Shifting Gears
Posted at 10:24 pm August 17, 2007 by Suzanne Hall
Giant panda Bai Yun has had a highly variable pattern of den departures in the last week. After having her first bamboo meal on August 12, she began coming out of the den several times a day for short feeding bouts. Over time, these bouts lengthened from 1 to 3 minutes to as much as 12 to 13 minutes spent feeding. However, after getting her fill for a few days, she opted to take August 16 off, with no den departures for more than 31 hours. And today, she is back in top form, having left the den nine times as of 8:30 p.m. thus far.
The cub appears to be getting a bit more vocal now. Maybe it is really feeling full of itself now that its belly is always filled with milk, and it has adjusted to life outside the womb. Although it is quite content to rest quietly in Bai Yun’s arms, or on the ground near her, it will also complain loudly if it is unsatisfied. We have noticed that during nursing bouts, the cub might squawk a bit more, as if to tell its mother it needs more assistance in getting to the nipple, or to complain while she licks it vigorously while it attempts to feed. At times, this mellow little infant seems plenty assertive.
The keepers and researchers will be ending their 24-hour watch of dam and cub tomorrow. This means that the Panda Cam image will be unattended at times. We will continue to monitor Bai Yun more intensively than when she is not with a cub, as we are studying the development of infant pandas from birth to weaning, and there will be plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy Panda Cam sessions with an attentive staff member at the helm of the camera.
But rest assured that our occasional absence is actually good news: it means that everyone, from veterinarians to keepers to researchers, feels secure that Bai Yun has done a great job of navigating this most critical time in a panda cub’s life. She has once again brought a young panda into the world and given it stellar care, and this youngster appears healthy and robust. So much so that the staff here feels that we can begin to get back into our own lives, see our families and friends on a more regular schedule, and get some much deserved rest ourselves.
Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician with the Giant Panda Unit of Applied Animal Ecology/San Diego Zoo.
Listen to Suzanne’s newest iZoofari Chat as she talks about the cub’s first week.
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August 17th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Hello,
First off, thank you very Suzanne for your very informative iZoofari chat as well as this interesting update. I really enjoyed both of them.
I suddenly thought of a question about the video footage you researchers use to observe the cub and mother.
I believe it was mentionned somewhere that the footage taken from the den is being videotaped non-stop for future reference. Is the recording still going on 24 hours right now? When does that phase of video recording generally stop? Is it at the same time as the end of the staff’s 24-hour watch period?
Also, I seem to have understood that you are taping on VHS tapes. Is there a particular reason for that? The thing is, DVD recorders being so affordable now and blank DVDs having become much cheaper than VHS tapes, I would believe that taping things on a DVD would be cheaper than VHS. And I’m not even talking about the amount of space you’d have freed up by having DVDs instead of those big VHS cassettes… Plus the cost of having those stored… For these reasons, I’m wondering, why aren’t you switching to DVD format?
Also, another question: I know you are recording behavioral data on mother and cub (and probably the other pandas too) with the help of charts. Is this done on paper? And if yes, is this later converted into an electronic format for compilation? Do you use specialized software if that is the case?
Well, back to lurking on the blogs and watching Bai and baby for me!!! Keep up the good work everyone!
Clara
P.S. If Sophie (blog reader who made a comment a while ago) still reads this, I live in Montreal too!!! I’m glad to know there is a fellow pandacam watcher in my city!!! I’m not alone anymore, YAY!!!
August 17th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Thank you so much for the update and all that you have done! Without the SDZ staff, I would never have thought this level of interaction in such an early stage of a panda’s life would have been possible. Maybe now that the camera won’t be following every move, I can try to get some work done!
August 18th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Get back to your lives? See your families??? BUT WHAT ABOUT US??? ;-D
Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for these two weeks. It’s been an absolute joy watching Bai Yun and CTBN (Cub To Be Named), and all your efforts are greatly appreciated.
August 18th, 2007 at 5:28 am
Thanks for the new update, Suzanne! We’ve been able to see that the cub is obviously thriving under Bai’s wonderful care. It’s good to know that the staff can relax a little and get back to their lives, too. You’ve all done a stellar job of watching over the 2 of them!
The changes in little cubmuffin are just incredible this past week! It’s so amazing to watch it turn so quickly into what really LOOKS like a little panda. It has fattened up so much in the past week it’s hard to belive!
We still try to patiently wait for Bai’s signals that it’s OK to scoop it up for it’s 1st exam!
Bloggers – if you’ve not listened to Suzanne’s latest iZooSafari chat – what are you waiting for? It’s great!
August 18th, 2007 at 8:13 am
Lullabye for Number Four Child
Hush, hush, my baby. Mama is here.
There’s nothing to cry about, nothing to fear.
I’ll keep you clean and I’ll keep you well fed,
And I’ll share my warmth on our fine bamboo bed.
For I am Bai Yun and you are my fourth child,
And though I can”t give you a life in the wild,
I will give you a life that is healthy and strong,
And I will teach you all of our Panda songs.
The Song of the Trees, and The Song of Bamboo,
The Climbing Cub Song, and the Wrestling Song too!
The Song of the Water, The Song of the Earth,
The Song of the Wind; these are all yours by birth.
And it won’t be long, baby, before you are grown
Enough to know that you have songs of your own.
So sleep now, and listen, because until then,
Bai Yun will sing you the Song of the Den.
August 18th, 2007 at 8:22 am
Many thanks, Suzanne. These first two weeks have been incredible. Your iZooSafari Chats have been great and your frequent blogs have been so informative, too. As a fellow San Diegan, I hope you can have some relief from the confines of the Panda Conservation Station–It’s hot and sunny, and wonderful outside!!
August 18th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Suzanne, thanks for the new update, and also for your latest izoofari chat, which was so informative!
