Mei Sheng Arrives in Wolong
Posted at 5:16 pm November 8, 2007 by Panda Research TeamMei Sheng arrived safely at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature Reserve after a two-day trip (he left the San Diego Zoo on November 5). Members of the Giant Panda Team that are with him still today report that his trip from San Diego to China was smooth. Upon arrival in Shanghai, Mei Sheng was a little excited with the large gatherings that awaited him. He was received with a shower of media attention in both Shanghai and Chengdu, as well as a grand welcoming ceremony in Wolong.
After the ceremony in Wolong, Mei Sheng was released in a large quarantine pen where he settled down quickly. He began exploring his surroundings and exhibited the normal inquisitiveness that he is known for. Thank you all for your concern and well wishes. He is now in the capable hands of the experienced Wolong staff. San Diego Zoo staff will remain with him for a few more days before returning home.
We know you want to hear a first-hand account from our staff and they will provide you with more information when the opportunity arises. Unfortunately, the remote mountains and bamboo forests of Wolong are a blessing for pandas but a problem for our technology. Please be patient. Thank you for your continued support.
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November 8th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I’m so relieved to hear that the sweet boy arrived safe and sound! Thanks so much for the timely update, and I’ll wait as patiently as possible for more news from China.
November 8th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
YAY!
Thanks for letting us know.
Do they or will they have a cam on the lil guy so we can keep track of him? Any pics comming our way?
I know he will be in excellent hands there..but we still have to wory.
How about in a few years when GAO and Bai have to return? are we going to get new pandas to replace them? What are the chances we can get pooper back?
November 8th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Hi, I found some video you all might want to see, you can find it at media scrape. It is a video of him arriving at his first stop I think, but he looked great!! Our little boy was received as a ” hero” , seeing all the reporters and people, and what a big deal they made of him…well, it made me feel a little happier about him leaving the USA. Take care all my panda friends…Marilyn
November 8th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Hi folks, there is a video in youtube showing the outdoor enclosure for a group of 4 years old pandas , the same age as Mei Sheng. This will be most probably the way of life which Mei Sheng is going to start with.
Search in youtube with the title of the video ( Four-year-olds at ” play” ).
November 8th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
So very pleased that our boy Mei Sheng arrived safely and that they welcomed him. I have seen pictures of his welcoming party. This wont stop us from missing him. Please keep us updated with information on him. I hope they realise what a precious treasure they have in Mei Sheng. I’m still hurting deeply from his leaving just shows what a special boy he was he sure had a very big impact on us.
M – Masterful
E – Entertaining
I – Irrisistable
S – Striking
H – Handsome
E – Excitable
N – Noticeable
G – Great
He’s all of these and so much more.
November 8th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I am so happy to know Mei Sheng arrived safely to his new home. It is certainly bitter sweet, but very exciting as well. I feel for the team at the San Diego Zoo who must feel his absence so acutely this week. I miss him! I can only imagine what it must be like for those who shared every day with him! My thanks go to all of the people who cared for him and love him. The world is watching via a Panda-Cam and you are all rock-stars in my book! Keep up your amazing work.
November 8th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Thank You All for the update!!!
How wonderful that pandas do not suffer from that human condition called ‘jet lag’. Where we humans would want nothing more than to find a place to collapse after traveling, Mei Sheng wanted to check out his surroundings!
We humans have even more to learn, don’t we
Sincerely,
Bobbie Wood
November 8th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
reuters has a short clip of mei sheng’s arrival. they also have footage of possible mates for him…they’re all cuties!
November 8th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Thank you so much for the update. It seems almost impossible that given the technology today there are still some places that the internet does not easily reach!
I am so glad Mei Sheng is ” home” safe and sound. Safe travels back home to SD for the staff that travelled with him. I’m certain their hearts will be heavy but will also be glad in knowing he is in such good and capable hands!
God Bless all of you and keep up the wonderful work you do there at SDZ!!
November 8th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Gosh, thank you all SO much for keeping us all so very well-informed, and so quickly. Now that I know he has arrived safely, I will happily wait for further first-hand reports till everything & everyone are settled and communications are easier.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
I’m relivied he made it to China safely. I hope he likes it, just like he did to his original home at the zoo. Will he have other pandas to be with or will he just be by him self for now? My parents imagrated from China so I hope a couple of my relatives over in China might be able to gain some information.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Thank you for the update on Mei Sheng’s arrival to his new home.
Will miss him alot.
Look forward to hearing from the staff when they get back. Hopefully with pictures too.
I wish Mei Sheng a long and happy life.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Glad to hear Mei Sheng made it to China safely. Sure do miss the little guy.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I am so gald to hear that Mei Sheng arrived safely, and that he handled the trip well. I hope that he enjoys his new home, and I look forward to more updates! Thanks for doing such a great job with the Pandas!
November 8th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I’m so relieved to hear that his long journey is over and he did well on the trip. I wish we were able to watch him explore his new surroundings! It sounds like he is loved over there very much. I have no doubt he will be taken very good care of.
Safe travels back home to the SDZ staff. You’ve completed your very important task. It’s all up to Mei Sheng to fulfill his destiny now. What a boy!!!
November 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Thank you for the news. Very happy to know that the handsome sweet boy is doing fine and is in capable hands.
#2 I would love to see our SD boy come back with his bride one day.
November 8th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
YEAH!!!!! Mei Sheng’s in Wolong!! Looks like those outside news sources were correct! But, I can understand that you all wanted to wait for confirmation that he did get there in good shape. Sounds like that he’s settling in pretty good in the quarantine section. You still didn’t name the SDZ staff that went with him to China yet, and I’m also waiting to hear from them when they write their accounts of the trip. I Hope that someone in that group was able to get a video of that welcome ceremony for Mei in Wolong. Maybe on youtube? Hope so! That will be something to see on how the Chinese welcome their beloved pandas. Will be looking for more info about Mei’s first few days and see some great pics of him on the plane and at Wolong. Send them over!
Gonna go and check on Bai and baby girl on the pandacam. Only got on the cam this morning and saw the both of them sleeping. Also went on the NZ and Atlanta pandacams and watched their pandas have wrestling matches! Fun!!!
Have a great life in China, Mei Sheng!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
November 8th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Could the San Diego staff who accompanied Mei Sheng to China check on Hua Mei while there to give us an update on her. The last report on her that I saw was that she had twins a couple of years ago. Please let us know about her before returning the the U.S. Thanks!
November 8th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
thank you for the update. I am just so glad that he settled quickly and has a large pen. Many blessings to him and all the pandas in the world! God bless all the people who work with pandas and all the pandaholics!
November 8th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Thank you so much for the update.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I’m relieved to hear that Mei Sheng arrived safely in China.
I understand that he is treated well there, too, but can he understand Chinese ? I hope so.
I’ll cross my fingers for him.
November 8th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Thanks for letting us know that Sheng is OK in his new home.
November 8th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
It’s good to hear that Mei Sheng arrived safely and was so warmly welcomed to China. Thank you, SDZ staff, for ‘going the extra mile’ by posting these updates.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Thanks for letting us know Mei Sheng’s trip went smoothly. This is such a hard time for all of us, and I know it’s really hard for all of you who knew him personally ever since he was born. I pray he’ll like it in Wolong now that he can settle in. At least we have a new little one to focus on now, and we still have Bai Yun, Gao Gao, and Su Lin. My husband and I have already planned a trip to see the new baby in August, and we might also come in January to see her when she’s first released. Thanks for all your wonderful work and for the information in the blogs.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I’m glad Mei Sheng arrived safely in Wolong and that he got such a warm welcome. Thanks for keeping us posted on how he’s doing.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:01 am
I’ve been visiting the SDZ site admiring the beautiful babies for months now- in the short time since cried like a baby when the handsome boy went home- and now the new little darling to admire- I did however just go to the Wolong Panda Club site and see a very nice article and pictures of Mei’s arrival and turning over ceremony. I’m amazed at what a good mother Bai is and the beautiful cubs she produces. All of you at all the zoos do such a woderful job caring for these beautiful animals.
