Shi Shi
Posted at 1:03 pm May 8, 2007 by Christina SimmonsA number of people have written in asking about Shi Shi, the male panda that lived at the San Diego Zoo for many years before returning to China. As you know, Shi Shi was an elderly bear even during his years in San Diego. Our research staff have heard reports that Shi Shi may have passed away at 30 plus years of age. We have not yet been able to confirm these reports and will let panda fans know as soon as we have heard something that can be verified.
Christina Simmons is the associate marketing director for the Zoological Society of San Diego.
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May 8th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Thanks, Christina, for checking on Shi Shi for us. It helps to keep everyone straight in our heads. Has anyone heard anything about Basi since she had her 25 birthday in Dec 2005? She looked like she was treated royallty with a crown, cake, and even ate with a fork!
May 8th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I got to see Shi Shi during a visit back in 2002. During that time, of course Hua Mei was the star of the panda exhibit, but Shi Shi was my favourite. I think partly because of his incredible life story. How he was fortunate to be rescued by villagers and get a second lease of life after being critically injured. He was a trooper! I so much enjoyed the story about Shi Shi being caught in the rain and banging on an entrance wanting to go inside!
But he has contributed so much by allowing us to study and learn about ” senior” pandas. And of course producing Hua Mei. I was glad Shi Shi was able to spend his remaining years enjoying his retirement at a retirement zoo.
I will miss him.
May 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I have been to see all the pandas at the National Zoo over the years and am so glad to be able to keep up with others in this age of information technology. I appreciate that all the zoo keepers take time out of their busy schedules to write as much and as often as they do.
Reading now about Shi Shi, it reminds me of the wonderful family tree diagram posted on the Atlanta Zoo website for its pandas in residence. Could other zoos do the same thing to give us a visual history for all the ” American” pandas?
Thanks, in advance , for consideration.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:13 am
Thanks Christina for the update regarding beloved Shi Shi
If the reports of his demise turn out to be true I will be very sad, he was such a wonderful ‘gentleman’ Together with Bai Yun (and a little AI help), he is the father of the one and only Hua Mei.
My recollections of Shi Shi via the Panda Cam are when he often sat on the C28/C29 pathway eating his bamboo, what a ‘gent’
If he has passed away I hope it was peaceful and he is now resting in Panda Heaven
May 9th, 2007 at 6:46 am
I e- mailed the wolong panda club yesterday asking about the rumors of Shi Shi’s death. I received a reply from Novia and she reports that Shi Shi at this time is alive and as well as possible for his age. I also checked the zoo web sight for Guangzhou zoo and there has not been any reports about him from there. So i guess no news is good news hopefully.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Thank you for the update. I met Shi Shi during a visit to the San Diego Zoo in 2001. Altho he spent much of that visit asleep with his butt to the public, we did get a lovely picture of him eating while a bird sat on a branch nearby.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I was heartbroken to read that Shi Shi may have passed away. I have sent another email to my friend at the Guangzhou Zoo and (hopefull)y will hear back from him soon. Shi Shi has always been my favorite panda and I have several photos of him at his home in China. Even though he may have been a grouchy old gentleman, he was a most excellent panda. Please keep us informed and I will send anything I might hear from Wang Jing.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Although I have never got to see him, Shi Shi does and always will hold a very special place in my heart. His story touched me and am so thankful that there were people out there to help him. He will always live on thru Hua and now all her cubs. No matter where you are Shi Shi, I will always love you!
May 9th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Your very lucky to have those pictures, candy! Im jealous. lol
May 9th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I have read comments from all 4 US zoos about the preferences of pandas for different species of bamboo at different seasons and time periods throughout the year.
Is there any difference in the nutritional content of various bamboo species that are fed to the pandas? Does the soil in which the bamboo is grown make any difference as to the nutritional content?
Since different species are native to China and also in the areas surrounding all 4 US zoos, the pandas here would be eating differently than they would in China. Is bamboo the same in nutritional content globally, but varies in its horticultural properties, or do the horticultural properties affect the nutritional content and therefore taste? Has anyone done any studies on whether it is taste, or texture, or some other horticultural property that seems to be at the center of the changes in the pandas season preferences for different species?
I noticed that some zoos mention feeding shoots and the pandas relishing the shoots in Spring. However, I have not noticed all 4 zoos offering shoots. It would seem from a horticultural perspective that the nutrients would be denser in the new succulent growth of shoots as opposed to the more fibrous culm.
This might provide a new vein for some blogs in the ” wait and see” period we are now entering.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I sure do hope these rumors are’nt true. but if he did pass on… what may have been the cause (s) ?
May 9th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I think Shi Shi was (is?) around 34 years of age, which is very old for a panda. It is very sad to think he has passed on, even though I never got to ” know” him. I hear he was quite a character, and loved by many. Rest in Peace dear Shi Shi, and know that you have brought joy to many in your long life. Your genes live on through your wonderful daughter Hua Mei, and her children.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Is something going on with the Panda cams? I was trying to view the shots of Su Lin in her ice cube pool from 5/8 and also the 5/9 videos, but both cut off after a couple of minutes, at about the noon time frame. The blog above about Sheng and Su playing in their respective pools sounded quite inticing in the hot temps. I wanted to see their reactions, since it has been a long time since I have seen either of them around any water to play with.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:34 am
#9 Rachel, I wish there were some way to share my pictures with all of you. SDZ is not able to put any pictures that they have not taken themselves. If you can figure something out, I would be glad to share. I am hoping Shi Shi is okay, but he is a very old gentleman. What a wonderful gift he gave us in Hua Mei.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I hope the rumours aren’t true. I read on-line on Flickr that Shikari the polar bear had died too. Are people confusing the two or are they both gone or still alive? Where can I get more information? Thanks.