Our little cubmuffin appears robust & active; too cute for words as he/she continues to thrive under Bai’s expert care. It’s wonderful to see him/her popping out under Bai’s chin, or resting on one of her paws; Mother Nature will never cease to both amaze & mesmerize me!
When Bai leaves the den, the little one is definitely becoming more curious & aware of his/her surroundings; in only two short weeks of life, the physical changes are fascinating to witness, and we thank everyone at the SDZ for this wonderful opportunity.
If it weren’t for the panda cams, we would never know how truly difficult it must be for a mother panda in the wild to raise her cub and have it survive. We all now have a better understanding as to why these precious bears were nearly extinct, and applaud all the conservation efforts around the world which appear to be preventing this from happening.
August 18th, 2007 at 8:53 am
Every Panda Cub’s First Song
Mama’s fur and Mama’s smell.
Mama’s whisper, ” All is well.â€
Mama’s milk and Mama’s arms.
Mama’s tongue that bathes and warms.
Mama’s love, boundlessly deep
Surrounds me as I safely sleep.
August 18th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Thank you all at SDZ for your kindness to all of us watching beautiful Bai Yun and her little one. It has been incredible to watch Bai Yun from the first day. Her constant care and attention of her baby touch me deeply. The iZoofari chat was extremely interesting and answered a lot of questions I had (especially the comparison with other bears). Thank you so much. Now go enjoy friends and family and know that we appreciate all you have given up to monitor these first two weeks of life for the baby and to ensure that Bai Yun is okay. I imagine you’re hearing that stopwatch ding in your sleep!
August 18th, 2007 at 9:48 am
And a well-deserved rest for all of you!! Bravo to the crew for your dedication, and a big kiss to Bai Yun and Cubbie!!
August 18th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I live in SoCal and I can tell you exactly what the little cub is saying to Mama Bai, ” Turn up the air-conditioner, it is hotter than heck in here.” Keep cool furry ones. Happy Birthday Mei Sheng!
August 18th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Thank You for the dedication and hours upon hours, days after days, given in order that the Giant Panda may be saved and loved! Rest up because sooner than later, that little baby will be wiggling out of your grasp and doing things like keeping you all up all night watching baby sleeping in a tree:-) What a treat it is to go the SDZ Pandacam site and view the ” Stars” !
Sincerely,
Bobbie Wood
August 18th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Jennifer’s comment, ” BUT WHAT ABOUT US???, made me laugh!! It kept coming back into my head afterwards and brought a smile each time.
Dear Panda caretakers, you do have your families and friends to see whom you’ve neglected during these
hectic weeks. But remember that while you’ve been ” away” from your immediate family, you’ve been
enthralling, educating, and bringing so much joy to your extended family in Panda Land.
Thank you for taking care of all the Giant Pandas. If I could, I’d love to fill in for you for a week so that you
could go on a long vacation!
I look forward to visiting in September – my first visit in many years. I’m sorry that Gao Gao will not be
on exhibit. I looked forward to congratulating THE MAN!
August 18th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Wow, it’s already been 2 weeks. Where does the time go? It flies when you are watchng a cub that seems to grow by the minute.
I wish all of you a great reunion with your families and loved ones. You have been working hard and are appreciated. T H A N K S ! ! !
Happy Birthday tomorrow to Mei Sheng. May your bamboo always be sweet and your keepers always be merry!
Love, Joy
August 18th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Hello all!
Well, I just want to wish you all a very good rest after these two intense weeks.
Thank you so much to keep us updated and it will be fun also to see the other bears sometimes, we still love them too!!!
I can’t wait to know if ” Sweet Pea” is a she or a he!!! I really enjoy these moments watching Bai and her little treasure, it’s so ZEN to see them sleep that I almost fall asleep too
Clara : What a nice surprise to finally meet someone from Montreal in here. Me too, I don’t feel that alone anymore
Thanks for letting me know that you are here!!! Hope to talk to you soon!
Take care everyone and I’m going back to my bears… *umh…I am such a ” mom” for them*
Sophie
August 18th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Cheryl (#86, 8/17) raises an important question about the babies of solitary-living mammals becoming imprinted on the intense social contact between mother and cub in the early stages of life. At this point the new cub is only two weeks old, and we are hearing from Suzanne that Bai Yun is leaving the den more frequently and for longer periods of time. As the cub’s chances of survival on its own improve, and as the mother begins to move toward a more normal feeding pattern, it won’t be long before daily contact declines to maybe 10 to 20% of the daytime hours.
Imprinting is a form of learning that occurs in some animals, and it usually occurs during a sensitive period in the early life of the animal in question. A brilliant ethologist named Konrad Lorenz made the classic case of imprinting geese on his walking boots, and they followed him everywhere he went. It turns out that geese and some other species imprint on the first thing that moves away from them in this sensitive period, and if undisturbed this is always the mother. Lorenz took the place of the mother, and if you were to go to certain parts of the world today (like China), you will find a person with a pole and a flag attached to its end that daily leads the geese to the chosen pasture for grazing. The flock was imprinted on the flag at the critical time.
Giant pandas do not experience imprint learning as far as we know, and, as Cheryl indicates, as they become dependent on bamboo for nourishment, they have to spread out so it is not overgrazed. In other words, they develop an aversion to close social contact. It is virtually impossible to measure loneliness under natural conditions, but I don’t think the reproductive system would work if that were a significant factor. We must always be careful about imputing human emotions to other classes of animals.
August 18th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Bai Yun came back into the den a couple of times today and seemed to be fluffing up the straw. At one point I thought the cub was going to go flying. Is this typical and I’ve just not seen it before?
Also, wondering if the den is in an air conditioned area or is the temperature the same as outdoors?
The cub is amazing, so fat and the markings are so pronounced now, it’s looking very much like a miniature panda bear these days, so cute!!