November 9th, 2007 at 4:45 am
Is it true that Mei Sheng will eventually come back to the U.S.? There is a link to an article on the Panda Fan Club that quotes –
” He will return to America at some point in the future, but it was agreed that he’d make this trip to improve his species’ chances of survival. ”
I sure hope it is true!
November 9th, 2007 at 6:41 am
THANKS FOR THE UPDATE, AND I KNOW MEI IS IN FINE HANDS HE WAS GIVEN A HEROS WELCOME AND I AM SURE THE STAFF THAT WAS WITH HIM WAS ALSO GIVEN WELL WISHES TO RETURN TO ALL THE STAFF AT SDZ FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE UPON THE STAFFS RETURN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU HARD WORK AND PATINCE
November 9th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Thank you so much for the update on Mei Sheng. It means so much more to hear reports right from the Zoo and the Panda Teams. Please keep us informed about Mei’s progress.
November 9th, 2007 at 6:53 am
Thank you for this update, Wolong panda club has a new article today about Mei Shengs arrival and a few pictures. He was given a police escort and was checked at least twice along the way to make sure he was okay. I guess they know he is indeed precious cargo and entitled to the very best.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:04 am
Sounds like he’s already making the adjustment well. I’m so glad. I was a little worried after reading how he doewn’t like changes in his routine.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:11 am
I am so glad that he had a safe trip…the people in Wolong will fall in love with that sweet face and personality!
November 9th, 2007 at 8:03 am
It’s wonderful to hear and know that Mei Sheng has arrived safely at Wolong. There’s no doubt in my mind that he will be treated very well there. I love the way the Chinese clearly revere the pandas. The articles I’ve read refer to him as coming back home to find a bride, to get married, etc. There are amazing welcoming ceremonies for him, so it is clear that he will be a ” rock star” in the world of pandas. Wouldn’t it wonderful if, at some point in the future, either Mei Sheng returns to San Diego, or, if not him, one of his sons or daughters? That would truly complete a circle of life and love. Thanks for keeping us updated on Mei Sheng’s progress.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Hi, last night as I was thinking in Mei Sheng and his trip, I came to realize how fortunate we were to at least had the opportunity of having these bears here in America, regardless of the fact that they belong to China. We would not have had them at all. We have to look at the positive side of it, and appreciate the opportunity and the learning experience we have all acquired from this. Maybe in the future, things will change and China will allow us to keep a Panda or two. Things can always change. I wanted to thank all of you at the Panda team for the wonderful job you do in educating us and keeping us posted all the time, everyday, and look forward to the safe return of the staff from China, so we can read their stories. Thanks, everybody and keep your hopes up. Enjoy the moment now with our actual bears, and things can change maybe China can extend the loan on Bay Yun and Gao Gao.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Mei Sheng’s trip has been what we were all praying for – to reach his destination happy, safe and healthy.
Now, his acclimation period begins. With loving care and patience, Mei Sheng will begin to enjoy: changes in climate, new scents, varied foods and learning a new language. He’s an intelligent panda and will accoomplish all this quickly.
We anxiously and patiently await updates from the Staff.
Thank you.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Thanks for the updates on Mei Sheng’s safe arrival at Wolong. Hopefully by the time the SDZ staff returns, he will be fully acclimated to his new home, and new language. He is a very resilient bear, although as Kathy said in her chat, he can be a bit apprehensive of new things in his world. He is getting exposed to enrichment challenges of his young life all at once. Although he had a chance to get used to commands in Chinese from your visitors who accompanied him on his trip, he is still learning. By now, I am sure that he has won over the affections of all the Wolong keepers and staff whom he has ” met.”
The change in his diet will be the next hurdle, as well as the time changes. However, you started that process by baking his bamboo bread loaves while he was still in SDZ, so that should go smoothly. From what the Wolong panda officials said, one of the largest changes will be in the type of bamboo in Wolong vs SD. His system will also adjust to that with the expert assistance he has around him.
He is in worldclass panda caregivers’ hands from both SD and China, and getting the red carpet treatment. It is in everyone’s best interest, especially his, that he be constantly monitored and guided through a successful integration process into a 4 year old celebrity panda’s life at the Giant Panda Research Center at Wolong.
Once he, and his fellow travellers from the US, got some well-deserved sleep upon their arrival, I am certain they are all off and ” running” with the integration process. Does he have access to the outdoors in his quarantine?
I sure hope so, because a month is a long time for him to go without trees to climb. Hopefully his quarantine unit has an open courtyard with trees for him to climb, similar to Bai Yun’s ” Sun/Garden Room” at SDZ. Su Lin enjoyed climbing there when she was first weaned, and it seemed to help lower her stress level. Obviously he has to be separated from other pandas during his quarantine, so we will have to wait at least a month to see how that new dimension pans out in his life. He has enough to adjust to before he gets to that.
Thanks to everyone for making this a smooth transition for him, and for Lisa and her colleagues who went with him for enduring the long trip in cargo area to make him as stress free and comfortable as he could be on such a long journey. I am sure he was glad to be released from his crates and into larger quarters in both Shanghai and Wolong.
We will patiently await updates from his travelling companions, since any word coming out of Wolong in the next month will be coming directly from you, or Wolong. The news media won’t likely get involved again until his grand ceremony when he makes his ” public” debut at the end of his quarantine.
What a great time for a Thanks-giving.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Will Hua Mei and Mei Sheng have the same observation of them like you do at the San Diego zoo? Will the Research Center staff keep you updated on their condition, etc.?
November 9th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Wow! Mei Sheng is sure one helluva celebrity. I’m glad he’s having a good time. I do hope that he comes back to his motherland (America) somday. I hope to read more updates on him too.
The SDZ really did a Great Job!
More Power to You!
Thanks
November 9th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Thank you so much for telling us that Mei Sheng arrived safe and sound! I wonder if you could hear the collective sigh of relief from everyone around the world who were praying for his safe arrival. Sounds like the happy boy has taken everything in stride and I am sure he has already endeared himself to his new caretakers. This is all because of your wonderful devotion and training. He is beginning his destiny with a firm, healthy and loving foundation. One that you gave him and that will carry him well through all of his new adventures. Blessings to you all and blessings to Mei Sheng. With Love, Judy J
November 9th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Sammi #5 he sure is all of things and more.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Thank you so much for the update. I can picture Mei exploring his new home. How exciting it must be for him! I can imagine how difficult it will be for the SDZ staff when the say their goodbyes to Mei.
I look forward to hearing more and seeing pictures and videos. Thank you to my fellow pandaholics for listing places to find pics, etc., and much love to all the SDZ staff for everything you do for these beautiful bears and for us! Elle in San Jose.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Thank you so much for the update on Mei Sheng’s arrival in Wolong. I am glad to hear that he did so well and is starting to relax and start his adjustment to living there. He is a special baby boy and we all miss him, but we all wish him the best. I can’t wait to hear more from the staff when they return. I know it will be very hard on them to leave him and to come back to the US> I wish them the best and a good safe trip home.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am
I’m glad to know that Mei Sheng did well on the big trip. Looking forward to more updates and possible pictures of his new home. We’ll always love you Sheng! Hopefully, I’ll get to see you this spring. Much love. K
November 9th, 2007 at 11:05 am
#18 – Joyce Snider. Hua Mei has had THREE sets of twins, the last ones earlier this year. We were able to see one of them in the nursery when we were there in September.
