate to be able to come to the Zoo and visit (sorry, went through the line 3 different times) Su Lin and Bai Yun on February 9 of this year. However, I’m definitely suffering withdrawal symptoms. I can’t tell you how much I miss your little girl. Happy to see Bai Yun and Gao Gao, and today Mei. Several of us intend to come back to San Diego to see Su Lin yet again before her 3 years are up. I’m hoping Bai will have another baby, but at that time will the children be put back on display? Can we see just a little more of Su Lin? Thanks
March 20th, 2007 at 3:02 am
Bell (#37),
The Panda kindergardens in Wolong are a result of the unusual measures that the Chinese felt they had to take in order to rapidly increase the number of Pandas: Cubs were taken from their mothers very early so that the mothers would come back into estrus and bear a cub every year, rather than every other year. Because the cubs were so young, they were still at that sociable age when they would be with their mothers, so they were kept together to provide each other companionship. Another reason for the cub groups is that there isn’t enough space to keep each cub separately.
In the wild, it is possible that weaned cubs might find each other and ” hang out” together for a short time, though I’ve not read anything about this, but since the big bears usually run off the small bears, the young ones soon learn to avoid other bears and to be very cautious and quiet.
In captivity, some adult bears will tolerate one another, although if you watched the first reunion of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, Mei was not at all receptive; there was a lot of moaning and chomping of teeth, and she chased him all over the yards and finally ran him up a tree! They have settled down a bit since they are not competing for food (Their keepers are very careful to ensure that they each get their own treats), but Mei Xiang is definitely calling the shots in that relationship! I believe Mei and Tian are together because their combined yards are quite large so they can separate themselves if necessary, and because the DC Panda Team would like Tian to at least have some practice at wooing and winning a mate, since he, like many captive male Pandas, has been a disappointment in the breeding department.
So if you sometimes see adult bears together or see young bears in groups, it’s probably because these are bears living in captivity, and the reasons for these ” unnatural” arrangements are human reasons.
March 20th, 2007 at 11:01 am
It’s been very nice to see Su Lin for a while today. I miss her!! Thank you to the meerkat who followed her all around.
March 20th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Margaret, how great that you had this experience to be so close to Tai. I watched him today on the cam and he had quite a audience, most were small children and you could see the excitement on their faces. I thought that Mei Sheng was a ham for the cameras, but Tai: He’s got it going on. I watched him so close that he was almost leaning on the glass as he ate his boo. He would turn his head and look right at the people. Like you, my heart aches to go to sdz and one day like you if the $ is there i will go, but i am glad you had the chance to see Tai up close.
March 20th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
#36 Patricia
I don’t think anyone has answered your question regarding the location of the trees that Mei Sheng and Su Lin climb. They are located in two adjacent enclosures next to the food service area (picnic tables) and gift shop. While the enclosures are surrounded by solid fencing, the tall trees can be seen from the surrounding areas.
March 20th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Barbara, he was in the same spot today that he was last Thursday. It is where they built the special ” cooling” rock so that the pandas will be next to the glass for their adoring public. If the glass were not there, you could ” pet” him! He was lying down resting on the rocks when I was there. He would occasionally look back at the glass and very carefully, and cutely roll over and go back to sleep. He ate his boo farther away leaning against one of the taller rocks. I think I saw him in the same spot on the camera today. It was so close, I could see the texture of his individual hairs! It is not at all like I thought it would be. Much coarser, and you can see how it would be water and snow repellent.
I noticed a few days ago that Bai Yun got fairly close to the glass by her adoring public too. She kept walking back and forth and actually stopped to eat some bamboo where you could see her up close.
Mei Sheng is a ” ham” for his public, confirmed by the Girls In Science participants that went behind the scenes. I wonder how Su Lin will do with the public as she matures and comes down from the trees. She has spent so much of the past year up high barely detectible, that it is hard to tell. She has spent more time on the ground in her new ” flat” in her ” garden room tree.” Since she has the same genes, and is now more accustomed to being on her own, she may be more willing to be seen up close and personal. It has previously been difficult for the Meerkats to keep up with her on the ground because she didn’t stay within camera lens focus for long.
