Good To See You, Gao Gao!
Posted at 5:39 pm May 5, 2008 by Ellie RosenbaumAs many of you sharp-eyed and diligent Cam-watchers have noticed, there have been some changes at the Giant Panda Research Station: Gao Gao and Su Lin have changed places. Gao has settled in nicely, after preliminary investigations, to the right-hand exhibit area and is, as usual, oblivious to everything except his bamboo. (Visitors? Narrators? What? Who?) Good ol’ Gao is quickly back to his easygoing eating/sleeping routine, such as it is, and visitors are pleased to see him again.
Su Lin, after some necessary trimming of the elm tree there, is now in the classroom area, and this increasingly lively sub-adult bear continues to grow as she approaches her full adult size. Her third birthday is August 2. She will not mature until she’s about five years old but until then will remain energetic and engaging. In the meantime, she’s been busily checking out her space. Between the tree modifications, the fact that this was the first large outdoor space she knew, and her increased size since her last time in this area, Su Lin has a lot to process. Moving up to an old favorite napping spot, she requires a bit more maneuvering to get settled, but she seems to be doing just fine.
Last week’s snow day for Bai Yun and Zhen Zhen lasted longer than expected. That enclosure usually gets more sun and warmth, and it was so unseasonably warm I was surprised to see any snow at all by that Monday. Even more surprising was ZZ’s apparent oblivion to it on Day 2: she had so done snow the day before! Pockets of snow continued to stay up through the week, especially in the “cave,” and by the end, ZZ was grabbing these small pockets of ice, gnawing on them and tumbling down the exhibit slope. Needless to say, a good time was had by all, especially the guests and those of our Cam-watchers who had the good fortune to catch it!
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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May 6th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Glad to see that Su Lin and Gao Gao have both settled back into ” home.” He was busy wandering around his exhibit this morning. She has been busy exploring all her old haunts and finding the best high places to rest.
As I recall it was in this Classroom area that both she and Mei Sheng used as their lauching pad to climb very high up in the elm tree and to have their treetop conversations.
Is ZZ up high enough that Su Lin can see her from her perches? If so, have they had any ” conversations” that any of you have caught by sound or by sight? It will be exciting when they finally do notice each other. They may have more time to interact from a distance than Mei Sheng and Su Lin had. I am surprised that it was so long before Sheng and Su Lin interacted in the trees. Maybe it was because they weren’t close enough until they were both in back areas where the trees are taller and closer together???
May 6th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Dear Ellie,
Yes, Indeed! It was fun last Thursday to see Gao Gao ‘on stage’ again! Yes, you are so correct about Gao being oblivious to his fans. I walked up to the glass and clicked on the camera and said, ” Good Morning Sweet Su.” Gao never noticed my error
He kept on munching 
May 6th, 2008 at 9:53 am
thanks for your update Ellie… as you mentioned when the bears had their ‘Snow Day’ a good time was enjoyed by everyone.
Gao Gao appears very happy and relaxed back in his old pad enjoying munching and sleeping and doing what he enjoys best.
Su Lin is definitely enjoying being back in the ‘classroom’ area – I think all Bai’s cubs recall that area from when they spent time there with Bai in their early years.
This morning Su Lin has been doing some ‘adult zooming’ – I think she is attempting to keep up with ZZ
May 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I’ve been watching the Pandacam for years and years — ever since Hua Mei was born. And I know about Gao Gao and his love of food — but yesterday really drove home the point. Everytime, and I mean EVERYTIME I checked in on the pandas — Gao Gao was eating. And eating, and eating. I swear he even had a smile on his face between stalks of bamboo. He’s like a one-panda-eating-machine. It was incredible. Does he eat alot more than Bai Yun? How about Shi Shi? Anyway — he really seems like a very happy, extremely content bear — with not a care in the world. Oh to be so lucky!