The quarantine yard that I saw as we were entering the reserve is outdoors and has at least one pretty large climbing trunk and branches similar to the ones you can see on one of the panda cams there. I don’t know if he will be there immediately or if he will be kept in a temp controlled environment until he gets used to the climate there.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:11 am
Our prayers were answered, Mei Sheng arrived in Wolong safe and healthy.
Thanks for keeping us updated on Mei Sheng’s safe arrival in Wolong. Hopefully, Mei Sheng will adapt to his environment very quickly.
Thank you Panda Staff for keeping us abreast on the latest news concerning our sweet Mei Sheng.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:40 am
To the moderator: The baby has not moved in quite awhile. Is she okay? I saw her left on the cement yesteray by Bai Yun.
Moderator’s note: She’s fine!
November 9th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Moderator, It’s okay, she is wriggling.
November 9th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
We love Mei Sheng and are so happy that he made it to Wolong safely. He’s a star-rah.
November 9th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
His welcome home sounds like he is a very important bear….a question….when you train the pandas his is mostly hand signals??? I can’t see where even if that were the case that verbal would go with it…..
He will now be a bi-lingual bear!!! I hope he’s a quick study….!
I know we are all thankful for having him so long as well as his mom and dad…..
I can see in the future him coming back to the united states with a female to have a family….
What an adventure lies in store for our ” princeâ€â€¦how exciting….
November 9th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I just watched the CCTV’s latest video on Mei Sheng, and according to the video, keeper Lisa and SDZ staff will be returning to SDZ tomorrow. Lisa is saddened by the fact the she won’t be seeing him again…I can understand her feelings…:-(
Mei Sheng was up quite early in the morning, pacing around his holding pen, climbed up a structure and looked around, he didn’t looked too thrilled, in my opinion. There was one part where he did loosen up al bit and asked for a back rub!
Wolong staff interviewed said that Mei Sheng will have to slowly learn Chinese!
I sure miss Baby Boy so much already! Seeing the video brought tears to my eyes again!
Hope that Hua Mei is doing good. Would Lisa and SDZ staff be able to bring us updates and pictures of her as well?
November 9th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Such good news about Mei Sheng. Sounds as though he is enjoying exploring his new enclosure. And, from the reports, it sounds as though he got quite a welcome! It’s very comforting to all of us back in the States to know that he has been welcomed with such fanfare! He’s truly an ” international” star!
November 9th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Sammi, #5, I love you description of MEI SHENG. It is very appropriate and applicable.
Chari, #17, Lisa Bryant, Lead Keeper went with him as well as one of the animal husbandry officials.
Someone kindly pointed me to the video of the cubs Oct 11 exam and the interview with Lisa about Mei Sheng and the trip. In the video she says she and the husbandry official would be accompanying Mei Sheng on the whole trip to make it smoother for him.
#43, Elaine, thanks for the tip about the outdoor quarantine yard. It helps to picture him being outside some of the time. Although all the news reports said he will be kept in temperature controlled environment like Hua Mei was, I hope that after a few days of adjusting to the cooler temperatures he will get to explore outside. He may spend most of the first couple of days sleeping and eating, to get his clock and digestive system regulated.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Relieved to hear from the staff that Mei Sheng arrived safely in Wolong – amid great fan fare. He will do us all proud. If you watch any training sessions the commands seems to be gestures rather than verbal so am sure Mei will do well.
Another update on China Daily News:
CHINA / National
Giant panda births down in 2007
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-09 07:49
Thirty-one giant pandas have been born in captivity in China this year, 25 of which have survived, the State Forestry Administration said Thursday.
Last year, there were 33 births and 30 survived.
Cao Qingrao, a spokesman for the administration, said that of this year’s 25 living bears, 16 are currently at the China Giant Panda Research Center in Wolong, a nature reserve in Sichuan Province, and the rest live at a research and breeding base in Chengdu, the provincial capital.
Zhang Zhihe, head of the China Giant Panda Breeding Technology Commission, said: ” Considering the difficulties in breeding giant pandas, a survival rate of 80 percent or so is quite high.”
He said over the 40-year history of artificial breeding, the survival rate of newborn cubs is less than 60 percent. Due to better technology, the figure has hit 90 percent, but it is unstable, Zhang said.
He said three newborn cubs died in Wolong this year.
Cao Qingrao said there are now 239 giant pandas in captivity in China, including 128 in Wolong and 67 in Chengdu. About 1,590 bears are thought to be living in the wild.
Under Sino-foreign cooperation schemes, 27 pandas live outside the country, including 12 in the United States, eight in Japan, two in Thailand, three in Austria and two in Spain. Of the total, 18 were provided by China, and nine were bred overseas – four in the US, four in Japan and one in Austria.
China sent 24 giant pandas to nine countries as gifts between 1957 and 1982 and five of their offspring are still alive.
The government stopped the program in 1985 and in 1994, launched long-term cooperation on breeding with Japan, the US and Spain. Since then, 25 bears have been sent overseas.
Under the agreement, all cubs born overseas to pandas on loan remain China’s property and must be returned when they are sexually mature.
A male panda born in the US four years ago, which was named Mei Sheng, returned to his hometown in southwest China on Wednesday.
Mei Sheng, which means ” Born in the USA” or ” Beautiful Life” in Chinese, was born on August 19, 2003, at the San Diego Zoo in California. His parents were Bai Yun and Gao Gao, a couple lent to the zoo by China under a conservation and research program.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Princess Su Lin is blending in with the logs up in her tree munching away at 1:30 PM PST. Are these new logs or just a different view than I remember seeing? I noticed in the last couple of weeks that the view was different and wasn’t sure if it is changes to the climbing structure or just different camera angle. She doesn’t seem to be fazed by the fact that her brother is now on the other side of the globe getting use to his new surroundings too. It has been a couple of months since she was in this particular space, but she spent much of her first 18 months, once she was on public display, in that space so it must be very familiar to her. It might be like ” coming home.”
SDZ PR answered my earlier question about whether Gao and Bai would be returning to Wolong when the agreement is up by letting me know that they negotiate extensions every three years or so. They are hopeful they can keep the adult pandas presently here a while longer. It makes sense that if Mei Sheng has to go somewhere at the end of his breeding ” career” that he be returned to his birthplace. However, that is many years away, and much negotiation will go on before that even remotely comes to pass. So, don’t get your hopes up yet folks. He has a job to do, and fun times to have in Wolong for the foreseeable future.
November 9th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
It would be fun if one of Hua Mei’s or Mei Sheng’s offsprings moved to the SDZ when Bai Yun and Gao Gao retire.
November 9th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Questions:
Is the Panda Cam fixed yet? It is always so dark and fuzzy.
How is Jun Jun pronounced? ” June June” ? Or does it rhyme with fun?
Thanks!
November 9th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Wow, cubbie was very active just now, standing up and pushing and ramming herself againest the den wall. On the cam I could see her body being reflected on some sort of square metal plate. Is it possible that she was trying to play with her reflection? When Tai was first in the exhibit area he would be surprised every time he saw his reflection in the glass.
November 9th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Although I am saddened to lose Mei Sheng to China, I am happy that he was welcomed like the little
” rock star” …that he is! Bless his little heart, and for all his keepers that made sure he was safe, sound, and secure, Bless you too!
Mei Sheng will have a happy life in Wolong, I am quite sure.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
What good news to see that Mei Sheng is doing well after his long trip to Wolong. Several people have asked me what Chinese dialect Mei Sheng will be taught. Is it Mandarin, since that is the main one used all over China, and/or a dialect used in Sichuan, the province where the Panda Breeding Center is located? He’s so bright, he’ll learn quickly!
Thanks for the updates!