August 18th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Well, good news & bad news I guess. Good news is our cubbie is doing well enough not to be monitored 24/7 -bad news we may not have such wonderful panda cam shots. Thanks for giving up your lives for the past 2 weeks to insure the well-being of this wonderful animal. Now we just wait for news of it’s first exam.
August 18th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Did anyone else see mama return to the den and couldn’t find her cub? She threw her den up one side and down the other and I was scared that the babe was going to go flying with all the straw. I think she was actually frightened….and seemed so relieved when she found the cub and began nursing.
Thanks to all the volunteers for keeping us up-to-date these past two weeks. You done GOOD!
August 18th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Don #16 – regarding pandas being lonely – while I don’t lnow why the NZ put Tian Tian back with Mei Xiang after her false pregancy her mood sure improved with him there with her. Before he was back with her all she seemed to do was sleep & now she romps around like a youngster again. More studies are needed with these strange animals.
August 18th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
It is wonderful to hear the cub is making great progress. The cub getting cuter by the day, can’t wait to watch him/her start learning to crawl…..mama Bai Yun is just fantastic!
August 19th, 2007 at 12:51 am
My dad said something funny a couple of days ago about Pandas. He said, ” Pandas are proof that God has a sense of humor.”
And it never really hit me just how right he was until I came home from a bad day at work, went online, and saw that baby…
It’s funny how such a little thing has already made such huge impacts on different aspects of life…
And it’s thanks to you, Suzanne, Bai Yun, and of course! the rest of the FANTASTIC Panda Staff that he’s here with us.
Thanks to you all. You are in my prayers.
Now go rest! Heroes, too, deserve breaks!
August 19th, 2007 at 3:52 am
SDZ excellent team, thanks for the great effort and love to Bai Yun, the cubbie and her family!!
The cub has a special meaning to me as my little sister was also born on 3 August, though many years ago
It will be the first cub I will keep watching in the panda cam for her/his growth and development.
Dearest Mei Sheng, happy birthday^^ I love to see your smiley face and your encounters with sister Su Lin at the howdy gate. Wonder if you two would get the chance to actually meet and play together before you leave SDZ.
Travel well, my sweet young man. Certainly, I will miss you much. Look forward to seeing you in Wolong.
With lots of love across the miles ***
August 19th, 2007 at 4:16 am
It’s early morning on Mei Sheng’s special day and I was fortunate to see the cub wiggling in the nest while mom was outside for a few minutes. What a treat to read Pamela G.’s two poems. She can express beautifully what we are all thinking.
August 19th, 2007 at 5:23 am
Mae (#13) Gao Gao may be on exhibit in September. I was at the Zoo last week and they said that they will begin crate training Mei Sheng soon and he will be going off exhibit, thus putting Gao on exhibit.
August 19th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Any way you can make short videos with audio so we can hear the little one vocalize?
Thank you for the work you do and the Panda Cam so we can see this amazing event
August 19th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I am hooked on Pandas! For the past year I have been watching the baby Panda at the Atlanta Zoo ,who will be a year old in August and now this baby Panda in San Diego. Mother Nature ceases to amaze me how these beautiful animals take such great care of their young. Keep up the good work!
August 19th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Happy Birthday Mei Sheng! xoxo
August 19th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Pam, #25, thank you very much for the information about Gao Gao. Of course, I want everything, so I
want to see Mei Sheng before he leaves for China, and Gao Gao, and Su Lin, and Bai Yun, and baby cub!
I know that won’t be possible, so I’ll continue watching the webcam for the precious glimpses of these
incredibly appealing bears. Didn’t someone say this was an addiction??
My husband will want to see the entire zoo, so he’ll have to pull me away from the beautiful Giant Pandas.
Three weeks and I’ll be there in person! Yeah!!
August 19th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I know that GaoGao is on the small side for a male Panda, but what about Mei Sheng(his & Bai Yun’s son)? Does Mei Sheng take after Gao in size & manner? If he’s anything like Gao, that panda will be sought after to father many, many Pandas!
August 19th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
It’s not surprising to hear that the 24 hr watch is ending. Bai Yun’s proven herself quite capable of raising wonderful panda cubs. I’ve just had the privilege of visiting Su Lin and Mei Sheng in person. They are thriving in the loving environment there at SDZ; and both are gorgeous, funny, and wonderful bears! I’m sorry to have missed Gao Gao, but I’m happy to hear he’s basking in the glow of unknowing fatherhood in his off exhibit space. I look forward to watching little cubmuffin grow and learn all of the great things that make panda watchers smile.
Great job to all at SDZ!
And, as always, truly fitting poems from our panda poet laureate, Pam G!
August 19th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Pam G (#5 and
— Thank you for two absolutely beautiful poetic comments. They both touched my heart tremendously.
August 19th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Baby really is starting to look like a tiny version of Bai now. So cute! I can’t wait to find out if we have a boy or a girl. Although since females can only give birth every year or two and males can potentially sire several offspring a year I’m hoping for a girl.
Happy birthday Mei Sheng! I hope you got a nice frozen birthday treat today
Many thanks to the devotion of the SDZ staff!
August 19th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
19:00 SDZ time on 8/19/2007. What a great looking baby panda. Again congrats to SDZ. So many bloggers have been anamored with the name ” Bright Star” . It is really a great name!! Keep it going.
Bai Yun is a great mother….but we all knew that! SDZ is a great panda zoo…but we all knew that! Congrats again!
August 19th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Mei Sheng,
Happy Birthday and Happy New Beautiful Life!
I’ll miss you.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Hi, you all! Barbara (#27), Mei Lan in Atlanta will be a year old on September 6, and the Atlanta Zoo is planning a week full of interesting and educational activities to celebrate Mei’s birthday. You can go to zooatlanta.org for more info.