May 6th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Hi! With Gao in his new yard, does that mean he had to give up his bedroom that he would usually go to and eat his boo in? Poor guy! Hope he can find another quiet private place in his new yard to eat his boo in!! He’s a good guy, tho! Did catch some of the snow day on the cam, but couldn’t stay on the cam very long since I had some things to do on that day. I did see Su Lin lying flat on the snow, and she really looked comfy. Missed out on ZZ in the snow. Will have to get on the time lapsed videos to see how she did with it. Just got on the cam today and saw Bai laying down and I think I saw little ZZ on a branch, but was partially hidden by some leaves. At least they are comfy and happy! Usually on the cam, I just see Bai and no ZZ! ZZ up in the trees as usual!! Also got on the National Zoo website panda page, and they have 2 new updates written on there. The first one was the May 1 update on Mei Xiang’s pregnancy watch with a chart that keeps up on her hormone levels. It was a brief update, but said alot. The newest update on the main panda page is the May 5 update. Looks like Mei Xiang has totally forgotten about her carrots, is napping indoors and eating boo indoors alot more, plus doing some small ” nest building” in one of the dens with some bamboo. She does go outside, tho. Got on pandacam 2 and Tai is back in his favorite summertime napping spot outdoors in the cool corner of his yard–napping. That’s been his favorite nap spot during the summer since he was seperated from mom. No word from Memphis Zoo about Ya Ya yet.
Gonna go and get back on the pandacam. Also, my condolences to the zoo in Japan in their loss of Ling Ling. I know that they will miss him a lot!
Well, not too much else. Will get back to chat in here later on. Bye!! Love to all of the pandas!!!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 6th, 2008 at 11:01 am
What a life Papa Gao has – eat, sleep & eat some more – though Kathy Hawk mentioned he was in a tree not too long ago
Now some news from the NZ – Mei Xiang has started ” nest building” , ignoring her carrots & sleeping more – so now we hope for a real pregnancy & cub in the near furture.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Remember that pseudopregnancies can occur BUT……
…the world cannot have too many panda cubs!
Margaret – There’s a lot of bamboo, a building, and two exhibits with trees between Su and ZZ. They may be able to smell each other, but I’m not sure that they can actually see each other. And, hey, ZZ is all about the sleeping and security up there — but we’ll keep our antennae up on this.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I haven’t been able to view the Memphis panda cam for a number of days now. Is anyone else having problems? I wondered if maybe it was down intentionally to allow Ya Ya and Le Le some privacy?
May 6th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
To #8 Kris: I have never been able to view the Memphis pandacam from work, where we have a high speed connection. Just a blank screen. I have no problems viewing the other 3 zoos. And now that we have DSL at home, I tried it from there – nothing but a shadow type image in brilliant pschedelic colors. I don’t get it and it is particularly frustrating to me – this is the closest of the 4 panda zoos to my home & the one I have actually been able to visit. Don’t know what I will do if YaYa has a cub this year – I just have to be able to watch it grow on pandacam. I know one thing – I am going to be there whenever a Memphis cubbie goes on exhibit to the public.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Sure hope you got lots of pictures and video of Snow Day – I’d love to see what I missed!
Moderator’s note: Video of snow at pandas is available from our video portal at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/index.html
May 6th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I’m still surprised at how much ” super stud” Gao eats & how small he is compared to other pandas – Tai weighed 181 lbs. today & he’s not 3 years old yet, while Gao only weighs 174 lbs. As Gao was born in the wild I wonder if there is a smaller species of the giant panda or whether Gao just had a hard time as a youngster.
May 7th, 2008 at 6:26 am
kris#8, Saaron #9. Hi I live in N.J. and haven’t been able to get the panda cam either for the last week but i am able to see the polar bears. I believe that they are keeping Ya Ya and Le Le off exhibit during breeding, Someone else had said that they were at the zoo and they were not out on exhibit. Hopefully a peaceful quiet off exhibit area will give them a chance to get busy and give us a baby.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Sharon, # 9.:
I had the same problem with shadow type images in brilliant psychedelic colors. I decided to experiment with my display settings and discovered a fix for the dark streaming video. Try this: Go back to your desktop and right click one time on any blank spot . If ” Nvidia Digital Display” is one of the choices available, left click one time on it. A box will pop up. From the left-hand side of the pop-up box, select ” Color Correction.” Another box will pop up and you will see ” Apply Changes to.” Under that heading, select ” all” and ” all channels.” You will also see a ” Color Profile.” Be sure to select ” advanced mode.” Then click on okay. That fixed my dark video problem and I hope it will fix yours as well.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Kris, #8, I also have not been able to view the Memphis Cam recently. Sure hope it is because they are busy with breeding season.