Moderator’s note: You may read about Shikari’s passing at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/san-news-shikari-the-polar-bear/
May 10th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Su Lin is having fun playing with her puzzle feeder ball suspended from the climbing structure this morning. It is the first time I have seen a closeup of her in or near the climbing structure. It is great to see her amusing herself and getting exercise trying to keep her balance while reaching for treats.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:47 am
#14 Candy thanks i will have to think on that one lol
May 10th, 2007 at 11:46 am
#14 Candy and #17 Rachel, Check out Pandas Unlimited at Flickr. It’s a great place to share and see photos of pandas from all the zoos.
May 10th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Thank you for the update on Su Lin weight I have been watching and she just seems so big. Thanks again and also for the update of Meis weight too. Every time I see him he seems bored he is always laying with his arms on the log. Thank you.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
someone from work asked why they only see me watching the pandas, i replied i do check the others off and on during the day. my point, well i put on the elepant cam on and what do I see Moose,Khosi and Punga rolling in the mud bath, what a sight, legs in the air, ears flapping and alot of rolling and a good ol time had by everyone and of course the Mamas were right there to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. I had everybody here almost in tears laughing. What a great sight to brighten a dreary day. Please folks take a peek during the day and be prepared to laugh.
May 10th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Barbara, on rare occasions I will watch other animals on webcam – SDZ polar bears and a few years ago cheetahs when they had so many born at NZ. Meerkats would be fun, but then we have Meerkat Manor on TV. I sure do not want to watch naked mole rats! What is it about pandas that makes them so endearing to watch? Certainly when there is a baby, it is trying to get a glimpse under mama’s paw when they are teeny-tiny. Then once we get that glimpse, we just have to follow along with anticipation as they nurse, grow, crawl, walk, climb, play…and soon we are celebrating each birthday and dreading when they have to go back to China. But even before Tai Shan, I enjoyed watching Tian & Mei together at NZ. Pandas just have a special magic.
Speaking of webcams, has anyone been able to view the pandas at Memphis lately? I haven’t been able for a long time and I just wondered if it’s me or them. I am worried since there may be a birth soon and I would be so sad if I could not watch the baby grow. I hope they are prepared for the onslaught of pandaholics who will want to see and know everything about the baby panda.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Sharon, each time lately I have seen the Memphis cam, the male, Le Le, is featured. I think they are taking the spotlight off of Miss Ya Ya, as she is hopefully expecting a cub or 2. She is on 24 hour watch, just not seen by us cam-watchers. I am sure when/if she gives birth, the joyous pitter patter of lil paws in TN will be shared with the world!
I agree with Diana C.’s recommendation…the Flickr group Pandas Unlimited is superb!
May 11th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Sharon #21 most times i can’t get the wed cam but i have had some luck getting it on real player so if you can try maybe you will have some luck. I know what you mean about those babies you take one look and your heart turns to jello and your taken hook, line and sinker. i believe it’s the eyes.
May 11th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Thanks Diana. I will definitely check out that group! I went and made my myspace all panda with some help from flickr.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Diana, thanks so much. I will try to figure out how to get these pics of Shi Shi on that site. LOL Not a puter whiz here.
Rachel, keep in mind that Shi Shi is also completely blind and is showing his age. Not that it makes any difference to any of us who love him so much.
May 11th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there in panda land and of course our best moms of all Bai Yun, Mei Xaing and Lun Lun for all the joy and happiness you have brought us. and hopefully Ya Ya next
May 11th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Candy
Happy mothers day to you all as well, especially the panda mommies! Well, make that to all the animal mommies! 
Won’t matter to me a bit.
May 11th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
shishi4ever~thanks so much for the flickr info. I am on there now and got into that group. For those of you who have not seen this, Le Le the male panda in Hong Kong is blogging! It’s in english and very very cute! Ocean Park is where they are at.
May 12th, 2007 at 9:18 am
#18 Diana, thks a million for this valuable advice regarding Flickr Unlimited Pandas. I had a real ” panda” ball! What enchanting photos of these beautiful animals! It is great to share the joy and pleasure with all the pandaholics the number of which seems to be growing day by day.
May 12th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
For Panda Mother’s Day
For every Panda Mother living in captivity
We thank you for your sacrifice, for you will never be
The wild and free-born creature that was made to walk the hills
And mountains of your homeland. Instead, your Panda skills
Are channeled into training, and your every move observed,
So the homeland you will never roam can someday be preserved.
Your mates are chosen for you, and you must bear your babes
In artificial hollow trees, or metal, man-made caves.
You can’t know that we love you, but we give you what we can
To try to make you happy in the company of man.