I tried to make her out way up in the tree this afternoon, but gave up. I noticed that the panda cam was moved shortly after that, so I guess I wasn’t the only one who could barely see her.
I applaud all 4 US zoos with pandas in the design of their facilities. They have all tried to make it as natural as possible, with lots of trees and climbing spaces. Each zoo has provided climbing structures for exercise, and repose. All have viewing areas next to the pandas, separated only by glass and a few feet of exhibit space. It is a great treasure and helps to build the emotional bond necessary to wake the world up to why we need to do all we can to conserve the many creatures on our planet to share with generations to come, and to ensure our own survival.
March 20th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Carole, how far apart are the two trees Su Lin and Mei Sheng climb? Are they at the close side of both enclosures or on opposite sides? I haven’t read anything about more conversations between the two youngsters. Has anyone heard them ” chatting” to each other lately? Since she was high up in the tree today, it is possible that he was too.
March 20th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Conversation with Mei Sheng #15
Mei Sheng: Wow-w-w-w!
Tourist: Hello, Mei Sheng.
M: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: What are you wow-ing at?
M: I see images.
T: Images? What images?
M: I see Lion Dance competitions.
T: Lion Dance competitions?
M: The ones held in Southeast Asia.
T: Really?
M: The Hong Kong team is something else. Then there’s the Malaysia team.
T: What? Are you seeing visions?
M: No. I’m pondering what I saw on my PDA. Take a look at this.
T: Whoa. Those poles are high. And far apart.
M: Yeah. And look at that giant ball between those 2 sets.
T: I can’t believe the way they’re leaping from pole to pole.
M: And watch these 2 Hong Kong guys doing the head and tail.
T: Yeah.
M: Look at the way he’s dipping and hanging towards the floor…
T: And still carrying that heavy head.
M: Uh huh.
T: Hey. Now the front guy’s standing on shoulders of the tail guy.
M: Yup.
T: And now the top guy is kicking his legs up into the air.
M: Looks like a lion lifting his front paws, wouldn’t you say?
T: That’s a neat website.
M: And Daddy-O Gao Gao said he would teach me competition style Lion Dance.
T: I can’t believe that.
M: OK. I’m just kidding. But what if I do wirework?
T: Wirework?
M: Or I can wait to see the Panda King.
T: You can’t be serious.
M: No, I’m really serious. Mama told me stories about the Panda King.
T: Now those were bedtime stories. How could she be serious?
M: She said the Jade Emperor told her…
T: What? The Jade Emperor?
M: That the Panda King will visit us.
T: So where is this Panda King? In the sky?
M: No, not here. He hovers over the hills of New Jersey.
T: You must be nuts.
Su Lin:
(bleats from treetop on other side of the wall)
Mei Sheng is right. Mama told me so, too.
March 21st, 2007 at 11:11 am
What’s the best time to see Su Lin on the ‘cam? I haven’t had any luck since they made the move, so if anyone can tell me when to tune in, I’d appreciate it!
March 21st, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Betsy, thanks for asking a great question! I looked at the archives from yesterday, which is the first time in a while that I caught glimpses of Su Lin. It appeared that between 10-11 AM PDT, and around 3-4 PM PDT the camera was focused on Su Lin, and sometimes on Mei Sheng. She was doing a lot of climbing yesterday, and fortunately they caught it on camera. I finally got to see one of them on their Panda jungle gym climbing structure.
So far today I did not see her on the archive or live.
March 21st, 2007 at 12:43 pm
P.Wong, I guess i’m going to have to get out my binoculars and look for the panda King as i live in New Jersey, maybe he’ll hover over the large hill of dirt in my yard and i’ll get a peak at the elusive King after all strange things do happen in Avenel, my town. And if mama says so, it must be true ,always trust mama. I loved the story it gave me a good pick me up
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:43 am
” Where Oh Where has Kay gone??”