November 9th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
What an emotional week this has been – Mei Sheng left to return home, then we had to watch the video of ” Farewell Panda” on youtube, which brought more tears. Then I watched Jay’s (ZA) last training session with his panda Yang Yang. Now if you want a few more tears check ” Tai & Mei-Happy Time” on youtube. This was recorded a couple of days before Tai was weaned. It’s almost like they both know their time together is coming to an end-it’s too sweet, especially since Tai was such a terror with mommy & to see them snuggling together made me cry. Margaret, as you’ve seen Tai in person, you know what he was like & still can be.
Then on a happier note we hear that Mei Sheng arrived safely in Wolong & recieved a hero’s welcome. And seems to be adjusting well to his new home. Today I watched MeiXiang & TianTian have a great play bout in a tree – both in the same tree – each trying to out climb each other to knock the other off the branch.
And now I see our little butterball having a nursing session with Bai – what more can a panda lover want.
Tears & joy in the same week – & we have all the dedicated staff at our zoos to thank so we can watch these magnifent animals grow up from a helpless, hairless animal to a huge, wonderful, loveable bear – each with their own personalities.
Will be waiting to hear from the staff about Mei’s trip.
Again, many, many thanks to all who have given us so much info.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Margaret (#52), thanks for the info about who went with Mei Sheng to China. I was wondering who got the lucky calls to go with him. I was thinking that Suzanne would be going, but I’m sure that Lisa and her travelling partner were making sure that Mei Sheng was comfortable and well fed. Hopefully, Lisa will write us a statement about her trip over there and how well Mei Sheng really handled the trip. That will be interesting. The main thing is that everyone got there in great shape and getting over the jet lag! When will Lisa and the other person be coming back to SDZ? Should be in a few more days once they are sure that Mei Sheng is settled and comfortable in his new home.
Got on the pandacam tonite for the first time and saw Bai and baby girl in the den together. Bai looked like she was interested in something in front of her, and baby girl was trying to do some moving around beside her mom. This cub is starting to get a little bit more active everyday. Bai will have to be on her paws to keep up with her daughter pretty soon. Someone mentioned Tai Shan (NZ) when he was a baby. I do remember back a couple of years ago his reactions to a lot of things while he was in the indoor exhibit. He wasn’t too sure about his reflection on the glass, he got curious about some of the toys and that big round black tub in there, and just his playful way of figuring things out. My favorite about Tai was when he finally decided to try to fit into that big round black tub to take a nap in! That was the cutest thing that he did, and he looked very comfortable in it. Now, he’s way to big for that tub, and he’s just loving life as a panda. That’s what we’ll be looking forward to with this baby cub when she gets to walking and exploring around her exhibit pretty soon.
Well, gonna go and get back on pandacam. Have to see what Bai and baby girl are up to now!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
November 9th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
#50, Susan Harrison, what did you search to find such a CCTV video?
Only one I could find was arrival ceremony on Wednesday, and they didn’t interview Lisa.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I was just at the Wolong Panda Club website and there is now an article posted there, along with several pictures of Mei Sheng’s arrival there. Here is one excerpt that I think it is so sweet:
” Regarding ” Miss Right” , experts from Wolong said if everything goes well, the handsome boy will find the one he loves and take dating process between next March and May. ”
They obviously have such a reverence and respect for these beautiful animals and there were a lot of people there to welcome Mei Sheng back home. This will be such an exciting adventure in Mei Sheng’s life and I can’t wait to hear who he choses to be his ” Miss Right.” Hopefully, we might be able to see pictures or at least read some articles!
November 9th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Oops, I made a mistake – the video of Tai & MeiXiang’s last day or so before his weaning is ” Tai & Mei-Magic Time” on youtube A momma panda says good-bye to her cub.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I found the CCTV video from 11-9-2007. The interview is all in Chinese, except when they interview Lisa. You can see the sadness in Lisa’s eyes and facial expressions. She did everything she could to make Mei Sheng as comfortable and secure as possible. When she leaves tomorrow (?) he will be totally on his own with Chinese panda professionals who care very much about him and will take great care of him. It will be an adjustment for him to learn Chinese, but they have his clicker and his favorite toys to help keep him entertained. Hopefully he will see the Chinese panda people he traveled with again so he sees some familiar faces.
The scenes at the end where he is eating treats (carrots or yams) from the hand of his new keeper and accepts a gentle pat and scratch on the nose, and then eating some bamboo brings me relief that he will eat. I was concerned that the changes would overcome him and he wouldn’t eat much when he arrived. It was great to see him climbing on a tree structure, with Lisa watching him from outside the fence. Presumably that was at the Shanghai Wildlife Park because you then see him in a very small cage on the back of a truck. I noticed that as he explored each of his new enclosures, he always came back to Lisa for a scratch and some reassurance. He will obviously miss her, and his other SDZ keepers, very much.
The quarantine enclosure appears to be in a modern building and the gate on his enclosure looks fairly new. So, the climate controlled area he is in must be newer and looks very clean and comfortable. Watching him come to the fence for a back scratch, I think from Lisa, brought tears to my eyes, and must have been very hard for Lisa knowing she would not see him again. I can’t imagine the bittersweet feelings she must have felt today, as she delivered him, as promised, to his parents homeland for the betterment of all pandas. But, knowing she would be leaving him behind when she has known this silly handsome bear all of his 4 young years of life would be like leaving your child off at college to start a new life on their own. Only she won’t see him again at the end of ” college” unless she gets to visit Wolong again in the future. Since she won’t be seeing him again, it makes sense that she will return tomorrow as there is nothing left for her to do there. How sad and incredibly long a trip home it will be. At least on the trip over to China she had him with her to focus on. Hopefully she and her colleague, who was not interviewed, will get some well deserved rest on the plane ride back.
Great job Lisa! Many thanks from Mei Sheng and all the rest of us who love him too.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Brief summary from latest chinese newspapers:
- Mei Sheng slept well and ate a lot, he loved and finished all the homeland bamboo and apples.
- His poopoo was normal.
- He’s very active and explored around, yes, he has a yard to explore.
- SDZ staff will also visit Hua Mei before they leave.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
#56 Jo Ann — I was told by a native speaker that it sounds more like ” jen jen” …I think that’s really pretty for our little girl, don’t you think?
I can’t make up my mind so I voted for both Zhen Zhen and Xiao Li….
Panda Team …. THANK YOU SO MUCH for the update on Mei Sheng. It made me cry again – only because I miss him
but I’m so happy he made it safely to Wolong. I plan on seeing him again soon. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to see Hua Mei….
November 9th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Thank you so much for the update on our boy! I also saw the same clip on CCTV of Mei Sheng climbing around on the branches and getting a back rub..Lisa said her time with him was coming to an end and that she was sad, I can only imagine how hard it’s going to be for her to leave him behind. I know she’ll have some great stories to tell when she returns. I hope our boy gets acclimated quickly. I miss him and hope Wolong realizes what a special, sweet boy they have…Thank you again for keeping us posted on our beloved boy..
November 10th, 2007 at 9:51 am
I am so happy to hear that Mei Sheng’s trip to China was safe.
He will be very well cared for and Bless all the staff involved with his care.
We are so lucky that the love of these animals transcends all differences and brings the world closer
together. Now the fun begins as Bai Yun and Gao Gao will become grandbearparents!
God Bless us all!
November 10th, 2007 at 10:02 am
I’ve missed seeing Papa Gao Gao on camera (altho I loved the extra views of Sheng before he left). Watching him this morning sure supports the comment in his profile ‘a bamboo eating machine’!!! I’m wondering if we shouldn’t nick name him Papa Chow Chow because of the way he chows down on bamboo, and chows down, and chows down! Keep eating Gao Gao – you never know when you might be called on to ‘visit’ Bai Yun and need all your strength!
November 10th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
One report said, Mei Sheng traveld with three boxes of his favorite toys. SDZ is so thoughtful!