#9, Sharon, I hope you get a connection to the Memphis Cam. I have high speed (Cable) internet, and have no problem, except for the past few days. I suppose you have updated your Windows Media Player, and your settings are set to use that as a default? That link is on their Panda Cam page. Other than that, I don’t know what to suggest. Their cam isn’t as good as SDZ or NZ, but as you said, it would be really important if they had a cub, no matter what the picture looks like. Good luck.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Well bloggers, perhaps I spoke too soon or maybe someone from Memphis reads the notes because I tried the panda cam today and it is working again! Someone happily munching a pile of boo. I seem to recall that last year they took the cam offline around the time of Ya Ya’s ovulation to allow for privacy. I think that is a great idea. I felt so bad for the DC bears after all the catcalls and hooting and hollering that they were subject to while trying to get it right (unsuccessfully). Seems to be a totally different environment in SD where the panda area is designated a quiet zone anyway and those who got to see Bai and Gao breed were more respectful.
May 7th, 2008 at 9:43 am
YEAH Le Le and Ya Ya are back, such a picture of her just leaning on a rail and looking right at the camera. Thanks to who ever heard our words
May 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Gao Gao is on cam now and I’ve never seen him look so cute, fast asleep on top of the hollowed out tree. I thought it was ZZ until I looked at the cam number. Needless to say I’ve sent myself a postcard.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:52 am
#11-Maureen in Michigan – I’ve read somewhere that wild-born pandas are typically smaller than the ones in ” captivity” (I’m not fond of that word). I also read that they don’t live as long because of the unique challenges that they could encounter in the wild. Perhaps our researcher friends at the zoo can provide some enlightenment on this topic.
#17 -Susan (UK) – I just saw Gao on the cam and I have to say I have never seen him while asleep. He looks so peaceful and handsome. By the way, Susan, did you read my post in the previous blog? I mention the hotel that we stayed in when we visited in March plus some related info. You might want to look that up. You must be getting excited about your trip!! I wish I was coming too!!
May 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Yes, Gao Gao looked so sweet and cuddly when he was napping earlier today–dreaming of piles of bamboo, no doubt.
I join everyone else in being amazed that the snow lasted as long as it did in the panda areas. Since the pandas loved the snow so much, maybe the zoo should fill their pools with ice cubes periodically through the summer–I’m sure it could be funded through the wish list.
Susan (UK)–I am so jealous of you going to SDZ for the pandas and polar bears–you must take lots of pictures so we can all see what it was like. We’ll be there in spirit, for sure.
May 7th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Do pandas climb trees their entire lives — Ms ZZ climbs straight up a tree trunk (which is amazing) but she is still small — can adult pandas do the same?
May 7th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
While I missed it live, I loved seeing Gao (on time lapse) sleeping in his tree trunk. Next to bamboo, comfort is everything in life.
#18 Pandafan – you are right pandas in the wild have a much harder time foraging for bamboo – though ” super stud Gao” still seems small – but he know to get the job done.
ZA has a great picture of Lani (April 15th). They say she has Lun’s beautiful face & daddy Yang’s charisma – the Chinese commented on Lun’s round face which they consider beautiful. Let’s hope that Lun can have another beautiful cub (they are all beautiful to me).
If the Memphis panda cam was off line during breeding season they could have least let us all know – in the panda world there should be no secrets. (And we still wonder about Mei Sheng).
May 8th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Pandafan – I’ve done a thank you to all of you on the previous blog. Frances, thank you as well. Maybe, if we take some really good photos I’ll get my daughter to put them on flickr (I’m useless and haven’t got a clue about all that sort of thing.) Glad a lot of you saw Gao Gao on his tree yesterday – that’s the first time I’ve seen him so chilled out. Caught him doing a big yawn as well. I’ve noticed Pandas have a very fine set of teeth (obviously for the bamboo), but even so, they are very impressive and remind you that they are bears, not cuddly toys! Still want to hug them though.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:01 am
What a JOY to wake up in the morning and check on all the PANDA’S all over the US, I, personally, am so grateful for all the reports, cam operators, keepers and Vet’s who take such wonderful care of these amazing creatures.
