Wolong Earthquake Relief Fund: At Times Like These Collaboration is Key
Posted at 3:38 pm May 23, 2008 by Ron Swaisgood
I’ll start with the good news. You can now visit the San Diego Zoo’s Web site to donate to the Wolong Panda Center Earthquake Relief Fund. We have been working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Giant Panda Conservation Foundation and our colleagues at other zoos to establish a concerted effort to assist Wolong with recovery.
This collaboration took some time, but it is better to have a coordinated, united front to ensure that we meet the most pressing needs at Wolong. I am happy to see that many of you are reading the Web sites of other zoos and conservation organizations to learn more about the situation in Wolong and how you can help. These people are also our friends and colleagues and we collaborate with them on many panda conservation science projects. The panda conservation community is already close knit, but at times like these it is important for us to rally together for a greater cause.
Your gifts to this fund will provide emergency relief and supplies to the pandas and their caretakers and will help them rebuild their homes and other facilities. The staff at the Wolong Nature Reserve and breeding center have been championed in the press for their heroic efforts to save the pandas, the visiting tourists, and each other. Let’s help these people and their pandas get back on their feet and back to normal as quickly as possible.
Back to normal for Wolong means playing a critical role in the conservation of this most endearing animal. Wolong is the leading facility for conservation breeding of giant pandas. If you look back to the mid-1990s, the breeding centers in China and elsewhere were failing to reach sustainability, meaning the population relied on capture of wild pandas to keep the population from going extinct. Since then, Wolong has turned around its breeding program, increasing the numbers from about 25 to well over 100. Having discovered, through an intensive research program, what was required to get pandas to “do what comes naturally,” most of this increase is attributed to natural mating. At the San Diego Zoo, one of the accomplishments we are most proud of is the assistance we provided that helped make this revolution in panda breeding possible. Wolong also has an active field conservation and science program for the wild pandas living in the Nature Reserve. With such a track record we can be sure that our donations will go to a good cause!
Thank you all for your support and for sharing your information about the news coming out of Wolong. I read these and learn a lot more about what’s happening. I hesitate to call or e-mail my friends in China too often because I know they are inundated with requests for information that may be a distraction from the laborious tasks at hand during the crisis. I don’t have much to add to the comments, but will fill in one bit of information. Many of you have asked why we can’t identify Hua Mei. The staff at Wolong can easily identify Hua Mei and every other panda just by looking at them. Yes, we did implant a microchip for permanent identification, but you can only read it from a few feet away so it won’t help find a panda in the forest. The problem wasn’t that Wolong staff weren’t sure which pandas escaped, but that we did not have that information. Remember, to the best of my knowledge, the zoo community in the U.S. here has only received two or three short e-mails from people actually living at Wolong. No phone calls. Our information is largely coming from Wolong staff that have not been in Wolong since before the quake. With so much to worry about (How are the pandas? How is your family?) our contacts have not thought to ask the question about which pandas escaped. I am happy to learn that it appears that Hua Mei did not escape and her oldest cub has been recaptured. We have high hopes for those other two pandas that are still out there.
Ron Swaisgood is the co-head of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Unit.
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May 23rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
” Thankyou” .. Thankyou for your comments Ron, and thankyou to the SDZ for giving us a platform to talk about all of this ( I know the rules have been relaxed), and for assuring us that our donations will be a huge help to everyone at Wolong, people and Panda’s alike.
I have donated to the Red Cross, Panda’s International and now through SDZ. I figure I must, I plan to go to Wolong with the group from SDZ (WWT), probably in 2 years and I will be able to stand back and say ” I did a tiny tiny part in helping this Panda Reserve continue its incredible work” … I talked to a friend of mine about how I’ve been feeling about all of this and she made it more clear for me. She said ” since you have been watching the Panda webcams, and having been to SDZ, it’s like you have a connection with these bears” . It’s no different than having a Family Pet be caused distress, we care it’s just that simple. Doesn’t mean we care any less about the trauma the people are going through, it’s just that this is a ” Panda” forum of sorts and that is why we are here, to share information and to post our thoughts. I find it very very reassuring here and am grateful for the opportunity to say how I feel.