November 10th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
I hope the opportunity to enjoy watching GaoGao rolling and napping in the sawdust brought smiles, and some relief of the emptiness of Mei Sheng’s absence, to both keepers, staff, and admirers. It was great to see GaoGao being silly and enjoying himself.
I am sure Lisa was happy to see Hua Mei and her newest cub(s) (which I think I read is still with her). Hopefully Hua Mei will remember Lisa, since she was at SDZ when Hua Mei was still in SD.
I have been reading up on Mei Sheng and Gao Gao in an effort to see if there is anymore news about how Mei Sheng is acclimating to his new home.
I came across many references to a documentary ” Back Home” in which GaoGao played an important natural role. It is about the relationship between GaoGao and his keepers at Wolong. Has anyone ever seen this documentary, or know how one can see it? It is interesting how much there is on the government website for the People’s Republic of China about Mei Sheng, Gao Gao, Bai Yun, and Hua Mei. All 4 of them are celebrities in their own right. They each provided something special and set new milestones for the Panda Conservation program. It really was a great privilege for China to allow US, and SDZ in particular, to have these animals. It shows the great negotiation skills and professional relationship that exists between SDZ and PRC.
I am sure Lisa had an incredible journey and will have lots to tell. Some of it she may want to share now, and some she may need time to digest and share later. Everything happened so fast, that I am not sure she had time to get any photos or videos of the events as they occurred. She may have to rely on ‘official’ photos and videos that have been broadcast on Chinese and worldwide TV. She will need time to recover from a very long, and very quick trip across the Pacific (1/2 way around the globe) and to come to grips with the bittersweet emotions of accompanying Mei Sheng on his adventurous journey, and having to leave him behind when she returned to SD. At least when Shi Shi went back home, Gao Gao was coming. Whoever had to accompany Hua Mei to Wolong would have had a similar experience. I must look back in the archives and see how that journey unfolded.
Great job SDZ panda staff, and Lisa Bryant for a job very well done. May the joy of watching cub number 4 grow and develop before your eyes keep you smiling as you recover from Mei Sheng’s departure.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Hello fellow Pandaholics–I just watched a video called ” Ultimate Pandas” (Netflix) that was filmed entirely at Wolong. Seeing how much fun the pandas were having, playing together, climbing trees, tumbling around and eating, made me feel so much better about where Mei Sheng is. Plus, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous and you can hear the roaring river below them. Other than that a few birds chirping, it seems very peaceful and calm. I’ll be so ready for Mei Sheng to get out of quarantine and out where the other ” kids” are–after watching him at the howdy gate with Su Lin, you know how much fun he’s going to have with the other pandas. I miss him so much and still can’t believe he’s so far away..Like Margaret (#65) said, my thoughts are with Lisa and the other keeper, the flight back to the states is going to be a long one for them, I presume. I could hear her in the CCTV report, talking to him so sweetly and you could tell Mei Sheng recognizes her. Bless you Lisa, for loving this special boy like you do. I did love the way his new keeper kept scratching him on the nose after he fed him, it made me feel like hopefully, he’ll be loved like he was at SDZ…
November 10th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
#no. 69, joellen…. you are so right in your thinking about transcending differences between differing cultures and nations. that is what this world needs: love, understanding and diplomacy. these beautiful pandas, these wonderful caregivers all are contributing to a better relationship.
peace…
joan
painted post
n.y.
November 10th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
#64 Maureen in Michigan, I watched the Tai & Mei video and boy did I every cry. It was so sweet to see Mom & cub together and it breaks my heart to think Tai could be lonely, even though most people say that pandas are solitary animals. Thanks for sharing the info.
November 10th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Any way you can save the 11/1/07 time-lapse tape for another day, and delete the 11/2/07 tape which had nothing on it instead?
November 10th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
” Long time listener, first time caller” ..
Just wanted to post a quick ” Thank You” to all the SDZ staff and people who worked in the transport of sweet Mei Sheng to China. It does not go unnoticed all the labor and work that you put in to it behind the scenes!
Love the new ” Baibee” (Love that nickname, whoever coined it: LOL) She’s such a sweet creature and fun to watch, and thanks to all the bloggers who make it enjoyable to come on here and read. I thought the farewells to Mei Sheng were really touching and heartfelt, and though I had not known about him long, I could understand the feelings posted. It’s really nice that they have a place where people can post their thoughts, I enjoy reading them.
) Keep up the good work, SDZ and bloggers.
November 10th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
For those of us who loved Mei Sheng it is great to hear ALL little details about his daily activities. Look very forward to a detailed blog from the keepers who were there. Thanks to the San Diego Zoo who truly CARES about its patrons.
November 10th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
I have never commented before until tonight and i just got accused of sending a duplicate comment when i had never even sent one before – and on top of that it complimented the san diegoi zoo employees!!!!!
November 10th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
From what I’ve read Mei Sheng’s genes are very important to Wolong. Bai Yun’ (Mei’s momma) was born vai AI at Wolong, her father, Pan Pan, was born in the wild. Then we have Mei’s pappa Gao Gao also born in the wild. So now we have extra valuable genes. When Bai gave birth to Hua Mei via AI, we now have a captive panda with one set of wild born genes (Pan Pan). But now things get better as we have pappa Gao Gao & Bai Yun mate naturally to give us Mei Sheng, Su Lin & our latest cubbie. So now we have 3 cubs with 2 sets of wild genes-which is so important to the gene pool at Wolong. What the SDZ has done to keep this precious animal from extiction is beyond just ” a thank you”
November 10th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
#50 Susan Harrison – please tell me how you get the Nov. 9th video of Mei Sheng on CCTV. I can only find the arrival video and I’m dying to have a look at the scenes you described.
It’s great to hear that our panda prince is now starting to settle in to his new surroundings. I’m sure he will fit right in. Now we excitedly wait for our ” chubbette” to be christened with her name in a couple of weeks. She sure is growing!! Bai Yun may have less resting time once the little one gets mobile. Oh what fun that will be!!
November 10th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
I cannot wait to read Lisa’s entry when she gets back on how Mei Sheng did, and how they both handled the parting of ways !! =( I can only imagine how hard it was for her and Mei Sheng. But as two other posters on here have mentioned, is it true that Mei Sheng could come back to USA, after he fulfills his duties there in China ?
Good luck to the sweet boy. He will be missed.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:02 am
#18 Joyce – Hua Mei has had 3 sets
of twins…and I believe that it’s 5 boys and 1 girl…perhaps SDZ can
confirm this for you. Our little girl
has been outdoing herself…what
a Star. She is surely doing her best
for her daddy Shi Shi genes pool.
November 11th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
#81 Panda fan–If you google ” panda fan club” you’ll get the blogspot link..When you get to the site, the link you are asking about is under ” Mein Sheng settling in” , the link is Chinese, so it’s just a series of squares–just click on that and wait for a few minutes, it takes a bit to load, but it’s worth it. The narration, aside from Lisa’s commentary is in Chinese, so you basically have to guess at what is being said..
Hope that helps!
November 11th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
I checked the People’s Republic of China government website and there is a cute photo of our Mei Sheng being fed water, I presume, out of a watering can. Can’t wait to hear from his keepers as to how his trip went. I hope we may someday have our boy back here.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Everyone talks about a webcam at Wolong but I can’t seem to find one. Could someone lead me in the right direction please, Thank you.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
#75 Anne – glad you watched the video of Tai & Mei – I also wonder if Tai may be lonesome as he tries to play with his daddy, Tian Tian, through the mesh but the alternative is his return to China & that I can’t begin to think about. Even though his time in the US gets shorter every day – we’ll have him here for over another year.
#79 Brenda Wilson – don’t give up on the blog – every time I try to submit a comment I have to click on ” submit comment” several times & then get an answer ” duplicate comment” . Have no idea why but I keep trying.