For every Panda Mother who is living free and wild
We thank you for your courage as you raise your Panda child
Alone amidst the dangers, starvation, fear, and strife.
We recognize your struggle to continue Panda life.
We’re trying hard to help you, to preserve your ancient home,
So you can raise your babies as you wish to; all alone.
We cannot give back all the lives we’ve stolen, but the land
Will someday be returned without the company of man.
So Panda Mothers everywhere, in zoos or roaming free,
Accept our deep respect and love, for you have let us see
The best of Mother love: courage and endless sacrifice,
Acceptance of reality and nature’s rolling dice,
To live and love each moment, enjoying what you can,
If you live with, or live without, the company of man.
May 13th, 2007 at 11:26 am
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, QUEEN BAI YUN- YOU’RE THE BEST! :=)
May 13th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Pamela G- What a beautiful writing; it says so much.
May 14th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Thanks for update about Great Grandpa Shi Shi, i hope, his all right in China ald will be for long time! Pamela G. – its great poem! its beautiful! i was cry when a read it, really. You must be a very good person…and happy Mother’s Day for all panda moms, especially for Great Bai and Lun Lun in Atlanta Zoo!
May 14th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Bearutiful, Pamela G, beautiful! Captures the wonderful sentiments of mothers everywhere on their most special day of the year.
As Barbara said so well, ” Happy Mother’s Day to the best panda mothers of all. Thanks ” Bai Yun, Mei Xaing and Lun Lun for all the joy and happiness you have brought us, and hopefully Ya Ya next .”
May 15th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Just wondering how I can see the site that Rachel is setting up of the pandas’s. Been a panda collector myself since 1977. Plus hope Shi Shi is ok since we are close to the same age.
May 15th, 2007 at 9:25 am
When I read the possibility that Shi Shi may have passed, it really made my heart hurt. What a wonderful, albiet grouchy, Panda Man. His daughter, Hua Mei, for me will always be the most special of Pandas and we have his unwilling self (as well as Bai Yun, the world’s Best Mom) to thank for her! And what a wonderful Mother’s Day Poem – - Thanks for sharing that!
May 15th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Sharon#24 I just was looking at the memphis web site and they have added a new feature to their keeper log, a video update from the keepers and they also have provided some information for trouble shooting if you are unable to view the panda cam there. I found it very helpful , hope this info helps. LeLe and Ya Ya are so darn cute, but not like our king and queen
May 15th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Conversation with Shi Shi #1
Tourist: Hello, Shi Shi.
Shi Shi: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: You seem to groan every now and then.
S: Yes, I am old.
T: So are you in pain?
S: No, I groan and look forward to the Bright Havens where there is no sickness and tragedy.
T: You mean like the Grey Havens in Tolkien’s Trilogy?
S: Something like that. Only it won’t be gray.
T: And I heard Gao Gao plans to write a Panda Trilogy.
S: So I hear.
T: Would he write of the Bright Havens, too?
S: That I cannot say. But he’ll surely bring sweetness to this world.
T: You’re certainly right about that.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Thanks much for the flickr info ….and Pam your poem is heartwarming….what all us panda lovers feel but unable to express.
May 15th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Pam, thanks for the beautiful poem…I’ve said it time and again but you have such a way with words. Thank you!!!
May 16th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Wow – that’s an awfully big bear in a pretty scrawny tree! It’s Mei Sheng! I was so surprised to log on this morning and see him – high in a tree. It’s kind of grey and misty here today – so maybe he’s just enjoying the cool moist breezes from up there – and looking for baby sis. Thank you P. Wong for your conversation with Shi Shi. He will always be remembered as Hua Mei’s papa – and a great panda. Here’s hoping, if he has passed, that he is in a special place keeping an eye on all of his grandbabies. I sure hope were hear the pitter patter of tiny panda paws soon!
May 16th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Pam, your poem is wonderful, so touching and true! Should you ever decide to publish your panda poems, I would be first in line for a copy!
P. Wong, your interview with Shi Shi shows him to be a very distinguished and wise elder bear. May his days in heaven be filled with joy, and the tastiest varieties of ‘boo!
May 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Beautiful poem, Pam G. Thank you for sharing it with us. It expresses the feelings of so many of us!
P. Wong, your interviews are always interesting. You see things in the pandas personalities that some of us might have missed and bring them out to let us know there’s more to these bears than just eating and sleeping! LOL Please keep writing them down as you overhear the conversations.
May 17th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Thanks to the Meerkats for great close-up shots of beautiful Bai Yun this afternoon. I loved seeing her lounging in a pile of bamboo enjoying her lunch.
Pamela G–Thank you for another moving poem. If pandas could only understand how much joy and fun they give us. We can never thank them enough.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:49 am
I just got an email from Pandas International that said Endangered Species Day is today, May 18, 2007.
They suggested we all stop and ponder the predicament of all endangered species, especially the Pandas.
It is a great time to think of the plight of all endangered species, and the beauty we are enjoying when we get a glimpse of them in captivity. They are getting the best of care, and attempts to make their captive life as much like their wild routine as possible. But, think of how much more awesome their lives would be if they were roaming free in their own wild ancestral homeland.