So, thankyou again everyone for all of the informative posts providing other sites and thankyou moderator for allowing it. My first task (at work) every day is logging onto the SDZ website…
Now we sit back and watch the rebuilding process, we must be patient and let the Wolong community rebuild and get their lives back. My thoughts and prayers are with them constantly.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I am so pleased that San Diego Zoo, other zoos and the AZA have collaborated to set up a relief fund. I have already made my contribution and I know many others will as well. I feel certain this effort will be most successful. I hope we will receive periodic status reports.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Thank you so much for telling us that Hua Mei is ok and that they have recaptured her oldest cub who had escaped. There is so much going on in Wolong but i hope they manage to recapture the other two missing pandas
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
thank you for providing the means to get help for the pandas in china….now is the time to put our money where our mouths are….and i did….thank you
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
SDZoo,
Thank you so much to give us the opportunity to help the Wolong Research Center.
Elisa
São Paulo, Brazil
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Ron – thanks for another helpful update. I’d gotten confused as to how many pandas are still missing. Relieved that Hua Mei is not one of them – but pray they wander back soon. They must be scared, hungry & confused.
SDZ – thanks for donation website – Have made a donation to help the people & pandas of Wolong. The pictures on Pandas International are unbelievable – hard to imagine that anyone survived.
On a bright note – I watched our Miss Z zooming up & down her tree today – she is getting so big.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
THANK YOU for the amazing job you all do — with care for ” our” pandas, information, pics and vids and snow days, the world’s best panda blog and, now, pulling together a way for us all to help the Wolong pandas and staff. We all know what a monumental effort this had to take! Today I sent a check to Pandas Int’l and I would like to send one to you, if you can post an address/payee info for that. Some of us just use AmEx and it’s not an option on either site. Trust me, I will email them and suggest they adjust their discount rates for such a worthy cause!!
God bless you all. I am still praying for every living being affected by this monumental tragedy.
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Hi Ron,
Thank you for doing your part in collaborating with your colleagues and others in order to assist with the Wolong Panda Center Earthquake Relief Fund. Now that we have the information, we can all send our donations via the San Diego Zoo website.
I am hopeful that all the monies received will help the Wolong Preserve get back to normal soon, and that all the pandas and their keepers will return to their familiar surroundings as soon as possible.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Hello
Thank you for setting up the Earthquake Relief Fund. I plan to contribute but the donation form does not allow input of country. I hope you will add in this item so overseas panda lovers can contribute, too. Thank you.
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Thanks once again, Ron, for providing info. It is definitely a challenging time. I pray that the international panda community comes out of this with a greater sense of unity and comradery. I am thrilled there is the fund set up now. I agree that it is important to have a coordinated front for the funds to be most effective. I certainly saw that after 9/11, when people wanted to give to help and much of it was mis-appropriated. In a time of crisis we want to help… REALLY help!
I am using the earthquake to educate people about the pandas. ALL of my friends and family already know more than they ever thought they would about these magnificent animals. Now, I am telling lots more people about their plight and adding the info about the fund to give them a way to help.
Yesterday a little boy gave me his allowance to give to the pandas. I sent that in and gave him one of my (many) stuffed pandas to be with him when he prays for the China pandas. Today a group from a 3rd grade class decided to give their lunch money for the pandas. I bought them pizza (I had a free coupon) and gave them a choice of panda stickers from my collection.
They all want to help. I’m glad I have a direction for them to go to help. Thanks for all your work getting things coordinated. I’m still praying for the people and pandas (and other animals) in China.
Love, Joy
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Thank you for work and that you make this world a better place! I will keep my fingers crossed that research center gets back to normal work soon!
May 24th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Does this relief effort also include working with Panda International?
May 24th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Photos of Eight Two Year Olds in Beijing
They have arrived safe and sound. These photos ought to cheer everybody up a little bit. The pandas look so happy and content. Go to Yahoo News, Click on the World tab, then on the Asia tab. You’ll see a small picture and the headline ” 8 earthquake pandas arrive in Beijing for Olympics” click that. On the next page below the photo you’ll see a link to the slideshow. Click that and enjoy. I have had a bookmark to that slideshow page that I check regularly as it updates when new panda photos make the news. Be sure to prescreen before sharing with children as sometimes inappropriate and unrelated (to our interests) photos will carry the tag ” panda” and show up there.
May 24th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Dear Ron,
It is great news to hear that Hua Mei did not escape. I certainly hope and pray that there will never be another earthquake like that in China again. I thank you for the update. I hope to visit Wolong when it is safe to visit again.
On the other hand, what have you heard about the Chengdu Breeding Center? The director there seemed very concerned about their fundings since the majority of it is from tourism, and with the quake, the visitors are almost nil. What can we do to help them as well? Thank you!