Suzanne, thanks for this recent update. As usual, very informative! I’ve been seeing the cub off and on for brief periods of time when I was able to get on the pandacam in between everything else I’ve been doing lately. I spotted the cub a couple of days ago and saw that those black markings have really started to show up better. I read one of the comments about Bai losing her cub in the den then finding the cub after moving all the straw and bamboo everywhere. That was an unusual thing to happen. From what I’ve read in earlier blogs, mother pandas will usually find their cubs very quickly when they come back into their dens after eating, usually by their sense of smell. I’m glad that Bai did find her baby, tho! I know that everybody had a heart attack while that was going on!
Loved the 2 poems that were written today. They really said alot about panda moms and babies. Both poems were beautifully written by the poets!
Mei Sheng—HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY!!!!! Hope you enjoyed your day with lots of presents, bamboo, and naps! We’ll all be sad to see you go to China, but you will be a very good addition to the panda population at the research station there.
To everyone at SDZ Panda Station, you have done a great job with the pandacam and the updates. Even tho that you have cut back from the 24/7 routine, please do your best to keep us informed of what’s going on with Bai and baby, especially when the vets finally start their evaluation checks on the cub. Can’t wait to find out if this cub is a boy or girl! Also, do your best to give us the best cam shots that you can on Bai and baby.
To the person that wrote about Mei Xiang and Tian Tian at the DC zoo—I’m glad that those 2 were finally put back together after a long 2 1/2 years apart! I watched them on that zoo’s panda cam today, and they were really having fun in a tree trying to wrestle each other off of that poor tree! One of the pandas actually broke a small branch off of the tree while trying to swap at the other panda. That was fun to watch! I was happy for Mei Xiang because she needed this interaction to get her mood up and more positive after a disappointing nonpregnancy. Mei and Tian get along very well, thank you! The panda keepers at the DC zoo have been bringing both bears together off and on for a good couple of months or so, and they are very happy to see them play, eat, and nap together again!
Well, back to the panda cam to try to catch a peek at baby panda!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
August 19th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Happy Birthday, Mei Sheng–you smart, handsome, and oh so lovable guy. It’s been such a pleasure watching you grow. Thank you to everyone at SDZ who has helped Mei Sheng thrive all these years.
Pamela G–your poems are marvelous, as always. Thanks so much for continuing to share them with all of us.
I just caught a glimpse of the cubmuffin and, my goodness, it looks so much bigger. Bai Yun, you are the best!
August 19th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I downloaded an image on 8-18 (time: 10:28:21) in which the cub is lying spread-eagle on its back. The camera was not zoomed in sufficiently to see any details, but I’m wondering if the cub’s gender can be determined from such images, or is it still too soon to tell?
August 19th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Just thinking about some of the comments made today and yesterday. If in fact it is true that Bai got upset because she couldn’t find the cub, then it is not quite the time for its first exam. However, there was another explanation, and that was that she was fluffing up the bamboo. I did not see the event myself, and went to the time lapsed video to do just that. However, its impossible to tell what she was doing. I leave it to the experts and know they will not do anything too soon. They have been so cautious about everything, from walking Gao Gao past the den, to giving Bai a quiet den. Thanks to all the people that take care of these panda’s, and all the animals that live there, and every other zoo and sanctuary. If not them, then who?
August 20th, 2007 at 3:50 am
Thanks to Pamela G. for beatyful lullaby, its great! Greetengs for our mommy and cubbie, its a boy or girl…? Thanks for your great job, San Diego crew!
August 20th, 2007 at 6:10 am
I just wanted to thank everyone for all the hard work they are doing with baby and momma. I found the CamZone site a few days after the baby was born and it’s really helped cheer me up. I’ve been feeling a little homesick recently and seeing baby and momma have brought back some really nice memories from the Panda’s first visit in the 80’s to our last trip home in ‘99. I can’t wait until we are able to move back home and see them again in person. Until then, I think the PandaCam will be enough and I look forward to watching baby grow up. Thank you again for all your hard work and sharing your time with us.
August 20th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Suzanne, I was not able to catch much in the way of birthday fun yesterday. When time permits, will there be a video for us to see?But, I did see wonderful cam film on the baby cub and Mama. The cub’s black markings are beautiful. Blessings, Claudia
Moderator’s note: Video of Mei Sheng’s birthday is now posted at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/index.html
August 20th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Other pandaholics like myself will have seen Bai leave her cub for a short while on C14 at 10.00am and 4.00pm(SD) Sunday 19th August when we were treated to a lengthy viewing of her well trained cub, I did not ’see’ it vocalising!
I also saw Bai with her cub in her sunroom (C21) so he/she has been on the move ….
This morning 20th August at 06.30am (SD) Bai also left the cub for a short while for another excellent viewing and I decided that his/her saddle markings are very similar to those of Mei Sheng, fingers crossed we possibly have another little boy.
On the 19th August I saw infrequent viewing of Mei Sheng at 9.30am (SD) I missed any 4th birthday celebration so hopefully it will be on video.
Thank you all staff for caring for the pandas especially Bai Yun and her cub – not forgetting the man himself – GAO GAO – who without his contribution it would not have been possible…..
August 20th, 2007 at 8:56 am
back again…..
watching the cub with Bai at 08.50am (SD) – it is very mobile, with it’s head up, tail arched over the back, it must be a little boy…. would any self respecting girl behave like that !!……
August 20th, 2007 at 9:07 am
I didn’t get to watch this weekend as planned because we had some violent storms here on friday and saturday and I wasn’t able to read Pamels beautiful words until today.
Pamela G. simply the best , you have such a beautiful heart and a way with words. You always seem to have the right words at the right time. I always have tears of joy when i read your poems, they are something to cherish always Thank you. Now i enjoyed Mei Sheng’s birthday video, he went right for his fancy ice cake and seemed to enjoy it very much,I guess this was a combination birthday / going away party now that you are going to prepare him to go back to China.I sure will miss him. now i have to catch up on some blogs and my regular work.