My pandaholic self is having withdrawl from no updates on Su Lin. Since I don’t get to see much of her or Mei Sheng any more, I rely on updates from Kay and others who are with them all the time to know what new adventures they are up to. Are they having regular bleating sessions high up in the trees, or do they stay off to themselves? I noticed on the time-lapse video from Monday that Su Lin appeared to be thorougly enjoying her bamboo. She moved around in many acrobatic positions to eat it. She even climbed in her elaborate gym. She seems to have settled completely into her new neighborhood. Are there plans to rotate Su and Sheng so they get the enrichment and feeling they would have in the wild of moving around in the forest?
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 am
Tis the time of year when my horse and cat are shedding their warm winter coat of fur (fur everywhere!). Do the pandas shed fur in the spring as the days get longer?
Thanks,
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:27 am
thank you, carole, for answering my question. (#44) i’ll look for them next time i’m at the zoo–which should be soon!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:07 am
P. Wong…. you’re hilarious. I like the ” conversations.”
My adoration for pandas begin when I watched a documentary show of, Meet the Pandas, at the Animal Planet Channel. From then on, I have been imagining myself to see it in ” person” some day. Since last week was our spring break from school, I had the chance to go to San Diego Zoo. WOW….WOW…. hats off to the pandas. I mean, it’s way different to see them on cam or tv shows than in real. They look so cute in the cam, but in real, words aren’t enough to describe how I felt that day. I saw Gao Gao and Bai Yun, but not Su Lin. What I know is that, I am going back to SDZ soon:-).
To Kay and all of the wonderful people who make these weblogs possible, thank you so much. You make our day brighter:-).
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:51 pm
As I’ve been recovering from an incredible bout of bronchitis at home this week, the Panda Cam has once again put a smile on this former San Diegan’s face from 2200 miles away! I have seen our precious princess a couple of times this week and oh my has she grown! It’s great to read that Su Lin and Mei Sheng have been bleating back and forth and preparing for the Panda King that P. Wong told us about. I caught a glimpse of her exiting her bedroom this morning, no doubt heading out for playtime and a chat with her brother. There are some recent pics of Su Lin on Flickr by a gentleman called KJ Drill who must have unfettered access to the GPRS! Bless him for taking these marvelous photos and sharing them with the world! I hope for the day that Su Lin is able to play with her big brother, Mei Sheng. Perhaps Daddy-O Gao Gao will again mate naturally, without help from mother nature and bring another cub into the caring and dedicated environment that is the SDZ. I find it fascinating that Daddy-O Gao Gao who was born in the wild is the only captive panda to have mated naturally. He was quite young when he was rescued, but I have to wonder if he and Bai Yun just have that special chemistry, or if it’s at least partly genetic. Many thanks to all of the Meerkats, Suzanne, Kay, all of the narrators and everyone else who contributes to the well being of the SDZ Pandas!
March 22nd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I was sooo lucky! For three days in a row about lunch time I had a wonderful view of ” little” Su Lin wandering around, climbing her tree and munching her boo. Thank you for the very efficient panda webcam. Am I correct in assuming that it is not possible to zoom in which I have been trying, regretfully unsuccessfully. Or am I doing something wrong? Your reply is very much appreciated. The zoom seems to work at the Atlanta and NZ.
Moderator’s note: Our Panda Cam does not have a zoom feature.
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
SU Lin just had a ” dip” in her own private pool! It looks like a great place to cool off. If it has suddenly gotten as warm in SD as it has in VA, she will be needing it. That is the first time I have ever seen her near the water. I know she sat in it in Exhibit 1 per blogs last year, but I never got to see her. Bai Yun has been going through her ” pond” too in preparation for her estrus. But, since Su Lin is so young, I presume her visit was to cool off or to play with the water. That is the closest photo shot I have seen of her in many days. It was great to see her enjoying herself. I saw her way up in the trees earlier today having a scout around and enjoying an elevated rest. I wonder what goes through Su and Mei’s minds when they are up so high looking down at all the other animals, including humans. It is certainly not the same as being up high in a tree in the mountains of China. When they get that chance in China I wonder if they will remember what it was like in CA?