May 24th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Sad, very sad… he/she sees videos after earthquake seeks Google – you video sina com cn LOOKPANDA
May 24th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I AM WORRIED FOR THE WILD NAMELESS PANDAS
Pictures coming out of the quake zone in Sichuan showed the hills and mountains being sheared bare by the magnitude 8.0 nightmare, with whole cliffs came tumbling down the valleys blocking access roads to the vast remote interior and forming huge barrier lakes. While birds might fly away, such massive, sudden and explosive landslides would have taken along with them and buried all the trees and animals and everything else in their wake.
Such Tragedy For The World. Our Merciful Lord.
To Love TaiShan, SuLin and ZhenZhen is to Love n’ Cherish Every Panda in the World.
May 24th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
It is a lovely blog! I just watched Sichuan TV, Hua Mei is among one of the six pandas who were tranferred to Bifengxia because of the dire situation in Wolong after the earthquake. Now, Hua Mei and her half brother Mei Sheng are at the same panda reserve center. SCTV gave Hua Mei a frontal shot and told people she is Hua Mei.
May 24th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Thank you, Ron, for taking time from what must be an extraordinarily busy and stressful schedule in order to keep us updated.
And thank you for reminding us that no matter how hungry we are for news of the people and Pandas of Wolong, those in the midst of the chaos and the work of caring for their charges have far more important things to do than reassure a bunch of bloggers, no matter how much we love the Pandas. A few truckloads of bamboo and supplies might help them for a few days, but we need to remember that they are living in tents, taking care of upwards of 50 bears, and trying to put some order back into a facility that was all but destroyed. All of this while living in fear of of additional tremors, mourning their dead, and never being sure that the food and supplies they need will arrive in time. I can’t begin to imagine what they are going through.
We also need to remember that even when the road to Wolong is finally opened and supply lines are more stable, the real work will be just beginning. The way back for our Wolong friends and for the bears will be long and hard. They will need our help and support for a very long time. And, watching their courage and committment, their compassion and their bravery in the face of such tragedy, how could we do anything less?
May 24th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Thank you so much for this much needed information on how we can all help. People often ask, ” How can I really make a difference in the world?” This is one very important way that we can all help to ensure that Wolong gets back on its feet and is able to continue with very important research to help the Giant Pandas.
May 24th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
i just want to say that i am thinking of all the people in china and the pandas and that god will be with them and help them all and keep them safe — that they get back quickey to as much of a normal life soon — my prayers will be with them — and also thanks so much keeping us inform of everything
May 24th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Hey, Ron! Hope you are doing well over there in China! Thanks for all of the info that you wrote in your blog about the donation link to SDZ, and all of the efforts that are still going on in China to help start to recover from this massive disaster. As of the last news report that I got from one of the news websites, the Chinese government has revised their death toll to over 55,000-60,000 with an estimated total of nearly 80,000 deaths. That is staggering, and the Chinese are still pretty much reeling from this even after nearly 2 weeks. Rescue efforts are still ongoing, recovery of bodies is still ongoing, and taking care of the thousands of injured people and millions of homeless is a huge task for them. This recovery and rebuilding effort will take years, some say maybe 3 years at minimum, and the emotional and mental affects of this quake will be very long lasting. It’s not just the human psyche that is affected, all of the animals–wild and domesticated–are also affected as well. I saw a news report today that mentioned that even some of the pandas from Wolong are still a little skittish, nervous, not eating as much, and not sleeping very well. That can be a little troubling hearing that about the pandas. I’m hoping that as the days and weeks go on, these pandas will eventually calm down and feel better, eat more bamboo, and sleep better. I also read that the 8 pandas that were held in Chengdu for the trip to Beijing Zoo have left for Beijing today. Their keepers are with them to help them with the trip on the large plane and relieve any stress, and the keepers and pandas will stay in Beijing thru the Olympics and the fall, then come back home in November. Just don’t know if they will be back at Wolong by then or go back to Chengdu temporarily until things are rebuilt at Wolong.
Checked the USGS website, and found out that the number of strong aftershocks in the 4-6 magnitude range have gone down. That is pretty good news which means to me that the fault responsible for this huge quake is starting to settle down a little more. USGS has not listed the more minor shocks in the 1-3 range, but I’m sure that there are still a large number of them going on. This fault will still take a long time to really settle down, tho.
What are you doing now, Ron? Have you talked with Jen Keating lately? Please update us about what you are able to do and when Jen will be writing an update for us.