August 20th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I’m wondering what the cub’s first physical exam might involve, and about how long it takes to conduct it. Knowing Bai Yun’s erratic comings and goings from the den, I’m sure you’d like to reduce her maternal anxiety as much as possible. When the time comes, I hope the cub’s squeeks and squawks are minimal, so as not to make mamma too anxious. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a boy or a girl. We all can see how healthy our cubbie is. Great job, Bai Yun and Gao Gao!
August 20th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Pamela G. – Once again you bring tears to my eyes. You really do need to get your beautiful words published. Just think – you could become rich and famous and be able to visit all the pandas in all the zoos everywhere. Of course, if you needed a traveling companion, I’m available. LOL
Suzanne and all your co-horts……as always, thanks for the great work. I’m sure you will all have sweet dreams now that you can finally get somer sleep.
Hugs and kisses to all our critter friends.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Pamela G #5, you must have been reading my mind. I came across the lullaby from Bai Yun to Su Lin while shifting through some papers this morning. I was going to ask you to write a new one, or repeat the previous one as it is so thoughtful of the bond between mother and cub.
Cubbie sure is growing. I haven’t been able to check in since last Thursday, and it is amazing how much bigger, not just plumper, it has gotten in 5 days. The way it squirms when Bai Yun licks it or while it is manuvering under her forepaws, it is quite a healthy little one. Perhaps it is more assertive like Mei Sheng, which might tend to lead me to believe it is a male. However, Mei Lan is the only little cub I have been privileged to watch at this stage, and she is very rambunctious. So, for now, only Bai Yun and GOD know, and we will have to wait until the first Vet check which should be happening soon?
Great job by all involved with the birth and care of Bai Yun during this critical time. We hope you all enjoy a very well deserved rest. Besides, you can share your firsthand experiences with your friends and families as you catch up on lost time.
August 20th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Pamela G, thanks for another lovely, touching poem. Bright Star is growing so fast, and I am looking forward to knowing if we have a girl or boy. Great to know that the SDZ staff can return to some semblance of normacly, after all the intense work of the past few weeks.
August 20th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I too, have watched all of the panda cubs from day 1. It seems that this one is growing faster and is getting bigger much more quickly than the other three. Also, thank you Bai Yun for giving us those precious glimpses far more frequently than you you have done in the past. Thank you SDZ for the great job you are all doing helping to preserve this endangered species.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Hi! Just got back on the pandacam to check in on Bai and baby at a little after 2am EDT (11pm PDT), and there he was snuggled between Bai’s big arm and her chin/neck. Also got a great look at the black markings on the cub. They are very visible now! You can actually see where the closed eyes and ears are, and the broad black marking on the shoulders. Whoever was on the cam tonite deserves some great kudos for the great shot that I got tonite! Great work, you guys!! Also saw Bai scoot the baby over a little bit when she rolled on her side to make sure that he was out of the way of her head! She’s a smart mom! Well, gonna go to bed tonite, and will check in on the cam tomorrow. Also, please be praying for all the people in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. They are going to get severely hit by Hurricane Dean that is now a category 5 storm! Thank goodness you all in California do not have to deal with these storms every year like we have to do here in Florida! They are very scary storms to deal with!! Lots of love to Bai and baby! Nite!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
August 21st, 2007 at 4:31 am
I got a great look at the precious cub last night…I do think that instead of a ‘butterstick’ this little one should be ‘butterball’! Looks like Bai is finally getting to eat too, that is good…staying tuned for baby’s first exam!
August 21st, 2007 at 5:57 am
I too saw the cub on his/her back yesterday. Bright Star didn’t seem all too happy. Thought he was going to roll over but couldn’t quite make it. Too cute.
Did anyone see Tian and Mai yesterday and the National Zoo. They were having a grand old time and ended up chasing each other up a tree. Too Too funny. It had to be Tian up the tree first. Looked like he couldn’t figure out how to get down. But of course made it.
August 21st, 2007 at 8:51 am
Suzanne, ref #25, ” Pam Says: Gao Gao may be on exhibit in September. I was at the Zoo last week and they said that they will begin crate training Mei Sheng soon and he will be going off exhibit, thus putting Gao on exhibit. ”
Are Mei Sheng and Su Lin still interacting at the Howdy gate, or have they been separated again pending Mei Sheng’s crate training and going off exhibit. I have not seen either of them near the Howdy Gate either on live camera or on the time-lapse video. Has either of them shown agression toward the other? Are they still showing any interest in each other, or have they become accustomed to the other’s presence and now ignore it?
From a behavioral point of view, has the decision been made not to allow them access to each other in the same exhibit? And, if so what prompted the decision one way or another?
It seems logical to me that due to pending quarantine of Mei Sheng that he and Su Lin either have already been separated or will be soon. No chances of carrying any undesirable germs or viruses across the Pacific will certainly be part of the strict regimen for trans-Pacific travel, even if he goes solo on a plane by himself. Since he is more ‘needy’ of human attention that Hua Mei was, will you need to be present with him longer? How many SDZ keepers go with him to keep him unstressed, and for how long will they stay at Wolong? Or, is there already one or more, keepers from Wolong at SDZ getting aquainted with him so he will be comfortable on the trip with them and no SDZ keepers will be required to make the trip?. After all, all SDZ keepers and staff are just completing 24/7 watch of Bai Yun and Cub #4.
Please post a brief, with details to follow, update on the process of preparing Mei Sheng for his momentous trip. Although everyone is intently watching ” Bright Star/Cubmuffin” grow, we are also very mindful that Mei Sheng will soon be slipping off our horizon and out of our view. To keep our stress level low, and interest level high, we will benefit from advance preparation, just like Mei Sheng.
Smile – Thanks for all your hard work and steady flow of information – Ya’ll are amazing!!!!
August 21st, 2007 at 10:22 am
Margaret #54,
The youngsters still have access to the howdy gate on most mornings. However, they usually don’t interact. We are noting only a few interactions per week (none of them aggressive), and there are days when there are none at all. They seem to prefer their privacy most of the time.