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Conversation with Su Lin #4
Su Lin:
(while up in a tree)
HELLO-O-O, MEI SHENG!
Mei Sheng:
(up in a tree on the other side of the wall)
YE-E-ES, SU LIN!
S: Did you feel that?
M: Yes, I felt it. And did you look at that cloud?
S: Yes, I saw him!
M: Wow! So strong and mighty!
S: So magical. So big!
Bai Yun:
(on the ground)
I knew the Jade Emperor was right. Hey Gao Gao! The Panda King is here!
Gao Gao:
(on the other side of the yard)
O majestic Panda King! What’s the latest in New Jersey gourmet bamboo this year?
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Margaret (#46)
I would estimate the trees are 30-40 feet apart.
March 23rd, 2007 at 5:46 am
Thanks, Carole. That is just enough for them to have a pretty good view of each other. Has anyone heard them bleating to each other lately, other than in P Wong’s conversations?
March 23rd, 2007 at 5:49 am
Is the tree in the photo the same as the one Su Lin has been in this week? It looks much fuller in the panda cam view so I was wondering if she has been up in an evergreen tree, or if the foliage has started coming out fuller as Spring has arrived. The photo looks to be 2-3 weeks ago, and the trees really come alive as soon as it starts to warm up.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:45 am
#56 Moderator’s reply. Thank you… It does not really matter, I am still very grateful to all the SDZ-staff concerned for enabling me to watch the beautiful pandas via webcam at all.
March 24th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Ruth #56 + #62
I note your comments regarding being unable to zoom in on Panda Cam and other websites.
I view Panda Cam every day from the UK using IE7 and zoom in to 125% -150% without too much distortion of the pictures.
If you are using IE7 – go to Page (top right) – click the drop down menu and select Zoom, you can then select the desired Zoom %.
I think you will be pleased with the ‘enhanced’ viewing that it offers on most sites.
Kind regards to all SDZ staff and to the Panda Cam team for making viewing possible – like the wonderful Panda’s – you are simply the best.
March 24th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Dear Kay,
My dad and I met you last week when we visited the San Diego Zoo–we were thrilled to see Gao Gao and Bai Yun. I live in Washington, DC and spend a lot of time at the National Zoo with their pandas.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful panda knowledge with us and for answering lots of questions.
I have a few more questions.
Will Su Lin and Mei Sheng be going back to China soon? How much longer are they scheduled to be in San Diego? Are there any plans for new pandas to come to the United States from China?
Thanks.
Max
March 24th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Hazel #63
Thank you ever so much for the tip. It’s dark now at SDZ, none-the-less I had to test your instructions. Obviously your advice has the potential to enhance evryone’s viewing experience, but it will be a huge improvement for those who are visually impaired. I only wish I had known this during my recovery from eye surgery. Again, thank you for taking the time to share this information.
SDZ Staff
It would be a boon to the visually impaired if you could place the same info on the panda cam page. Thanks for all your great work.
March 25th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Hazel #63 Thank you for your kind advice. Please excuse my ignorance, but what is IE7? I seem to have a different system. I have been trying all sorts of things and it appears that I could zoom in just a little bit. Thank goodness, my eyesight is still alright, so even without the zoom I have a lot of fun!!! Kind regards from Europe.
March 25th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Liz S. #65
I am pleased you found my comments #63 useful in assisting with enhanced viewing on web pages.
I omitted to mention that if you have a status bar at the bottom of the page you are viewing, on the right hand side (above the clock) you will note it says – 100% – and an arrow.
If you click on the arrow it enables you to change your Zoom level from that point which may be more advantageous to viewers who are visually impaired.