I have been watching poor Bai Yun tonight trying to cuddle her cub who wants no part of snuggles right now. She is squirming all over the place. Bai, the fun of chasing after another cub is about to begin. We should hear that our, soon to be named cub (dont’t forget voting for our cubs name ends today), started to walk in the next few days.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Thank you panda team for doing such a good job bringing up Mei Sheng, he is such a silly sweet happy boy. I am glad this smiley Prince Sheng arrived Wolong safely. I saw number of Mei Sheng’s video on youtube and did I cry… can’t stop. He is so beautiful, so wonderful !
November 12th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Baibee was playing nosies with Bai Yun this morning at 6:40 AM. She is very cute. Bai continued to nap. I noticed that she has a big piece of bamboo behind her against the den wall. I guess it is time for some fluffing up of the nest material or she is holding out for a mid-nap snack.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Great pictures of Mei Sheng dated 11-12-07 on CCTV today. His smile is back, and he is resting and eating. He doesn’t look so tired, and looks fairly content in his new home. Great to see he is recovering from his long ordeal and trip.
Also great information about the three potential mates chosen for him(Hai Zi, Guo Guo and Mao Mao). From the wording of the message, it sounds like they intend to breed him with only one female, of his choice. Interesting since they seem to mate females with more than one male. Since his primary purpose, and their high hope, is for him to mate naturally like his papa Gao Gao, they may for now be content to mate him with one female. Can someone please translate these names for those of us who don’t know Chinese.
I wonder if these three lucky Panda girls will be allowed to ” play” with Mei Sheng as part of their introduction once he gets out of quarantine. If so, his experience entertaining Su Lin at the Howdy Gate will come in handy.
————————-
” The US-born panda ” Mei Sheng” came home on Monday. It’s all part of a loan agreement which requires all pandas born abroad to be handed over to China once the animals mature.
Staff at Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan province in southwest China are busy planning his daily life. They’ve also begun looking for a mate for him.
Finally home and yet it’s a totally new place for the four-year-old panda to explore.
If everything goes well, Mei Sheng will be moved into the research center after a month.
Giant pandas are only able to conceive naturally once a year, and this period only lasts for a few days. They are very fussy when it comes to selecting a mate.
Zhang Hemin from Giant Panda Protection & Research said, ” Mei Sheng’s mate can not be blood related to him. She should also suit Mei Sheng’s shape, age and looks. Having carried out research, we have found that there are six or seven giant pandas suitable.”
This has now been narrowed down to three candidates Hai Zi, Guo Guo and Mao Mao. But experts say Mei Sheng will make the final choice.
The State Forestry Administration says 25 panda cubs have been born in captivity this year. There are 239 pandas living in captivity in China and 27 in foreign countries for long-term research cooperation projects.
Mei Sheng’s arrival at the research center will benefit the diversification of the species and help encourage healthy reproduction.”
November 12th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Happy 100 Days, Little One!
November 12th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Does anyone know if Basi is still alive? We were reminising about seeing her at SDZ in 1987. Panda World in Fuzhou, China, gave her a big 25th birthday bash Dec 19, 2005. I believe she and Shi Shi are two of the oldest living pandas. She made history as the first panda to have cataract surgery in 2003 at the age of 23. I read that the restoration of her sight made her go from grumpy to good natured again. In the photos of her 25th birthday bash in 2005, she was eating birthday cake (yes it looked like a normal cake) with a metal fork, and licked it clean like the grand dame that she is.
I think of Basi often and remember how ” talented” she was. She even road a bicycle. She performed at the opening of the Asian Games in her younger years. She was a world-wide ambassador for pandas and for conservation efforts on behalf of the Giant Panda, which is how she happened to be in San Diego for 200 days. We were truly blessed to be able to see her.
Shi Shi is an honorable old ” gentleman” which our blogger friends have been keeping track of for us. He is the father of Hua Mei, our beloved first panda to return to China, and who has since had 3 sets of twin cubs, including this year. Hopefully Lisa will have lots to share with us about Hua Mei when she returns from her trip taking Mei Sheng to Wolong last week. I hope she gets rested quickly, as I am sure her colleagues at SDZ, as well as the live and virtual visitors, are anxious to hear any news she brought back with her.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Happy 100th day Birthday, Baibee! I can’t wait to find out what your ” real” name is so we can start using it.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
#86, Karen–just Google ” Wolong Panda Club” and there is a link to the Wolong panda cam on their site..Hope that helps!
November 12th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
#86 Karen, google ‘panda fan club blogspot’, you can find links to 3 Wolong webcams, the last 2 have bigger viewing size.
#92 Margaret, Basi is still in Fuzhou, 27 years old. She is not the oldest living panda, the oldest is now living in Jinan Zoo, named Tao Tao, female, 35 years old.
The record, if I’m not wrong, is Du Du who died in 1999 after passing his 37th birthday.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Thanks, Kathi #84. It was very reassuring to see him taking treats (carrots?) from the Chinese keeper, who gave him little nose-scritches after each bite. He’ll be happy in his new home, I think
November 12th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Thank you so much for the quick update!
November 12th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
#86 Karen, I typed in cctv dot com and got the page in Chinese. Hit ” English” and you’ll be able to get a video of Mei Sheng.
November 12th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Happy 100 days ” Bright Star”
Many blessings for many more days to come!
Love, Joy
November 12th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
#95, Ling, thank you so much for the update on Basi. I hope she is still in great health. Sounds like Shi Shi, age 33 or 34 is closing in on the longevity record of Du Du. Since he was born in the wild and was already an adult when he was found as an injured animal, no one really knows how old he is. Who knows if he is still here in 2009, which we hope he is, he may surpass the age record. He has gotten first class care since he found his way into the captive circle, so he has survived much longer than he would have in the wild.
Are Lisa and her traveling colleague back yet?
November 12th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Help please – I see so many blogs about Mei Sheng’s arrival in China and the cams at Wolong. Even though I can get to all these sites am unable to see any video. I have uploaded, downloaded, unloaded more programs with no luck. So wonder if any of these videos can be put on youtube. And another request – for Lani’s (ZA) 1st birthday the staff gave her a yellow convertible -saw that video on youtube- too funny – does anyone know if Lani has had that car to play with again. It seems like whenever I check the ZA cam Lani is sound asleep on one of her climbing structures. Many thanks for any help.
I’ve been watching our cubbette having a great squirm session tonight.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Finally saw all of the video’s of Mei Sheng’s arrival and him getting treats. It is good to see that he is doing well and will soon be on his way to finding a mate. I hope he will be happy there and wish him well.
Thank you #84 for the info on how to get the videos I have been trying for days.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Since we are down to the last day of time-lapse videos we can review and watch over and over, I decided I needed to go find something to lift the empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I found a really cute video of baby pandas playing, on Flickr, ” Baby Panda Fun 4.” Watching it I had to smile, and marvel at how really special and precious each panda cub really is. Mei Sheng is a special gift we had the pleasure and privilege to watch grow from a tiny newborn panda cub to a confident, handsome adult male. His time has come to move on to where he can now do his part to produce more great panda cubs, and help conserve pandas for all time. He is a very special panda, a gift from Gao Gao to the captive panda population of the world, to teach them how mating is supposed to be done, and how they can, and, with human help, will become self-sustaining, and reproduce naturally without artificial assistance.
I smile and dream of the day in the next couple of years when ” Mrs Sheng,” or more than one, will produce similar little ” Shengs,” and so on for more generations into the future. It is a prospect that we must now hold onto as our video images from his life with us at SDZ now fade into our memories.