It is unlikley we will put the two bears together, given the 50-pound size difference between them. Males tend to be more physical anyway, and taken together these things could make life for Su Lin a little tougher than we want it to be. And since they aren’t demonstrating an interest in being together all the time…
August 21st, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Thanks for the update, Suzanne. It is reasonable that if they are no longer showing much interest in each other, there is no point in opting for something that would potentially put either of them at risk. I guess the novelty has worn off, and they are content with the circumstances that they could encounter in the wild of possibly coming across another adolescent bear that had not yet established its own territory. It sounds like they have a respectful curiousity to see who might be in the neighborhood, but not an interest in pursuing it up ” close and personal.”
Since Mei Sheng has been a very ” social” animal most of his life, still interacting with his keepers, do you notice him looking for Su Lin any more than she does for him? She has always appeared to me to be a very independent cub, with the minor exception of the few days immediately following her permanent separation from Bai Yun. Once she got over the initial changes in her routine, and her solitary bear existence, she seems to have resumed her independent frame of mind. Even as a grown cub moving toward adolescence, she was usually up in the trees not interacting with Bai Yun. The tales of her high exploration up in the trees earlier this Spring sounded to me more like it was Mei Sheng calling to her not her calling him.
Did you ever try the same exposure at the Howdy Gate of Hua Mei and Mei Sheng? Or was she gone by the time he reached the same stage as Su Lin? Besides they might not have shown any reaction to each other up in the trees like Su Lin and Mei Sheng did. I know the Panda exhibit has undergone some changes since Hua Mei was there, so the same scenarios might not have been possible. Unfortunately I didn’t know about the panda cams, and the blogs, when Hua Mei was still at SDZ, and Mei Sheng was a cub, so if that was discussed then I am sorry I missed it.
We appreciate all your research and documentation, and for sharing it with us in ” lay” terms that we can understand.
Have beary good day!
August 21st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Margaret #56,
Off the cuff, I would say it seems Mei Sheng is more interested in social interaction with Su Lin than she is with him. And we never tried this with Hua Mei and Mei Sheng because Hua Mei returned to China while Mei sheng was still a babe-in-arms.
We did allow Hua Mei the opportunity to have howdy gate experience with Gao Gao, in an effort to allow her some experience with a male during her first (weak) estrus in order to help prepare her for her future breeding dates.
August 21st, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Pamela G…Your poetry is lovely. It brings tears to the eyes of others and also to mine. Thank you over and over for posting your lovely poems, they are truly enjoyed.
August 21st, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Unfortunately, haven’t seen ” Bright Star” today – Bai has her cubbie covered every time I check. But did see Mei Xiang & Tian Tian romping around at the NZ again today. They both act like they’re cubs again. Wonder if this is usual for adult pandas
August 21st, 2007 at 11:38 pm
If you are visiting the zoo and Mei Sheng is off exhibit, sit in the food area and watch the trees! I was reading the signs in the info area and heard a rustling in the trees above me looked up expecting to see a bird and there was a panda looking back at me. Popped round to the exhibit area and spoke to the keepers there and was told it was Mei Sheng. We actually got to see all 4 pandas when we visited! Take a trip on the overhead ride thing and keep an eye on the enclosure as you pass over as you can see the pandas in the off exhibit enclosures from it! We were there in April when Mum and Dad were on exhibit and were lucky enough to see Su Lin off exhibit up a tree too!
But I’m now back here in the UK. It is great watching the webcams but not the same as being able to visit.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:34 am
Bai is out of the den right now and I’m getting a great view of Little Bright Star. S/he’s been alone now for a couple of minutes (since I logged in) and wow hasn’t s/he grown. Looking like a panda now
It’s about 3.30am San Diego time
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:38 am
In regards to interaction between Mei and Su, I have to say that was the one thing that bothered me on my visit last week. Mei seemed very restless. He would go to the howdy door bleating to Su and she didn’t seem to want anything to do with him. He seemed sad. At one point he was at the howdy gate with his paws wrapped around the bars looking at Su Lin…watching her. When I asked about them being put together I was told by a zoo employee that because Mei is going to China, they didn’t want to start interactions/relationships that would have to be abruptly terminated, not good for Mei or Su. I guess I’m wondering why you don’t keep the howdy door closed if Mei and Su won’t interact in the future and also because Mei isn’t getting any kind of positive reaction from Su?
August 22nd, 2007 at 7:04 am
Being in the process of getting settled in Austria I had little time to watch Bai Yun’s cub, however last night, i. e. lunch time at SDZ I managed to catch a very good look at the little one. Her (his) markings are so prominent already, unbelievable. Suzanne, I want to thank you and everyone concerned with the well-being of Bai Yun and her cub (and the other pandas of course) for all your hard and dedicated work during the last 21/2 weeks. You all deserve a good rest and break after the strain the day and night watch has put on all of you. Enjoy! Your updates are so interesting and during the last year I have learned so much, thank you again.
Pamela, your poems were beautiful! It truly made my heart melt! Now and then I, too, try to make poems despite the fact that English is not my home language, but German. Therefore, I know that it can be hard work; I have got the feeling that sometimes it just happens with ease, but there are times where it just does not want to rhyme. So, your efforts in this regards are more than appreciated by me.
Despite the fact of not being able to watch Mei Sheng grow up from childhood I still dread the moment when he has to move to China. I will surely miss his cute ” clown’s face. Hopefully he will be put into good hands in order to follow his destiny.
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:11 am
Ooo oooo oo… don’t hold us in suspense much longer. Is cubbie a widdle girl or widdle boy????