Still praying about the 2 missing pandas and the 2 injured pandas. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find out if anyone has been able to get out into the woods to try to find the 2 pandas and how the 2 injured pandas are doing. This is where those tracking collars would have come in handy in situations like this. From what I understand, tracking collars have a longer tracking range than the microchips do. Let me know if I’m right, ok?
Gonna go and get some sleep. Will check pandacam tomorrow. Please keep us updated as much as you can, ok? Let Jen Keating know that we all want an update from her ASAP! I’m pretty sure that she’s been extremely busy since the quake hit, but I would like to see an update from her.
Love to all the pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 25th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Thanks to the Americans for their generosity, care and great love for the victims and pandas who suffered in the earthquake. Chinses will never forget all your great deeds.
Latest News from Wolong : Sources (TVB, a HK stationed TV broadcasting company and CCTV, the central TV station in Mainland China)
Hua Mei was moved to Beifingxia in the evening on May 24, travelling more than 13 hours from Wolong to A’an. Beifingxia is another panda reserve, which is a smaller scale than Wolong, in Sichuan. Hua Mei left Wolong with another five giant pandas. One of them is the mother whose two-year-old son resides in Ocean Park, Hong Kong. Hua Mei with these five Wolong pandas are escorted by a few panda keepers in Wolong and policemen. One of the panda keepers are well-known by Hong Kong people because he is the one who accompanied two panda cubs in Hong Kong last year. His love and dedication to pandas are highly appreciated by HK people. So, you can be assured that Hua Mei and other Wolong pandas are well taken of. The pandas are still adjusting their lives in the new habitat. There are some signs of agitation at the beginning. I hope they can go on well.
Other 8 panda cubs, known as the ambassadors of Beijing Olympic Games, were finally reallocated to Beijing at around 4:30p.m. on May 24. They set off earlier to Beijing to ease the crowdedness in Woloong as 32 panda enclosures were completely destroyed in the earthquake. There was a severe shortage of panda food in Wolong. The panda cubs only had rice porridge to fill their hungry tummies. No bamboo, no apples and no wouwoutou (a kind of panda biscuit). With fewer pandas in Wolong, it eases the pressure of the staff who still station in Wolong. At present, Wolong Breeding Centre has 45 pandas left. We are still waiting for the 2 missing pandas.
More news for Hua Mei’s first two sons : Hua Mei was first mated with Ling Ling after she had returned from America. She gave birth to her first twin boys. Her eldest son was named Hua Ling (now earned the name Tuan Tuan) and his second son was Mei Ling. After Tuan Tuan had chosen to be the goodwill ambassador to Taiwan with Yuan Yuan ( a female panda), they were kept in an enclosure at the far end of Wolong Breeding Centre. As they are waiting for Taiwan’s persmission, Mei Ling was placed in the same enclosure with Tuan Yuan, an action to enrich their lives. The enclosure of Tuan and Yuan was completely destroyed. I am wondering if Mei Ling was still kept with them in the same enclosure at the time of the quake. Is Mei Ling safe? I hope he is.
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan ran away from their den in the quake. Tuan returned to the centre on May 13 and Yuan Yuan came back home on May 17. Yuan Yuan lost 13 kilogrammes. She cannot ease her mind even though she is home. Whenever she takes a step, she has to look around and check if it is safe to put down her leg on the ground.
I place my utmost tribute to the staff in the panda reserve, the new Wolong blog designer and the news reporter from HK and their counterparts in China. The staff in the panda resereve show their courage and dedication to their job. They chanted one slogan to cheer themselves up. I am deeply moved with tears rolling down. They said, ‘ Wherever there are people, there are pandas.’ (Chinese Piyin : ren zia, xiong ma zia). The new Wolong blogger sent out the news to the Chinese community as there was no electricity in Wolong and news were cut off becasue of the blockage of roads. Without their help, we couldn’t have known what happened to Wolong and how we could help them. The news reporter from HK and Mainland China, put aside their safety and delivered the news to us. They had to walk for a long way as the roads to Wolong were blocked by boulders.
The situation in Sichuan isn’t so optimsitic. Possible flooding and epidemic may further take away more lives in Sichuan. Today, there was a afterquake at 6.4 Richter scale.
Prayers are for the victims, the rescue teams, the journalists and the generous and caring people from around the world.
Remarks :
1) I know that pinyin is not allowed in this blog. I added it because translation may lose some parts of its original meanings. Accpet my apology if I have offened anyone in this blog.