What can each of us do to help make an impact, one small step or action at time, to move our natural world back in the correct direction where animals can roam free where they were born to be?
May 18th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Margaret, thank you for bringing it to our attn that today is Endangered Species Day. I am an animal lover and most of my favorite animals are endangered or threatened: cheetah, panda, red panda, tiger, gorilla, rhinos, polar bear. I am a firm believer that humankind is destroying our planet. Habitat destruction & extinction of these animal species only signals the day when humans will be in the same boat, having depleted natural resources that we ourselves need to survive.
I do what little I as an individual can do. I participate to the fullest extent in recycling programs at home and at work. I abhor waste. I contribute to organizations that support preserving the environment, protecting endangered species, & animal rescue. I am a member of my local zoo. I drive a fuel efficient car, and do so in a manner to conserve fuel and pollute less. I am sure that there are many more things that we all could do to preserve and protect our natural world. Those who have children and grandchildren who will inherit this planet need to instill a reverence and respect for animals and nature and encourage them to take an active role.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Hear, Hear Margaret and Sharon! I do, like Sharon, as much as I can. I have also set up my will so that if my daughter doesn’t outlive me, that the World Wild Life fund, and the SD Zoo (and National Zoo) panda funds will get money! I also have rainforest preservation and a number of other animal charities listed.
Please help, everyone, and let’s work together so that our much loved pandas and our world will be around for MANY generations in the future to enjoy!!!
May 19th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Another good way all of us can help endangered species is to go to The Rainforest Site each day and click on the logo. By doing so, there are sponsors that will fund the preservation of approximately 12 square feet of endangered rainforest each day. Also from that site (after you click) you can provide help for Rescue Animals, World Hunger, Breast Cancer, and two sites for children. This is free, as everything is provided by their sponsors. I click on all these each day, and then also do it from the computer at work–it only takes a few seconds.
May 19th, 2007 at 9:40 am
I totally agree regarding doing all we can do for our critters and environment!! I also belong to most of the animal charities, environmental organizations, etc. While I do donate money to these organizations, there are many links on the internet where you can ” click for free” to save land and care for rescued animals. I think many people on set incomes feel they can’t help, but they most certainly can without spending a penny. It is a daily ritual for me. You can also write or email your state and federal legislators when bills come up regarding everything from saving wild horses, to helping the polar bears, and preserving habitat for the Monarch butterfly. What a great feeling you get when you give!!
May 19th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
SHI SHI IS ALIVE!! He is fine!!
I adopt ShiShi. Guangzhou Zoo sent me an e-mail about this rumore on May 17.
The staff of Guangzhou Zoo saild that ShiShi is alive, he is fine.
May 20th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
GREAT NEWS!! I just received an email from my friend, Mr. Jing, regarding Shi Shi. Here it is:
Dear Candy.
I am very sorry for the late reply. The reason I haven’t contact you is because I am fairly busy, and mainly because Mr. Shi Shi is so well, so quiet., nothing much happened to him recently.
Until yesterday I read your email, I was quite astonished why you can get this bad news. Actually in order to make you feel comfortable, I took some Shi Shi ’s photos for you.,so I didn’t have enough time to walk in the enclosure to make more. You can see he is still alive. Right? I also took the Panda House . Please don’t worry about him . I hope when you see this letter , you can relieve. We will surely take excellent care of him. Shi Shi is still quite active during the day. Absolutely an energetic old gentlemen. I feel disappointed that you could not come to see him this year.
Yours,
Wang Jing
Life is good today!!!!
May 20th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Thanks, Candy, and Wang Jing for the great news about Shi Shi. It is wonderful news that the surly old gentleman is still energetic and active during the day. Is it true that he is totally blind? It doesn’t surprise me at his age, and since Basi had catarac surgery several years ago for her eyes.
May 21st, 2007 at 6:23 am
How wonderful to hear that our beloved old gentleman Shi Shi is still with us. The excellent care that he receives has enabled him to be with us even with all his ailments. Thank you Candy and Yoriko for the great news and thank you Wang Jing for taking the time to deliver the great news to all us pandaholics.With all the losses we have endured this is truly a great day. Be well old gentleman.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:05 am
Shi Shi Lives! What great news. Sounds as though he is receiving excellent care–and love. Thanks, Candy.
May 21st, 2007 at 8:10 am
There was a news report from Beijing several months ago that a panda named ” Shi Shi” died in a zoo. That ” Shi Shi” was not our Shi Shi (石石), but spelled differently in Chinese. You just need to check the original Chinese spelling rather than phonetic English spelling, which really doesn’t mean anything.
May 21st, 2007 at 9:29 am
#52 Margaret – Yes, I’m afraid Shi Shi is totally blind. When it is time for him to eat, the keepers bang his dish on the floor for him to find it. I asked wang Jing if he was a candidate for cataract surgery, but I don’t think that is something they are going to do.
May 21st, 2007 at 9:39 am
Thanks so much Candy and Wang Jing, what wonderful news! I am so happy to hear that Shi Shi is still with us, and being so lovingly cared for over in China. As the old saying goes, the rumours of his death had been greatly exaggerated!