I love this space too, for all of us to write a note and share our feelings and thoughts, I wish the Washington Zoo had a place also, but SDZ, your very kind to to allow us to talk a about ALL the Panda’s in all of the US zoo’s and not just SDZ! (Have you seen Tai lately, in the mornings he can be seen ” rolling and tumbling down his hills, its a RIOT!!)
Chari, of St. Pete., I am in St. Pete. too, come and find me at the local Target store, I work some days in the Garden. I was luck to go visit Tai, and I hope someday to get to San Diego to see ZZ before she is all grown up. Thanks you again for the CAM and the wonderful and IMPORTANT information you share with us on these beautiful PANDA’S.
Marilyn P. St. Pete., FL
May 8th, 2008 at 7:29 am
Hey, Meerkats. Who’s on the cam at 7.22am this morning (SDZ time). Great view of Bai having breakfast and being fussy over which piece of bamboo to have. Thank you for the lovely early morning views.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Panda lovers, I just saw a most entertaining sight on the NZ cam at 14:48+ DC time. Can’t say which bear it was – I was on pandacam2 which is usually Tai Shan, but the bear looked at lot like Tian Tian so, whoever was having lunch was using all limbs – one stalk of boo held in the right foot and another in the right paw, taking a chomp from the foot boo, then the hand boo, and back and forth and so on and so forth. Boy, even the giant pandas are learning secrets to efficient eating. What a lucky catch for me!! I don’t often get to watch them during the day.
May 8th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
OK–for those of us who were watching Gao Gao around 11:30 San Diego time–was he chewing in his sleep? Does the big Gao Gao Bamboo Processing Factory never stop??
May 8th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Yeah, Frances (#26) – he was probably dreaming of noshing on his beloved boo!
May 9th, 2008 at 5:14 am
Marilyn (#23), I agree with you about wishing Washington, Atlanta and Memphis Zoos would set up a place for us to comment directly to them and how awesome the SDZ is to let us comment about the other zoos here. But on another note, all the zoos have wonderful people working to make our days so much better by letting us into their world via the cameras and updates they post.
Busy here getting ready to head to San Diego next Saturday and am planning on spending ALL DAY Sunday at the zoo. We plan on starting with the pandas (of course) and ending with them too. Just hope we can get some good pictures of ZZ and whoever else is out and about. Not looking forward to the long flight from FL to CA but the end result is worth it if I can even get a glimpse of ZZ up in her tree.
Donna in Port Richey, Fl. (Marilyn—which Target ??)
May 9th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Kris #27–thank you for confirming. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:46 am
I am so happy to be able to be watching Gao Gao so much. What a majestic lovely bear he is, he sure does seem smaller that what I though he would be. And to think that every time I see him he is eating and eating!!! What a Guy……
May 9th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Snow Day Photos: There are some wonderful photos of snow day at the zoo by kjdrill. Google ” Baby panda Zhen Zhen’s first snowâ€.
After enjoying the video, check out the slideshow that contains 87 photos. Included, there are some photos of Zhen Zhen interacting with panda keepers, Lindsay and Angie. Also in the montage, there are photos of Su Lin playing in the snow and a few of Gao Gao eating his boo. Kjdrill was sure to get all our sweeties in the set. Lots of fun!
May 9th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Donna (#28) I work in the Gateway TARGET, on 9th st. North, and if you ever stop by, we will get to meet each other and I will share with you my PANDA SCRAPBOOK, It is an amazing book I made all about Tai. I just love the PANDA’s and appreciate all the hard work and love the keepers and vets give them. I also contribute whenever I can, anything helps, even a few dollars. Thanks you SDZ for all you do. Marilyn
May 11th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Gao is a very handsome bear, thanks Ellie for providing updates about him.
pandafan, the video you suggested about Tai is very funny; Tai is very palyful and creative as always.
About the auction, I can’t be around SDZ anytime soon, or else I would love to win the panda behind-the-scenes tour and meet ZZ and her family in person. I wander why there are no panda-creation items in the auction.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I am praying that we will hear good news about our folks and pandas in China soon. Such a tragedy for the whole country. As soon as you hear about the pandas and any possible breach in the fencing, please let us know. That would be such a tragedy! Keep us posted as we will be thinking of and praying for all those workers, pandas and tiny babies.