2) For more news, you can logon to TVB and CCTV websites.
May 25th, 2008 at 9:17 am
China has over 1 BILLION people folks. They also are a super power in regards to their economy. Why oh why do you feel it necessary to send them more money? They are rebuilding an entire city for the olympics for CASH they DO NOT need any more money nor manpower. Send your money to a zoo or an animal shelter in the UNITED STATES to honor the pandas. Adopt a forgotten zoo or shelter in a city here to help our animals and to make our zoos a better place. I feel sorry for the victims of this and any tragedy in the world but we need to refocus on the United States and our own people and animals that desperately need your help on a daily basis.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:07 am
The eight pandas that were rescued from Wolong arrived safe and sound on Saturday at the Beijing Zoo.
To view a narrated video showing the pandas enjoying and investigating their new home…
Goggle: INT Rescued Pandas Settle In
The pandas will remain in Beijing until November.
The video of these adorable pandas helped to boost my spirits during this very difficult time for the people
and the pandas in China.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Thank you, Ron Swaisgood, for keeping all of us informed of the current situation in Wolong during these trying times. I take my hat off to your friends in Wolong who continue to care for the pandas despite the fact that they
have to face a lot of problems concerning themselves and their families. My thoughts are with them. I was truly touched watching the video when after the earthquake they took immediate care not only of the visitors of Wolong but also, at the same time, of the ” kindergarten pandas” . It melted my heart!
Thank you everybody at SDZ for setting up the Wolong Panda Center Earthquake Relief Fund which will hopefully help to alleviate the problems in Wolong and assist the people in getting back on their feet as soon as possible.
In the meantime I have been receiving the daily newsletter from Panda International and have already donated to their organisation. However, I reckon that as long as the funds are going into the right channels it will not make a difference to which organisation to donate. I was impressed with their enquiring for which purpose the funds should be used, i. e. Wolong etc. After having been e-mailed a thank you-note I am sure that the donation will reach its destination.
should be used, i.e. for Wolong etc.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Thank you Ron, for that update….of course we wait and pray for all of the Chinese people, that the aftershocks will let up and that they can find, bury and mourn those who were lost in the tragedy. Such a catastrophic event will leave scars forever.
Thank you also, for easing our minds about our beloved ” American” bears. We know that the pandas are receiving the best care and help that is possible in this trying event and can only hope that things soon return to the usual routine.
Please do keep us posted, if and when you hear anything more. Prayers for all in that province!
May 25th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Hi, Ron–thanks for the update. I just ran across the news that they have at least spotted one of the last missing pandas:
CHENGDU, May 25 (Xinhua) — A giant panda which went missing from a major panda base in southwest China’s Sichuan Province after the May 12 earthquake was spotted alive about 5:20 p.m. on Sunday by a group of road workers.
The panda, named Xixi, was found playing at the other side of a river near the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong by the workers from the Chongqing municipality, said Zhu Xiaotao, one of the workers repairing the road damaged in the 8.0-magnitude quake.
The workers immediately informed the staff of the panda
center, and tried to use a crane to take the panda raisers and anesthetists across the water to capture the animal, but the arm of crane could only reach the center of the waterway, Zhu said.
The raisers said Xixi is safe and they will continue to search for it Monday.
The panda was one of the two which are still missing after the earthquake. A total of six pandas disappeared after the quake, but four later returned.
Pandas at the Wolong natural reserve are facing food shortage as the quake, continuous aftershocks and subsequent landslides damaged mountain roads.
Eight pandas were airlifted to a zoo in Beijing on Saturday, and another six have been taken to the Ya’an base which was less affected by the earthquake.
After being able to watch and get to know the pandas so well through panda cam and the blogs, it is so hard to feel that the thread is broken when they go to China or are endangered by a catastrophe such as the earthquakes. Most of us don’t know the keepers or their families as you do, Ron, so please forgive us if we seem insensitive to them. The enormity of it all seems so hard to comprehend, but if we know the pandas are well and the staff able to care for them, perhaps some small progress towards recovery has been made. When you do speak with them, please let them know how much we care. Until then, all we can do is donate and share information.
May 25th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Why isn’t there any mention of Mei Sheng or Shi Shi? Are they OK????
Moderator’s note: We don’t have any information as of yet. When we learn something, you can be sure we’ll spread the word.