May 21st, 2007 at 10:40 am
yay! Yay! yay! I cannot express in words what it means to me to know that ShiShi is still alive and being loved and taken care of. I love ShiShi. he is my favorite and always will be. Thank you so much Candy Thank you as well Yoriko!!! Yay! yay! Yay!
May 21st, 2007 at 10:54 am
Please, please, please post pictures of dear old Shi Shi as soon as you get them.
May 21st, 2007 at 11:42 am
I read this week about Tai Shan and Mei Lan’s training. What are you teaching Princess Su Lin now that she is a grown up independent adolescent female panda? She is spending more time on the ground eating, so that might present more opportunities for training new behaviors. Is she up to presenting paws for blood draws yet?
May 21st, 2007 at 11:45 am
Candy, you mentioned ” his dish” for eating. Is he still eating bamboo, and if so how would he find it, by feeling, or smell. Or is it necessary to feed him vegetables and ground up bamboo and cakes now that he is blind and probably his teeth aren’t so great now. If he was in the wild still, he probably would have been gone long ago. For his sake, it is good that he is in a loving situation where he gets good nutrition and good medical care and lots of attention from his fans.
May 21st, 2007 at 11:46 am
Is it possible to view Wang Jing’s photos Shi Shi somewhere like Flickr?
May 21st, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Thanks for the news, Candy. It seems I read some time ago that Shi Shi was not a candidate for cataract surgery due to his advanced age and general age-related condition. Wang Jing sounds like a very special person.
It’s wonderful to hear that the grumpy old gentleman Shi Shi is still with us!
May 21st, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Annie says:
Great news for all that old Mr Shi Shi is fine. I think I found a pic of him on the web.
Google ‘Guangzhou Zoo’ and the very first website is Guangzhou Zoo. Go there and follow the page down and there is an offer of a postcard you can send to yourself, as in SDZ, and there is a lovely panda pictured. It might be Shi Shi. You who knew him will recognise him if it is. I am fairly new to the webcam and panda blogs but follow all you fellow pandaholics’ comments wtih much joy from Ireland. No pandas here so I look for a chance to come over and visit yours oneday.
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 am
Would love to see those pictures of shi shi 2.
Don’t feel bad Annie. I am in the U.S. and I haven’t gotten to go see them yet. 
Just curious, can pandas favor one paw over another like right pawed or left pawed?
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:47 am
Margaret – I don’t believe Shi Shi has bamboo in its natural form anymore. I was told that his favorite foods are milk and steam bread (whatever that is). I have been told that Shi Shi is also quite good tempered there and rarely gets angry. He just tosses his head when he does have a hissy-fit.
I am hoping to figure out Flickr so I can put some photos of Shi Shi there for you pandaholics (as I stated before, I’m no puter whiz). LOL I will let you know as soon as I get it done.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:25 am
Oh my goodness! I’m so happy to hear that Shi Shi is alive and well! Big hugs to the grand old gentleman. Thank you so much for sharing the news Yoriko and Candy!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:33 am
While waiting for the lovely pictures of Shi Shi to be posted on Flickr (don’t worry Candy, a lot of us are not whizzs at this stuff either; like magnifying the cam pictures % like someone else blogged us–thanks!)…we (Toledo Zoo) are having a great showing of our baby polar cubs (3 no less!) which the zoo has a polar bear cam on them from 10:00-1:00 and then 1:00 to 4:00! If you catch them out, they are delightful to watch, although much more friskier than panda cubs. Probably has something to do with eating meat eventually?? They might not be out today, because there’s a President’s Circle event tonight (which I’m going to YAY!), highlighting the cubs…buy catch it some day. It’s really interesting to see the differences in the the two bear species. I have been a pandaholic since Tai was born, which made me look at these polar cubs in a different light. I can see why pandas were once thought to possibly be in the cat species…they do love to sleep (in, under, around things) and lay about the most luxurious fashion, and are generally gentle in nature.
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:09 am
Thanks Candy. They feed the cubs milk, so it is reasonable that they would also feed an old panda like Shi Shi milk too. It would be easy to eat (drink) and it would be more nutritious. The steamed bread may be the cakes that they feed the pandas, similar to the leafeater biscuits in the US. Maybe they moisten it so he can eat it. Once again the added nutrition would keep him going. I imagine his needs other than food and possibly some attention are few now, so he would be more content to sleep, eat, and occasionally sit and listen (if his hearing is ok).
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:18 am
Okay all my friends. I may have done it!!!! There are now 4 photos of Shi Shi on Flickr. I finally had to make my own group to figure out what I was doing. Giggle If you go to ” Groups” and then do a search for Candy’s Critters, hopefully you will find them. Any comments are welcome (especially if you can’t find the photos)!!
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:37 am
Can Mei Sheng and Su Lin still see each other from trees in their current yards? If so, do they still communicate by chirping or have they stopped ” talking” since they are more familiar with who is in the other tree?
I think I read that you may move Bai Yun to another yard for enrichment and a change until she is ready for the birth of cub(s) in late August. If so, will you move Su Lin back on exhibit? Do you still plan to introduce Su and Sheng through the Howdy Gate? If that goes well, will you allow them into the same enclosure to get some live enrichment from each other?