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:27 am
Thanks, Suzanne, for #57. It makes sense that you would have helped Hua Mei get familiarized male scent and presence in a safe environment. It obviously worked since she has since had three sets of twins. You are way ahead in your planning and strategizing. It also makes sense, ref #62 Pam, that there is no point in starting potential relationships that would have to abruptly end and could potentially expose either of them to germs, etc., that might endanger their health. Since they are both in excellent health with world’s best nutritional, and veterinary care, it is best to keep it that way.
It is unfortunate that Su Lin is not as interested in Mei Sheng as he is in her. But, with the close quarters in Wolong, he should have ample opportunity to bleat with many adolescent males and females once he has finished his quarantine period. Is the timing for him to go to Wolong also affected by the weather there in October? I recall reading that Hua Mei had her own air conditioned ” suite” when she arrived to help her ” acclimate” to the Wolong weather. Hopefully going in October will avoid both temperature extremes that ZA keeper wrote about from his time over at Chengdu Panda Research Center earlier this year.
Do you have much information about the training/acclimation process that Mei Sheng and Hua Mei/Su Lin will go through once they reach Wolong? Do they ever have contact with other adolescent pandas, of same or opposite sex, to get them accustomed to the scents of different pandas? I read that Hua Mei was shown ” Panda porn” in preparation for mating. Do they do that all the time, or was that an experiment with her?
Since it will be 5 or 6 years before Mei Sheng is sexually mature and able physiologically to mate, what will they do with him in that time? Do they keep adolescent pandas at another facility until they are of breeding age, or are they more in an ” off exhibit” type area at Wolong? I read that Wolong recently opened another facility a fair distance away, which is hoped to help with the over-crowding situation at Wolong. Is Mei Sheng likely to go there and be part of research during his ” stud in waiting” time?
Hopefully he inherited Gao Gao’s naturally breeding genes and will ” know what to do” when the time comes. He sure charms humans, so hopefully he can translate that into charming panda females as well.
Sorry for so many questions, but there is obviously a void between the US adolescent pandas arrive at Wolong, and when they are physically ready to mate. I read that pandas are not physiologically mature for several more years, males at age 9-10, and females at age 8-9. Since they can’t roam the wild mountain forests for food and exercise, and they are solitary animals after 18 months, hopefully they have some useful enrichment for them in the time they are waiting. Eating bamboo and sleeping while it attempts to digest are necessary functions, but surely they get some kind of enrichment to keep away boredom during non-eating awake hours. Especially when they are used to the great enrichment and interaction with keepers during training sessions. If not, no wonder they are not interested in mating.
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:29 am
What is the matter with the zoos webcams today? Missing seeing all of the animals especially mum and little one.
Moderator’s note: They should be working now. Please try again.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:11 am
I just read your lullaby Pam. It’s beautiful. I know I shouldn’t be anthropomorphic about animals, but I can’t help it. I have also written poems and each time it has been just like yours.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:46 am
Hey everyone,
I am glad to say that I finally got a glimpse of the baby by itsself, and even better, at two different times yesterday!!! Yay! Even better, my co-worker who wasn’t interested at first said that now she saw something (instead of a blur) because it finally looks like a panda.
Also, I had a question for Suzanne or someone else that might know the answer. After how much time can it be considered that we have passed into the ” safe zone” after a baby is born? By that I mean, how old must the cub be for us to expect that it will survive to adulthood? I know there used to be a very high percentage of infant deaths in pandas, thus leading to Hua Mei being the first cub to ever survive beyond 4 days in North America. So is Bai Yun’s new baby still considered at risk, or is it now expected that, unless an accident occurs, the baby will grow to adulthood without problems?
And when will the first exam be? Did Bai start showing signs of routine that would allow you, the staff and vets, to make the so eagerly expected exam that will allow us tu know if we have a cubbie or a cubbette?
Well, hoping to see more of Bai and her newborn!!!
Clara
P.S. Is there any chance that I will get an answer to the questions I asked in comment #1? Or should I just forget about it? I don’t mind, I know you are all very busy, but I’d like to know if you can answer!
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:54 am
Really… the suspense is killing me – just killing me! I’m guessing that Bai hasn’t given the vets enough time away from the den for them to give our chubby little cubby an exam yet – but I’m really anxious to hear all the details – weight, size and gender of our little one. Maybe another update from the den will suffice for the time being… but it’s just killing me… ugh. OK, back to work now.
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:20 pm
how come the Panda Cam is so dark all of a sudden? Little Cub Muffin is by itself but it is difficult to see, even though you have zoomed in on it…
MANY MANY thanks to you all for your continued supports of all of us ” addicts” out here…..we LOVE the baby!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:52 pm
As I recall the first quickie exam is done between three and four weeks of age, depending on the comfort level of the mother, is that correct? If so, hopefully Bai Yun will feel comfortable with letting you near her cub in the next week or so.
Also, since the 24 hour watch has ended, isn’t that an indication that the first ” safe zone†has begun and that it is anticipated that the cub will survive?
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Margaret # 71 – I suppose you are right – looking back, it was around 19 days old – or so before the first exam – so I should sit back, relax, and enjoy the glimpses of cutie pie on the panda cam. It’s awfully cute though… so it’s hard. I do little thing – it’s just precious – and big mama is amazing!
August 22nd, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Suzanne, Did the ” Lights” go out in the den? I can barely see Mama today let alone precious cub. Thank you, Claudia
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Maybe the dark pictures are some sort of intervention so we will find other things to do instead of hoping for cub glimpses all afternoon!
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Our little one is reallly showing his/her colors today!
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I am also having trouble seeing Bai Yun and her baby – have you changed the lighting in the den?
Ellie, I enjoyed meeting you when I visited the Zoo Monday! It was a pleasure meeting someone whose blogs I enjoy so much! Although I made two trips to the viewing area that morning, my only panda sightings were Su Lin waaaaay up in her tree and Mei hiding out in the tunnel by the howdy gate!
Thanks to everyone involved in keeping our pandas so healthy and happy – you all do such a tremendous job!