May 25th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
MISSING PANDA SPOTTED ALIVE AFTER SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE
http://www.chinaview.cn 2008-05-26 00:32:22
CHENGDU, May 25 (Xinhua) — A giant panda which went missing from a major panda base in southwest China’s Sichuan Province after the May 12 earthquake was spotted alive about 5:20 p.m. on Sunday by a group of road workers.
The panda, named Xixi, was found playing at the other side of a river near the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong by the workers from the Chongqing municipality, said Zhu Xiaotao, one of the workers repairing the road damaged in the 8.0-magnitude quake.
The workers immediately informed the staff of the panda center, and tried to use a crane to take the panda raisers and anesthetists across the water to capture the animal, but the arm of crane could only reach the center of the waterway, Zhu said.
The raisers said Xixi is safe and they will continue to search for it Monday.
The panda was one of the two which are still missing after the earthquake. A total of six pandas disappeared after the quake, but four later returned.
Pandas at the Wolong natural reserve are facing food shortage as the quake, continuous aftershocks and subsequent landslides damaged mountain roads.
Eight pandas were airlifted to a zoo in Beijing on Saturday, and another six have been taken to the Ya’an base which was less affected by the earthquake.
May 25th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Hey, you all! Got some bad news and some great news today after watching MSNBC News and reading an article from their website. The biggest news is that some Wolong staff has spotted Xixi, one of the 2 pandas that had been missing over the last week, near the reserve center. They were trying to snag the panda, but Xixi ran off before they could get to the panda (didn’t say if this pandas was a boy or girl). At least they know that Xixi is safe and unharmed, and is probably finding some amount of bamboo in the quake damaged mountains. No word about the second missing panda yet. Another great piece of news is that an 80 year old man that has been under the rubble of his house for 11 days has been finally rescued. Apparently, he was reachable because his wife has managed to feed him and give him water thru this last week and a half until the rescuers were able to get him out.
Now, the bad news that just broke today. The Longmenshan Fault gave up one of the strongest aftershocks today that registered a 5.8 magnitude by the USGS. This is just one of several strong aftershocks that have rocked Sichuan Province since the May 12 earthquake. This aftershock today has leveled over 71,000 homes that were seriously damaged from the original quake and were on the brink of collapsing, killed at least one person, injured another 400 more with some of those in serious condition. This has just added to an already difficult job for medical personnel and rescuers that have worked long and hard to find people, rescue them, provide medical care for them, and provide housing and tents for the more than 5 million people left homeless from this quake. Xinhua News said that the government is asking for at least 900,000 more tents to be made by the tent making factories and get them out as fast as they can. There are 35 new lakes that are on the brink of overflowing with the forecast of more heavy rain coming in this week. There are still several dams that have some damage to them in the quake zone, but the people in charge of those dams have released some of the water out of those lakes and rivers to relieve some of the pressure off of the dams. But, the dams are still under close watch 24/7 and with heavy rain coming in, that just makes that situation alot more tense. Also, now there’s news that there is a possibility of 24 coal miners that are trapped in a mine that may have suffered damage from the original quake that a rescue team is looking for. No further word on how those miners are doing or if they are some of the thousands that were killed in the quake.
On the relief effort, a lot of planes from some of the countries that are involved in the relief efforts are starting to come in with more supplies, rescue people, medicines, tents, food, and other needs that the Chinese people will be needing in the weeks to come. Some planes have come in today (Sunday), and more are scheduled to land tomorrow (Monday). All of the flights will be landing at Chengdu Airport. The US is one of the countries that is participating in the relief effort along with Russia, Japan, Sri Lanka, and quite a few others.
Still need to keep China in your prayer lists, and keep hoping & praying that the Wolong Reserve staff will be able to find Xixi and the other missing pandas and bring them back home. Will be checking Pandas International for new updates on their relief efforts.
Love to all the pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 25th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
This is such great news and thank you so much for filling us in on what you know and what you don’t know. You are right of course, what is important over there right now is getting recovery on the way and you can’t keep calling or sending e-mails asking questions. We are lucky to have the information we have really. I just know we are going to raise a lot of money for the pandas and their caretakers.
I just noticed the fact that the zoo ” could” house up to six pandas and it made me wonder if the day might come when China might send us a male panda for say Su Lin or even Zhen Zhen when she is old enough. I know this is probably thinking way ahead but this disaster gives one pause for such thoughts. We have the room and one thing we do that it seems the Chinese don’t is allow breeding to take place naturally. Oh, we’ve done the artificial insemination thing too and would again I’m sure but we are able to let our pandas raise their cubs as naturally as possible. The Chinese are under pressure to produce more cubs of course so they can’t wait on that. It seems like with this disaster sending us another male might be one answer while they recover at Wolong. I know this is just one of those thoughts put out there. Right now they are just trying to make sure their pandas are safe and their staff is safe and that is how it should be.