At what age do they separate the adolescent cubs in the Wolong ” nursery” from each other? Do they ever allow them to interact as 2-4 year old sub-adults not yet of breeding age? I have read that two breeding age sisters are ” housed” in the same enclosure, although they were separated while each was in estrus. Does family relationship make any difference to a solitary animal like a panda? If Wolong is pressed for space, where do they plan to keep 30+ sub-adults from 2005-2006 until they are of breeding age? I believe I also read that they take them somewhere offsite until they are of breeding age. At what age do they stop breeding the females, and males, and move them to zoos in China to live out their retirement years?
If this is Bai Yun’s last pregnancy, how likely is it that she will move to a zoo rather than stay at Wolong? Presumably they don’t have room to keep non-breeding seniors onsite. If they have to move her offsite to a zoo, would it be possible for her to stay in the US at one of our zoos that has plenty of room?
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:44 pm
#71 Margaret
While I really don’t know the answer. I’ve seen videos of Wolong and Chengdu housing breeding age females together. So I would imagine that sub-adults are housed in groups and maybe they each have their own den.
I do know that there is no way there’s enough space for each sub-adult to be solitary.
My thoughts on the family relationships is this. Most likely the sisters were housed together since they were cubs so they don’t know anything else. Again this is just a guess.
#65 Rachel
Check the blog archives back when Su Lin was being weaned and there is an entry all about panda’s right and left paws.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Thanks Candy. Sounds like you had your own ” enrichment” education today.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Candy #70 i went to the flickr site and found your photo’s of Shi Shi it was great to the old gentleman again. Thanks again for taking the time to let all us pandaholics see our original Papa Bear. Great Photos
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
The thought of Bai Yun leaving San Diego is too upsetting to think about. She’s our panda!! I do hope that she can stay at the SD Zoo – she is so, so deeply loved here – and I’m sure if she were asked (and could reply) that she would want to stay as well. I personally don’t care if she couldn’t have any more babies – I just want her to stay and live the rest of her life here – this is her home. – and what better place for her to be than with the people that love her most!
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
here is a news paper in china. ” On Dec.31, 2004, a Japanese girl flew from Tokyo to Guangzhou just to visit her foster panda called Shishi.
Shishi has been to the United States and is the zoo’s only giant panda. On seeing Shishi, the girl was very excited, feeding it carrots and calling its name” .
and there is a picture!
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Great news to hear ShiShi is still alive & doing as well as can be expected. I have signed up for google panda alerts (hoping to get the news any day now that the the Mephis Zoo has a baby panda). One of the alerts today was about the Woolong Research Center & the brood of 19 baby pandas this year. Great as this may be how hard is it to introduce a captive panda into the wild?? The panda they released in the wild got into a fight with the wild pandas & because he born in captivity was passive with the fight – his GPS batteries died & no knows where he is. Is this what we want for this wonderful animal – makes more sense to educate the public in China to save the panda habitat than to send these human raised pandas into the wild where they have no idea of how to survive.
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:05 am
Candy,
I went to Flickr, found Candy’s Critters, and clicked on shishi4ever and found four pages with 63 photos of various bears, but none of Shi Shi. I enjoyed the other photos, however. What did I do wrong? (The first page where I found Candy’s Critters says ” no photos.”
May 23rd, 2007 at 10:11 am
Did you switch the boys on Tuesday? Or am I seeing things?
May 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 am
Marlene #78 – I had to click on the ” Join This Group” box to be able to see Candy’s Shi Shi pics.
May 23rd, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Candy, I can’t get to your photos on Flickr. What am I doing wrong. I entered Candy’s Critters and I also get NO PHOTOS. I would love to see Shi Shi’s latest pics. He is such a memorable bear from his days at SDZ and is the father of Hua Mei and will therefore always be special to SDZ panda fans.
May 23rd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
For Candy’s photos on Flickr, choose advance search, then people. Then, search cricketcandy.
May 23rd, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Just join the group the group and you should see the pictures then.
You can see how weepy and sentimental I got all over them 2. lol
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
SORRY FRIENDS. I guess Angie is right – you just have to join the group to see Shi Shi. It doesn’t cost anything though and is easy to join. I will see if I can figure out anything else to do.
ANGIE – Is this what you did? Go to Flickr, click on groups, sign-up, search for Candy’s Critters. The link that had all the panda photos was put together by another of our friends here. I hope everyone can find Shi Shi now.
May 23rd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Thanks, Candy, and Wang Jing for sharing these photos of this most noble gentleman, Mr. Shi Shi. You can tell he is totally blind, but seems to still have his mind and be at peace in his home.
I followed Angie’s #80 advice. They are great photos that Wang Jing just took so we can all see Shi Shi.
My question to SDZ panda team is, ” What is the oldest living panda’s age?” If Basi is 26, and Shi Shi is in his 30’s, are they two of the oldest living pandas? How long did the oldest panda documented live? Both of them have vision challenges, although Basi had cataract surgery a few years ago that helped her vision and made her more mellow. Wang Jing said that Shi Shi is quiet, and calm now. Since his needs are all anticipated and he is given tender loving care, he has no reasons to become agitated as he did in his younger years and in SD.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:08 pm
It is HIM, Mr. Studmuffin, on the cam, isn’t it? I thought I saw his butt yesterday on the cam, but couldn’t see well.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I loved seeing the pictures of Shi Shi. You come to love these pandas as though they were your own family and when they are taken away it is heartwrenching. I would also love to see some current pictures of our girl Hua Mei. She was the first and will always be closest to my heart. Thank you so much Candy!