Now our eyes focus on our own little ” Baibee” who is about to get her own ” real” name to take with her as we watch her grow and develop into the beautiful female she will be, just like her big sister, Princess Su Lin. It is amazing how fast panda cubs develop once they become mobile. When I look at Mei Lan, it seems like it was just yesterday that she was in the trying to crawl stage of this cub, and realize that in about 4-5 months she will be going through the separation and weaning stage that Su Lin went through just 8 months ago. I am thankful that panda dams don’t share the emotional baggage and attachment that humans do, or they would not be able to do their job as successfully as they do. Bai Yun, you are the best!!!!
November 12th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
I just reread the end of this posting and realized it said, ” San Diego Zoo staff will remain with him for a few more days before returning home.” So, if it was written on Thursday, and it says ” days,” hopefully that means that Lisa did get to see Mei Sheng until at least Saturday so he could see a familiar face and hear a familiar voice as he adapted to his new home and language and keepers. After a couple of days of getting use to a new routine, his quick learner characteristic would take over and he would be on to his new life.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
I’m so looking forward to stories from Lisa when she returns from China. Moderator–watching pandacam tonight, was that a giant spider that ran around the den a couple of times and headed straight for the cub? Yikes! I love to watch Bai Yun bringing branches into the den and shaking them to make a bed of leaves. Maureen, #87–I also bet she’ll be walking soon. She’s kind of crawling now. I also loved it when Bai Yun took her outside to nurse this afternoon–or was that the classroom? And I almost thought Su Lin was looking for Mei Sheng today the way she was climbing the trees and looking into the Howdy Gate. So much to watch and appreciate–thanks all at the SDZ.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
After watching the time lapse videos today I think Bai is going to find her cubette out of the den one of these days when she returns . I can remember MeiXiang’s dismay one day when she found the staff put Tai Shan outside their den. She dragged him back in but then it became a battle of the wits – the staff put him him out, Mei dragged him back & then Tai found he could slowly move himself around & began to explore his area -he was fascainated by the metal bracket between the den areas. Mei’s favorite position was hanging her head over her ledge in the den & when Tai started crawling he swatted at her nose which upset her. From that day on MeiXiang’s day of snuggling when she wanted were gone – Tai was on the loose & from what I could tell from from the updates poor Mei was at his mercy from then on. If she was lucky she could grab Tai to nurse – but it seemed like she had to wait for him – a terror from the day he learned how to walk. When he returns to China his ” bride” better be ready.
November 13th, 2007 at 6:01 am
#86 Karen. Just Google Wolong Panda Cam. That’s how i found the panda cam. If you also Google either Wolong Panda Club or Panda Fan Club you will find news of Mei Shengs arrival and photos. I wish they had a panda cam that looked in on Mei Sheng from time to time so we could be able to see him from time to time.
I hope the SDZ team have a safe journey home but i can imagine it will really wrench at their heart strings to leave Mei Sheng behind. I do not envy them for that.
I can’t believe the baby cub is now over 100 days old. I look forward to seeing what name wins. It will be great to actually be able to refer to her by her name not just baby or the other nicknames of Miss Fluffy Butt etc. Bai Yun is being an amazing mum she really loves her daughter she is often picking her up and cuddling her.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:52 am
With all this talk of Mei Sheng ” dating” , ” choosing a bride” , and ” getting married” , I have a lot of questions. Could the moderator, Suzanne, or some other knowledgeable person answer the following:
Did Hua Mei choose her partner(s)?
Did she conceive all three times naturally?
Did she have the same partner for all three pregnancies?
What is the name of her partner(s)?
What are the names of her cubs?
Did Hua Mei receive sex ed before mating?
Will Mei Sheng receive sex ed before mating?
Is Pan Pan still alive, and if so, where does he live?
Is Bai Yun’s mother still alive, and if so, where does she live?
And I know this has been requested before, but it would be nice to have a genetic map, or family tree, of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Pandas, including their parents and their offspring, similar to what the National Zoo has had on their website.
Thanks for any answers you can provide!
November 13th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
In addition to checking on Hua Mei could the SDZ staff check if Shi Shi did in fact pass away or is he still among the living? I know the staff that went to China are very busy but when they get back we would all love to hear not only about Mei Sheng but also about the other pandas that have returned to China. thank you
November 13th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Cinda#109 as of today ShiShi our beloved elder panda is still alive and being taken well taken care of. He is blind and has adapted well. We all hope the best for Shi Shi, each day he is with us.
November 13th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Maureen, #106, from my visits to NZP to see Tai in person in the past year, I have observed that he has mellowed considerably since he has been on his own. He has his days of silliness, but for the most part he eats and sleeps in his favorite spot by the big rock next to the window about 3 feet away from his admirers. He sleeps on top of the vent near the fogger, or on top of one of the big logs in the middle of the exhibit. When I went last week he was asleep on the log with his arm draped over it, very content and peaceful. When I went last month, he was very groggy like he had just been awakened from a long nap. He even took a while to notice the biscuits and other ” treats” the keepers had put out for him. He did’t play with his toys either.
I noticed from watching the cam that he seems to be climbing trees more in the past couple of weeks, much as Su Lin is doing. I wonder if it has something to do with the change in daylight/time or just their personal mood?
November 13th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
As I watch the last available SDZ time-lapse video of Mei Sheng, I am very grateful to those visitors who were there on his last day and captured his final hours on exhibit at SDZ on video and shared them with us on YouTube. You are awesome friends of Mei Sheng, and your fellow pandaholics!
Thanks to the staff who gave so lovingly of themselves to make his life at SDZ such a memorable one, to prepare him for his new life, and send him off without a hitch. It has been a week since he arrived in Wolong, and hopefully time has helped ease the pain and emptiness you feel with him gone. As I watch him in the video resting so soundly on his favorite ” cave” and logs, laying this way and that, I hope that he is resting soundly in his new surroundings too. It will only be 4 or so more weeks before he can ” stretch his legs” in a larger regular enclosure, and hopefully have companions to play with, and new taller trees to climb to survey the new countryside, and of course eventually meet the three lovely potential mates selected for him. Who knows, he might have inherited such great ” Romeo” genes from Gao Gao that he chooses all three.
As we watch his ” baby sister” wiggle, squirm, try to crawl, and then walk, we can dream of the day, not so far away, that his son(s) and/or daughter(s) will be doing the same with ” Mrs Sheng.” Life will have then come full circle.
We appreciate the understanding and patience of SDZ keepers and staff as they help us work through all the stages of a panda’s life. We try to remain objective and unemotional, but their fluffy, furry little bodies get the better of our logical brains, and we are hooked. Try as we might to do otherwise, we end up anthropomorphising and laying our emotions on the pandas. Thankfully they don’t really ” catch” them and proceed to live their lives as naturally and instinctively as possible in captivity. The SDZ staff caring for them remains professional and objective to the core, and, with years of experience, does what is deemed best for the pandas to keep them as ” wild” as possible.
As each cub goes to Wolong to help produce more genetically diverse new cubs, a new life begins at SDZ, and the cycle continues. May the ” powers that be” be guided objectively when negotiating extensions to existing contracts, and developing new ones for future pandas to come to USA to continue the research and reproductive gains and cooperation that exist between US and Chinese Giant Panda Researchers and Scientists.
Working together the pandas will have a better life, here and in China, and more generations of cubs will be the result.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
When a female panda in China is bred both naturally and artifically, do they use the same father for both procedures? Do twin pandas ever have different fathers?