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:43 pm
To Clara # 68 – I understand that the Chinese wait 100 days to name their cubs is to make sure that the cub will survive. It seems like Bai has taken great care of ” Bright Star” and our cubbie should be in great health. But like all am anxious to ” get the word about it’s sex, weight, etc” Word today from ZA is their ” baby(???) cub weighs 55 pounds with 2 weeks to go to her 1st birthday. Amazing how they can from less than a stick of butter to 55 pounds in a year.
Maureen
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:03 am
Thank you again for the many wonderful views of Bai Yun and her little one. It is such a pleasure to watch these two. Bai Yun seems very relaxed which I’m sure is partly due to this being her fourth baby but also has a lot to do with her comfort with her environment. You are doing a great job of making sure that Bai doesn’t get stressed by other things happening at the zoo. Your consideration of the animals and their needs are really impressive. I was so fortunate yesterday to actually see the little one nursing! The baby is really thriving.
On another note, I was reviewing the bios of the individual pandas and noticed that you have chosen the adjectives ” curious” , ” unpredictable” and ” mischievous” to describe Bai Yun and ” rambunctious” , ” inquisitive” and ” alert” for Gao Gao. I was curious what behaviors of the pandas lead you to use these particular words to describe them. Suzanne, it would make several great iZoofari chats to hear about each individual panda and how they react with you and the others working with them. Is Gao Gao different to work with because he was a ” wild” panda? I know you are very busy at the moment but thought it would be nice to know a little more individually about the pandas and what it is like for you to work with them (besides the obvious of providing bamboo and providing bamboo……..)
Thank you again for all the enjoyment you spread worldwide with all the animal cams!
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:07 am
My friends just got back from Memphis and brought me a few things The pictures of YaYa and LeLe are beautiful, I can see why the Chinese believe that a fluffy face is special, Ya Ya has the most round fluffy face her muzzle is shorter and her ears are closer together and perfectly round . LeLe has a long muzzle an his ears are farther apart and they stick straight up. I haven’t had time to watch alot we are having serious issues at work so I am relying on the pandaholics to keep me up to date. I will be sneaking a peek why I get a chance. I am going to D.C. next month to visit the family
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:11 am
#53, Janet, if you want to see something ” scary” and ” nerve-wracking” watch Tian Tian way up a tree swatting at branches trying to figure out how to get down. Seeing a 10 year old male panda weighing way over 200 pounds on branches in a tree with very small (2-3″ diameter) branches is very anxious moments for me. When I visited NZP last Friday, Tian and Mei were peacefully pacing outside or inside eating or sleeping. Others I know caught glimpses of them playing and her swatting at him then him running away. However the only panda in a tree was Tai Shan, and even he is getting heavy for small branches. He broke one last week.
It is much more peaceful to watch slumbering Bai Yun in her nice warm snug den with Bright Star. I have seen her smiling several times and can see that she is very happy and content right now. No fending off unwanted male advances or climbing cubs. It is much easier to nurse a newborn than a 1 year+ old that is for sure.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:15 am
Margaret #65: I’m curious about your statement that female pandas are not physiologically mature until age 8 or 9. Our Hua Mei just turned 8 on August 21 this year (born in 1999). She has already had 6 offspring resulting from 3 pregnancies and one year ” off” in the past 4 years, which would have made her mature enough for reproduction at age 5. She must be incredibly precocious. Although Ya Ya in Memphis did not carry her cub to term, she was not even 6 ½ when she was inseminated and became pregnant. And Mei Xiang at the National Zoo was just turning 7 when Tai Shan was born and Tian Tian was not-quite 8. It would seem, if your information is correct, that our pandas are being forced to reproduce before their little bodies are mature.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:17 am
On second look, it might be a much bigger Tai Shan who is trying very hard to find a comfortable spot to nap in. He has gotten so much bigger lately that it is hard to distiquish him from his parents on the panda cam. Whichever panda it is, is reaching way out on branches trying to grasp them to move up or down. Glad that pandas are great climbers because it sure looked a couple of times like he was going to fall.
Since Tian hasn’t climbed a tree since shortly after he came to the US, until this week, he would be more awkward in manuvering. Tai still likes to climb and nap up high, but he is getting pretty big for that. He spends his time in the newest exhibit that opened in 2006 so the trees are younger and smaller. When his parents are together, he is in the older exhibits which have older trees that are taller and have thicker branches. That is a safer place for him to climb at his age and weight.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:21 am
Boy was I wrong. It is Mei Xiang, who is a great climber. Tai Shan is running around like a maniac rolling and somersaulting down the hills.
That brings to mind several quesitons I keep meaning to ask about Mei Sheng and Su Lin. In addition to climbing trees to survey the area, what activities does Mei Sheng like to do? He seems to be awake when he is up in trees, whereas Su Lin often naps when she climbs. What activities does Su Lin like to engage in other than eating, sleeping, climbing very high, and playing in the mud to get covered in mud when she can?
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:03 am
Margret#83, I always get tickled when I see Tia acting crazy, rolling and tumbling,but i also noticed that alot of times when Tai goes potty he always runs to the water as if to wash his bottom. He is becoming a wild and crazy guy. I believe the change in the weather lately is making the animals act a little crazy, as i mentioned i’m going to D.C.on Sept 13th to see the family.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:44 pm
To clarify forr those who have asked:
Female pandas mature at about age 5, while males mature a few years later. Several females in Wolong have given birth at age 5.
August 23rd, 2007 at 8:39 pm
So pandas are a lot like humans, in that the girls grow up faster than the boys.
Margaret, thanks for reminding me of Su’s infamous Mud Day, 2006. It brought a big smile to my face!
August 24th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Ruth #63 look what happened you move to Austria and the Vienna Zoo has a new panda, the first in 25 years how lucky for you right in your back yard . I know where you are going to be spending alot of time.