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:59 pm
It’s official! Ya Ya in Memphis has been proven today by ultrasound to be pregnant! I’m assuming all of you who get Google panda alerts have been notified, as I was. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for a healthy cub and mother. I am excited because it is the closest zoo (with pandas) to my home! I have seen Bai Yun, Hua Mei, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, but never a cub except via webcam. Although I’m not discounting the cams, because they are wonderful! And of course, that’s the only way we’ll get to see Ya Ya and her cub for a few months.
Thanks, Candy, for posting the photos of Shi Shi. He looks very peaceful and well cared for.
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I just read the news that an ultrsound confirmed YaYa in Memphis is pregnant and is expected to give birth by the end of June. I will be in SD on business in September and plan to see the panadas there for my first time. It occurs to me if Bai does give birth, she and her cub may not be available for viewing in September. That is okay because after returning home to the midwest, I will plan a trip to Memphis at about the time YaYa and cub are available for public viewing. This is so exciting! And even if I cannot see them personally but only via technology, I do hope the other female giant pandas in SD and DC are also with cubs!
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:02 pm
How exciting!!! Our final zoo, Memphis, detected a fetus by ultrasound today! Now we just have to cross our fingers and hope that Ya YA will be OK along with her cub!
With SDZ and NZP waiting word the end of the summer, this is going to be a HUGE year!!!
May 24th, 2007 at 6:44 am
Shi Shi is still as handsome as ever. He does age well and he has awesome care/
Now for some more great news…. YA YA IS PREGNANT. Ultrasound has confirmed it. To see the official announcement, go to memphiszoo.org
May 24th, 2007 at 6:54 am
Wasn’t sure if this is appropriate to announce on this blog, but officials in Memphis have confirmed Ya Ya’s pregnancy.
Somebody earlier was curious. Thanks!
May 24th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Memphis Zoo’s Ya Ya is pregnant!
May 24th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Hooray Hooray YaYa is pregnant! They detected a panda fetus in her ultrasound yesterday. No wonder she is sleeping in her back bedroom and hallway so much. She has started eating less too. You can feel the excitement from Memphis all the way to SD. It will mean the first USA panda cub of 2007, with hopefully at least two more of GaoGao’s little ones on the way too.
They are trying to be patient waiting for the exciting moment of birth, and now that they know for sure she is pregnant, I am sure it is all that much harder.
Let’s hope YaYa is as great a first time mother as BaiYun (the pro 3X now), Mei Xiang, and LunLun.
Please be patient with us pandaholics SDZ panda blog moderators as we get so excited with each birth.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Am I the only one who’s overly excited about Gao Gao’s return to the right side yard? Oh boy…
Anyways, good luck with all the narrators this busy weekend! I’m skipping. I learned a hard way last year. The line was so long, it easily reached Ituri Forest. I’ll be catching up with the pandas on the cam.
End of local topics. Now, you can go back to the national headlines…
May 24th, 2007 at 11:17 am
#95 Sayuri I have loved seeing Mei Sheng but love Gao Gao as well.
May 24th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Ya Ya is preggers. Panda Claus was correct about sweet Ya Ya.
May 24th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Totally new subject . . . . has anyone heard any news about Xiang Xiang, the male panda released into the wild in China? Is he still being tracked and electronically monitored? How’s he doing?
and, of course, congrats to Ya Ya and Le Le on the wonderful announcement that they’re expecting. My husband and I visited them last year (I thought they were much smaller than Mei Xiang and Tian Tian); what an adorable couple! Now we hope they’ll have a precious, healthy cub in a short while.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
The last news I read said that his radio collar had come off, possibly in the fight in which he was injured. They have not been able to locate him since then and don’t know whether he was fatally injured or has healed and moved on, or what his status is.
Has anyone besides me noticed how peaceful and content Bai Yun appears lately. She seems to be making the most of her time alone without a cub to care for. She eats when she wants, sleeps when she wants, and generally enjoys her life without any interventions except when keepers need to move her on or off exhibit. She deserves the break and time to bulk up after her weight dropped so low in the pre-breeding season.
In a couple of month or so, if she is pregnant, I guess we will see more of her sleeping and less of her eating. Mei Xiang also seems to be enjoying her solitary life. It is hard to picture a mother so content without seeing or hearing any traces of the cub they just separated from, but that is the natural way of the panda and we humans need to accept it and try our best to understand it.
May 24th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
About Xiang Xiang, two ladies on Pandas Unlimited was at the announcement of Tai staying 2 more years at NZ.. There were people there representing China and the two of them together asked if they knew anything about XX. The Chinese representative said they had found his body. He died.
So, as far as we know, Xiang Xiang is dead. China doesn’t want to elaborate on this due to it being a failed research project.
May 24th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
A HUGE thanks to Candy Coleman for putting those photos of our beloved Shi Shi out there! I had no problem getting set up to view them. The old boy looks pretty darn good and I was glad to see he’s in a nice clean facility. He is obviously getting good care or he would not be around.