November 13th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Lizzie, #108, great questions. Some of Hua Mei’s cubs’ names have been published, such as the male who was selected to go to Taiwan, but is still awaiting acceptance by the Taiwanese government to go. I read that she received Sex Education via videos after her arrival at Wolong. I believe she was one of the first females on which this was done. I saw a video last night talking about how successful they have been with this part of their panda ” training.” Apparently it has greatly helped the males ” get in the mood,” according to Mr. Zemin the head of Wolong. I often wonder how many of Hua Mei’s cubs were born from natural vs artificial matings, because I have read that she at least one set of her cubs were born after she had mated naturally and been artificially inseminated. Obviously they can tell from DNA tests on the cubs after birth who their fathers are, but it must get very confusing to keep track of. Wolong has said they often follow natural mating with artificial insemination to give a greater probability that the female will be come pregnant. This is one of the reasons given for the high percentage of twin births in captivity in China vs SDZ and the wild. Since Hua Mei did not get pregnant in 2006, they may have just done natural and that didn’t ” take?”
November 13th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
There are a few more videos of Mei Sheng on youtube. Search for ” Mei Sheng returns to his ancestral homeland” — a little repetitous with the photos at times, but still good. There are also a couple on youtube that you can view without actually going to the China website (which was choppy for me). Search for ” Panda Mei Sheng arrives in China” and ” Mei Sheng’s first day in Wolong” (my favorite). Hope this helps those of you searching for video. I didn’t watch this Panda grow up; however, it’s both interesting, sad, and hopeful to watch Mei Sheng’s journey! I hope you find and enjoy the videos!
November 13th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Thank you Barbara #110 for the update on Shi Shi. I’m sure he is revered as the grand master and treated royally.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Maureen #101..In regards to Mei Lan’s yellow car, she has not had it again since her birthday as far as I know and I am an avid cam watcher LOL..I guess you are checking the cam at the wrong times, because she is a very active little girl and loves to hassle Mommie for play sessions. Hope you can catch some soon. There are some great videos on youtube of her (and all the others) ..Just put in her name in search engine and then click ” date added” for the latest ones. Hope this helps
) By the way, the little one is just precious. I see her trying to climb out of her box and I know she did it once or twice 
)
November 13th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
111 Margaret – thanks for your personal update on my beloved Tai Shan – we lived in Va. when the Chinese gave Nixon the precious gifts of LingLing & HsingHsing. I can still see pictures of poor LingLing holding one her dead cubs in her paws, looking so sad – it was days before the keepers could get in to remove the baby. If one of their cubs survived, we’d have our own pandas here now. So when Tai was born after so many years & failed attempts I was thrilled. I think the reason he is more active is the cooler weather – plus now he should be eating more bamboo leading to a weight increase – he seems to have been @150 lbs. for several months.
My hubby called me from work today to let me know (Yes, he’s addicted also) that our cubbie was squirming all over. I watched her for 15 -20 minutes and she didn’t give up, she squrimed & rolled all over the place – Oh, Bai, your quiet life is about to end again.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
#95, Ling, I just read an article on CCTV about the panda’s plight because of the coming die-off of bamboo at the end of flowering. On the 5th page there is a picture with this caption,” Female giant panda Taotao eats birthday cake at Jinan Zoo, Jinan, East China’s Shandong Province October 28, 2007. Taotao, 35, is the eldest giant panda bred in captivity in the world. The average life span of giant pandas is about 25 years. Zoologists say Taotao’s age is equal to that of a 100-year-old human being. [newsphoto]” I thought Taotao would look very old, but she doesn’t. She actually looks somewhat like the panda cubs we’ve seen in the US getting their birthday ” cakes.” However, like the one for Basi, this one looks like a regular birthday cake with flower decorations.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
#115 KK West – thanks for the info about youtube. I did watch the videos of our prince of pandas, Mei Sheng, returning home & his royal welcoming made me feel better. He looks happy & once he gets out to the trees & the lovely ladies he’ll be in his glory & make the SDZ proud for raising such a great panda to help their gene pool.
#117 Cheryl – I try to keep up with Lani on youtube as I must miss her active time on the panda cam-just thought the car was such a hoot it’s too bad they haven’t used it again.
Back to watching latest cubette on her way to freedom.
November 13th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
The quest to release captive born pandas into the wild continues. In a posting on cctv 11-14-07. ” Scientists at China’s Giant Panda Protection and Research Center are preparing to release captive pandas into the wild. The move is aimed at enhancing the animals’ ability to live in a natural environment.
The release plan has three stages. First, the researchers will select four young pandas among the more than 100 captive animals at the research center. They’re looking for pandas with sharp reflexes as well as the ability to learn and adapt.
Then the four candidates will receive four years of training, which will focus on raising running and fighting, to better their chances of survival in the wild. And finally, the researchers will determine an appropriate site for the release.
… And the experience suggests that a female panda would be in less danger because she would arouse less hostility. The release area should also be a habitat with a small number of wild pandas.”
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Thankfully Mei Sheng is too valuable genetically, too old, and too accustomed to human contact to be used for release into the wild. However, Hua Mei’s newest cubs included a female, and further cubs are no longer as rare genetically and will be young enough to train for wild preparedness. Hopefully lessons learned from XiangXiang’s release last year will be what is needed to make the next release in 4 years successful.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
#114 Margaret -I thought I read quite some time ago that Taiwan because of political differences was refusing to accept the panda that China was offering them (as a gift not a loan) -oh the power of politics – what we give to receive a panda as a gift
November 14th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Either the panda den is getting smaller or the panda girls are getting bigger.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Thank you 115 KKWest for the youtube information. I found the video and enjoyed seeing Mei Sheng settling into his new home. I just saw a news video on MSN that China released four panda back to the wild. I hope they are well prepared for their adventures.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Can Lisa find out if Shi Shi, Hua Mei’s father, is still alive and okay at the reserve? He must be quite old by now. It’s so good that at least one panda has Shi Shi’s wild panda genes! And now that Hua Mei has produced 6 babies, Shi Shi’s genes are carrying on!
November 14th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Joyce#125 pleae read #110, He is not in wolong, but he is being well taken care of by his keeper no is sure of his exact age but he is well into his 30’s. God bless our honorable elder panda Shi Shi.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Shi Shi, whose real name is Bai Shi, is alive and well at a zoo in Guanzhou. Dong Dong, Bai Yun’s mom, currently resides at a safari park just outside of Guanzhou. And the airport in Guanzhou is called Bai Yun Airport.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Shannon, #124, did they say they already released 4 pandas into the wild, or they are planning to do so? The CCTV news said they are selecting the 4 cubs and will begin the 4 years of training necessary, and then pick an area where there are few existing pandas so there will be less likelihood of confrontation. Also, they think that a female will be less likely to be faced with aggression than a male.
#122, Maureen, I haven’t seen any updates on the stalemate between Taiwan and China over the two pandas that China has selected to ” give” to Taiwan. Taiwan government doesn’t want to accept them for political reasons, although the Taiwanese people are very excited at the prospect of having two pandas permanently (not on loan).
November 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Margaret #128, I must have misunderstood the news story on MSN. I clicked over to the story on CCTV and read the same article to which you are referring. Sorry about that.
November 15th, 2007 at 9:23 am
Margaret #128, I can’t get to the CCTV news article. When I bring up CCTV I don’t find any link to the article you reference. Can you explain how to get there please.
November 15th, 2007 at 9:43 am
#115 KK West. I have just found the youtube with Mei Shengs first day in Wolong before i read your post.
I feel a little happier now i’ve seen him looking well and happy again. I still miss not being able to see him on pandacam. I hope we get to hear more over the months how he is getting on.
I wonder what he will make of REAL snow when he sees it for the first time. Wish i could be a webcam then i’d get to see it as it happens and i’d share it with you all!
November 15th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
We haven’t heard any recent news on Mr. Mei Sheng. Have the Zoo reps returned back to San Diego, and if so, is there any news on how he’s faring in China?
January 24th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I just love how you’ve treated Mei Sheng. I myself love pandas so saving one’s habitat control is a good thing to do. With so little pandas left on Earth we have to be caring and generous to them. I hope Mei sheng has a good stay!:)