I trust you have recovered from your eye surgery and can view the lovely Pandas – if you thought they were amazing in smaller format just wait until you view them with an increased Zoom level.
Kind regards to all staff at SDZ and to the team which makes all things Panda possible.
March 25th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Hello to All San Diego Zoo Panda ‘Mommas and Daddys,
Today I received the DVD of Tai Shan’s first year. It was fabulous and left me with tears of joy to be able to see this miracle. Pleeeeeeesssse Create a DVD for us to purchase of Su Lin and Bai Yun recalling Su Lin’s first year! I have family who have not discovered the joy of a computer and thus, they have NO CLUE what they are missing!
Sincerely,
Bobbie Wood
March 25th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
I’m a 14-year-old girl from Mexico and, honestly, everyone in my family loves the Panda Cam. It has been around 8 years since my brother got a stuffed panda…the toy, I mean. And from that moment on, we have been panda lovers. We simply cannot believe that such a beautiful animal might become extinct, and my brother and I have vowed to visit you guys or the pandas at the Chapultepec Zoo at least once before we die.
Again, thanks so much for the panda cam, and thanks a lot for helping preserve the species!
March 26th, 2007 at 11:09 am
P.Wong, the variety of bamboo grown in Jersey is called gaomeisubai and it’s odd because it seems to appear just before the panda king arrives and it’s gone in a wink of the eye and all we see are panda foot prints and the smell of something sweet in the air and that’s it. Hazel #63 thanks for the info, it makes my viewing extra special and anything that makes my bears bigger and closer is okay with me. Kay where are thou, we need more words on our favorite subject, PANDAS
March 26th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Karla, your letter is what it is all about. Helping to educate young people like you and your brother, and for you to educate your friends, so together we can all work to save the pandas from extinction.
You write well, and it is a pleasure to read something from a young lady who is a devoted panda cam watcher. I hope you and your brother get to visit the pandas at San Diego Zoo and Chapultepec Zoo many times before you grow old. The pandas are precious creatures, and you are blessed to be able to see them on Panda Cam, and to live in a country that has some to visit.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Well folks, it’s happening: recycled panda poop. Yes the folks in Chengdu research center are in talks with several paper companies to make high quality paper out of panda poop. They got the idea from Tailand which uses elephant poop for recycled paper and a zoo in northen China is making its own paper by washing it in a soda bath and then drying it.This is taking recycling to a new level, What’s next?
Moderator’s note: Our own ShopZoo.com offers a variety of paper products made from recycled elephant dung, including panda journals. You can get more information at http://www.shopzoo.com/shopzoo.cgi?cmd=search&search=poo%20poo
March 26th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Since dung is used in third world countries for heat/fuel source for cooking, it makes sense to recycle it for other useful purposes too. I wish we could get it as dried compost for gardens because it should be great fiber fertilizer since they eat a vegetarian diet. Unfortunately, unless you live in a city near a zoo, it is hard to get it to compost yourself.
Recycled dung paper is a very creative idea, as long as it isn’t used for food products. It should be naturally biodegradable as well.
Kudos to the Thai’s and the Chinese for their creativity and exceptional ” green” science.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
#69 Karla, that’s great that you watch pandacam. I’m also a 14 year old girl except I live in New York. You’re alot closer to the San Diego Zoo then I am so maybe you can say hi to Su and Sheng for me if you ever see them. Also since you live in Mexico maybe you can answer some questions about the pandas there. It’s three females right? And aren’t they the only pandas in the world that don’t belong to China? Sorry if this is totally wrong I don’t even remember where I read it.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
barbara #70. But don’t forget. The Panda King will be back soon and ” unearth” more sources of bamboo. I think the mound in your yard may indeed be a good place for him to visit.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Ruth, #66
No one seems to have answered your question. IE7 is Internet Explorer 7. I don’t have it on my system either, and probably many of the bloggers don’t. But I still enjoy the cams at all 4 U.S. zoos, and I’m happy to hear that you do too. If I could see them look any better, I would never get anything done!