From one pandaholic to another – KUDOS!
May 25th, 2007 at 1:33 am
The Chinese official admitted that Xiang Xiang would probably died. Coments from local experts raised that the area where Xiang was released was wrongly chosen as there has been living a dense population of pandas already. There was no room for Xiang anymore so it could not manage to have its territory built.
They should not released it to the wild again just after a brief treatment in the center. However, the official said their release program would be failure if they did so. Now, no one knows the status of Xiang and thus no one can claim that their release program fail as well.
May 25th, 2007 at 7:53 am
Candy, I went back over the pictures again today and I forgot to mention the beautiful sayings in the squares about a back rub and how much Shi Shi is loved by all,even though our old gentleman cannot see i am sure he feels the love that we have for him. Thanks again to you and Wang Jing for sharing the photos with us. Memphis is going to have hopefully two celabrations this year, a baby panda and the Elvis celabration it should be a big summer in Memphis. Congratulations to Le Le and Ya Ya. and everyone at the zoo who helped make this possible
May 25th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I’m the guilty one who made those notes on shi shi’s pics.
I could not contain my happiness.
May 25th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Rachel, They were wonderful and from the heart, it meant something special. Wasn’t it wonderful to see the big Papa Bear, It brought back wonderful memories of Hua Mei and how she has evolved to being a mother and the Big daddy being a honorable grandfather. Thanks for doing that.
May 25th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Y H Ng, I have been heartbroken since hearing of Xiang’s passing. I agree that he should not have been released back into the wild after his injury. The poor dear, for whatever reason, could not defend himself. I believe the people in charge of this project need a major re-think before they attempt this again.
May 25th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Candy and Wang Jing, thanks SO much for sharing the photos of Shi Shi. He does look darned good for his age, and it is obvious he is being lovingly cared for. I like the openness of his environment, gives him plenty of fresh air! Rachel, I get a kick out of your notes for his pics!
I am over the moon with joy about Ya Ya’s impending motherhood. I visited her and her hubby Le Le last fall, and fell in love with them both. A lil disappointed that it will be a few more weeks til we see her wee lil ” peanut” (as the cub has been described, size-wise), but that just means all the more time for cubbie to grow healthy and strong for it’s big debut!
May 28th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
How said to hear that Xiang Xiang was unable to survive in the wild. While China is doing a wonderful job of breeding these magnificent animals – thought needs to be done about releasing hand raised cubs into the wild – where they have no idea of how to cope.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:50 am
It is reported today that Xiang Xiang’s body was found on 19 February and believed he died for food or territory fighting with other wild pandas. The official said Xiang’s death would not fail their research program and they would go on releasing other pandas to the wild.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:29 am
To all, my friend sent me a article on Yahoo news this morning that Xiang Xaings body was found on Feb. 19th on snow covered ground, he died from serious injuries to his chest and stomach from a fall from a high place and was most likely in a fight with another male panda. The people from Wolong said that his death is not a failure of the project. I don’t believe this panda was ready to be left in the wild and that the place he was left was to over crowded to sustain another male.I am sorry to give this bad news, but we all heard rumors and I guess this is the proof.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Yes, I also read that China finally released info about Xiang Xiang’s death, months after it happened. To think this hand raised cub was released in an over populated area of wild pandas is heartbreaking. Let’s hope that none of cubs here in the US suffer the same fate.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:46 am
To Candy Coleman. I have been trying to get a picture/s of Shi-Shi. But SDZ store don’t have it. If possible can you send me couple of them.
June 6th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
It is very very sad about Shi-Shi. Thank you Shi -Shi for giving the world a beautiful Hua-Mei and your adorable grand cubs. You will be missed.
Congratulation Memphis! We are looking forward to the 100 days. We will be there!
Moderator’s note: Shi Shi is alive and well. See comments #50 and #51
June 7th, 2007 at 4:20 am
Chi Chi – The photos are on Flickr and you can see them there. Read comments #80 through #84
June 22nd, 2007 at 11:25 am
Hi! I haven’t heard anymore updates about Shi Shi since the news of her possible death over a month ago or so. Have you all been able to confirm what has happened to Shi Shi yet? If and when you do, please let us know ASAP, ok? We would like to know what has happened to her. The short statement that you gave back in May just left us with a cliffhanger, so we would love to have a better update about her when you get it.
Thanks,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: Please see comment #50 and 51 above for the good news that adult male Shi Shi is still alive and seems to be doing well at his zoo in China.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Hey Guys I think u shud not be worried abt Shi Shi bcoz he is doing quite good at the Guangzhou Zoo. I live in Guangzhou and this zoo is very near to my university campus. I have visited the zoo twice, once last year and once recently on 31st May 2008. I saw him this time too. Though I didnt take his picture this time as he was sleeping. But he is always sleeping. It seems he has become too old and has even become blind bcoz of which he is not very active. But he is still alive and thats what counts I guess. So all u Shi Shi fans dont worry.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I just now heard on the news in San Diego that Shi Shi died over the last weekend of natural causes. This saddens me as I dearly love our Pandas. It was a pleasure to have met him and taken many pictures of him. July 10th, 2008