The Chinese people have turned out in record numbers, without any government orders, to help their fellow citizens and that is simply amazing and wonderful. I applaud their stepping forward like that to do whatever they can. This is one of the signs that China as a country is growing emotionally and mentally. Change is in the air and this disaster has showed that they can unite for something truly worthwhile. Perhaps we shouldn’t be that surprised but it is a pleasant one I think given the past.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hi! Another update on the news about China that I got from CNN website late tonite. The aftershock that hit China earlier today was actually a 6.0 magnitude on the Richter scale according to the USGS, who revised the magnitude level of this aftershock from 5.8 mag. Beijing did feel this one as it was only 6 miles deep, the same depth of the original 7.9 quake and the several dozen aftershocks since May 12. Now, up to 1,000 more people have been hurt from this shock, and over 70,000 more homes collapsed that were on the brink since the May 12 quake. Hundreds of children are now orphaned, and hundreds of elderly people are without caretakers or younger family members to help take care of them. The Chinese government are having to get something together to take care of the most vulnerable of their population. The 8 pandas and their keepers have arrived in Beijing, and they will be at Beijing Zoo thru November. The pandas are on loan from Wolong to not only provide some source of happiness to the people who will come to see them, but also be a source of conservation education to everyone that sees them there. The panda keepers and the staff from Wolong want to let everyone know how fragile these bears are, where they stand in the wild, and the work that Wolong Reserve and other panda reserves are doing to keep the pandas from going extinct. This should be a very good educational experience for everybody since the pandas are China’s symbol of conservation and protection, and their love for these awesome animals.
Found out that there are 69 dams in the earthquake zone that are damaged and are on constant watch for leaks and breaks. Rescuers have evacuated hundreds of people in those areas that could be affected by flooding should anyone of those dams break, or the water overruns the tops of the dams when the heavy rains come in this week. China does not need another disaster on top of what they are dealing with now.
Still no further news of the 2 pandas that are still missing, especially Xixi.
The National Zoo update on May 22 also listed some of the other reserves that have suffered damage from this quake. There are a total of 30 panda reserves in that region, including Wolong and Chengdu, and all of them have damage to buildings, roads, and electrical systems, with the exception of Chengdu and Bifengxia which came thru this quake pretty much undamaged. Unfortunately, one of the reserves has reported deaths among their staff workers—Anzihe Reserve lost one of their staff from the quake. Tangjiah, Wanglang, Xuebaoding, Xiaohegou Reserves reported that no one from their staffs has died, as well as the Laohegou Timber Reserve. NZ was not able to find out about the other 22 reserves in that area to check on their staff members and the situations about them. The NZ update has also included a news video from National Geographic that describes what was happening during and after the quake, and it really said alot from just watching that myself.
OK; I’ll stop writing for now. I just wanted to give you all this update from what I just found out late today and tonite. Please continue to keep China in your prayers.
Ron, hang in there! Write us another update as soon as you have anything else from Wolong, Chengdu, or any of the other panda reserves, and hopefully Jen Keating will send us an update soon.
Hope everyone has a very nice Memorial Day holiday, and keep our US troops in your prayers also!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 26th, 2008 at 6:37 am
Hooray! It sounds like one of the missing pandas from Wolong has been found! No word on it’s condition, but it’s been found. Now, just one more to find/return home. What a great bit of news to start the day.
May 26th, 2008 at 7:49 am
5/26 – Missing Xi Xi was recaptured Monday. So by now only one panda is missing from Wolong research center.
***** BEIJING (Reuters) – China has recaptured a giant panda that made a bid for freedom after a massive earthquake devastated the research base where it lived, the official Xinhua agency said on Monday.
The panda, named Xi Xi, was spotted on Sunday by a river not far from the Wolong research centre, but had disappeared into the woods by the time staff had got across.
It did not get very far in its escape effort however, as they captured it on Monday just 200 metres (yards) downstream from its home.
The highly endangered bear was anesthetised and taken back in a cage to rejoin another four pandas who also went on the run after the May 12 quake, China’s most devastating in decades.
One panda is still missing, and the centre is struggling to feed the animals, which used to live on bamboo shoots collected by local people.