March 27th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Ruth #66
Apologies for not explaining the term IE7 – it means Internet Explorer No7, this is the latest and best browser application which enables you to browse the internet if you use a Windows operating system, such as XP or Vista. IE7 is downloadable free from Microsoft.
If you have a Mac computer they use different operating system and browers.
Kind regards to all – I hope this assists with viewing the super Panda’s at SDZ
March 27th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Kay, are you OK? We haven’t heard from you in almost three weeks! We hope the Panda King has not accidently panda-napped you.
What are Su Lin and Mei Sheng up to behind the scenes? We see Bai Yun and GaoGao every day. Today we are even getting a new bedroom view on C9, perhaps in preparation for Bai Yun’s maternity suite, after their breeding takes place?
March 27th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Condolences to the Berlin Zoo on the loss of Yan Yan, their 22 yo female panda. It must be devastating to them and to Bao Bao. She was alone when she died and I understand that her caretaker is inconsolable. Just another reason for giving our pandas all the love and care we can.
March 28th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I want to thank you for your comments. I’m doing well and thanks for your concerns about ” Kay where are you” .
#36 I think that one of our guest bloggers answered your questions about where the sub adults are.
#37 #41 answered your questions with great knowledge of pandas.
#64 Hi Max and dad. So glad to hear from you and keep watching. I hope you will get to your zoo in D.C.
P Wong You are so great and I always enjoy your response to my blogs. Thanks.
I want all of you to know that you are the reason for keeping us going. We do it for the bears.
March 28th, 2007 at 9:30 am
#76 and 77 pandaholic and Hazel. Thank you, I’ve just returned from a trip and found your helpful info. In the meantime I found out what IE7 means and I shall certainly try to download it since I have got Windows XP. However, you are right, pandaholic, as it is already I do get totally absorbed in watching the panda cam without zoom. I wonder what is gonna happen if I am able to zoom-in…? It is great that all we pandaholics can ” talk” to each other and discuss everything concerning our beloved pandas.
#69 Karla It was so refreshing to read that young people like yourselves are so interested in the adorable pandas. I truly hope that you will be able to view the pandas ” in person” one day. I am living in Europe, currently in Hungary but will move to Austria in two months’ time, i. e. very close to a pair of pandas at the Vienna Schoenbrunn Zoo. Two years ago I visited the Vienna Zoo and was able to view both pandas in a distance of only about five to ten metres. I was totally mesmerized!!! Good luck to you!
March 29th, 2007 at 4:29 am
It is terribly sorry to hear the death of Yan Yan. I am very astonished at knowing that the panda was an alcoholic and a chocolate fancier as well. How could it be that? Don’t understand!
April 1st, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Laine, #74:
Yes, it’s three females…Xiu Hua, Shuan Shuan, and Xin Xin, I think. And yes, I think they’re the only pandas that aren’t owned by China. China gave Mexico two pandas, and that’s pretty much how it all got started. I think. I’m not an expert!
Margaret…thank you for your kind words! We’ve been watching the Panda Cam for a few months now, sometimes leaving it on all day and checking up on the pandas every time someone sits down at the computer. It’s hilarious how sometimes mom will sit down and scream at us to come over and look at what the pandas are doing…and suddenly everyone in the house is crowded around the computer, going ” Aww!”
We definitely love you guys.
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Karla – what a great family activity! Panda watching! That definitely promotes togetherness. And you can all enjoy the pandas at the same time, without having to repeat the story many times to different people.
My mom is 83 and I just got her interested in watching the panda cams from San Diego, Washington, and Atlanta. She likes watching the antics of the cubs particularly. Unfortunately the only time she and I can watch together is in the evening, and because we live on the East Coast, all the pandas are resting for the night and it is dark at the zoos.
April 2nd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Kay, I always enjoy reading your blogs…Thanks always for your insight about Su Lin, Mei Sheng, Bai and Gao.
It was great seeing you again on my visit on Friday! take care