The Wolong centre is deep in the mountains of Sichuan province, just 30 km (18 miles) from the earthquake epicentre along a winding, two-lane road that was partially blocked by landslides.
(Reporting by Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by David Fox)
5/26 – An earlier CCTV article states Xi Xi pregnancy:
***** One of the two giant pandas still missing from a major panda base in southwest China’s Sichuan Province after the earthquake has been spotted by a group of road workers.
The panda, named Xixi, was seen playing across a river near the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong by workers from Chongqing municipality.
After the panda was spotted on Sunday afternoon, staff from the Panda Center were immediately dispatched to try to bring the animal back to his home. During their search, staff members discovered a piece of eaten bamboo and droppings which were left by the panda about two days ago. They later left some apples and steamed corn bread for the missing pandas on roads leading to the Giant Panda Center.
They hope the missing pandas will be able to follow the path of food back to their home at the Wolong Center. Staff members say Xixi has been pregnant but they believe the panda is still safe and they will continue their search.
Editor:Zhang Ning
May 26th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Thanks for the updates Ron, we are also glad to hear that Hua Mei is fine and that her oldest cub is back with his partner.
While watching Gao Gao late this afternoon reaching up into the rocks to get his beloved treats, he was moving his mouth in anticipation, and almost seemed to be saying, ” Oh boy, oh boy, treats!” Then he moved on up and started eating his special treats. He is quite the chowing machine.
With the damage to the panda enclosures at Wolong, and the time and effort it will take to get them back in shape, hopefully they won’t be wanting Tai Shan back a soon as originally scheduled. His stay has been extended until he is at least 4 years old, and since he is not as genetically valuable as Su Lin, and Mei Sheng, they may not be in as big a hurry to get their US born cubs back there until they are of breeding age as Hua Mei was. She proved that it is not necessary to be there for a year plus before breeding as she produced cubs within 6 months of arriving at Wolong.
May 26th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I read today that China had another huge 6.0 aftershock that destroyed another 15,000 houses.
While we don’t agree with the Chinese government our hearts & prayers go out to the millions of homeless people – how much more can they take. And during all these human tragedy, they are still trying to take care of the pandas.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:23 am
#17, Eugenia, thanks for the update about Hua Mei. Who knows, she might still meet ” Little Brother” after all. What a thrill that would be. I wonder if any English speaking people are at Bifengxia, and if so, whether either Mei Sheng or Hua Mei would respond if they heard English spoken to them?
#30 Peggy – I keep thinking that we Americans can learn a lot from the bond that the Chinese people have for each other, especially in the face of such horrific tragedy. The people who have nothing left, but life itself, are turning away gifts to them to ask that they be given to others who ” are in greater need.” We have so much, that we can’t appreciate what it must be like not to have any drinkable water, restrooms, etc. They are living under whatever cover they can find, and hanging laundry over their heads or off the ropes holding their tents up. When all they have left is literally the shirt on their back, that must be a painful thing to do, especially for such a high dignified people. My heart can’t comprehend the shock to their system and way of life, never mind the constant aftershocks, including one of 6.0 on Sunday. Each time they start to get their lives back on track another aftershock happens and the rainy season is beginning. How does one dry the only clothing left, when the rains start? Their tents are lined up along the broken roads, and the rains will start washing the open soil downhill towards their feable tents and cover over their heads. Many of them are farmers that can’t get to their crops for harvest, or to their animals, many of whom were killed in landslides.
The incredible stories coming from NPR from all walks of life in Sichuan are absolute mind numbing and mind boggling. When we sustain such a horrific natural disaster, we fight, and blame, and complain. Do we all pitch in as fast to help each other survive????
May 27th, 2008 at 9:02 am
A department store, that starts with ” K” , is selling stuffed Kung Fu pandas to raise money for their ” Care for Kids” programs. It is a great way to share our love of pandas with children, and benefit children in need, as hopefully the marketing video for the movie is benefiting SDZ.
Joy you have employed some really creative things to get children’s attention focused on the pandas, and their urgent need for money to help get their ” home” rebuilt.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Suzanne #32, you are right. I just learned via Google that Xixi, one of the still missing pandas has been traced and seems to be in a good condition. However, the last panda is still missing. Let’s hope that he will be found soon owing to his not being familiar with the ” wild” life. Chari Mercier #31 and every other dedicated blogger thank you so much for all your valuable information which has been truly appreciated by me. #22 Karen, when reading the slogan of the workers at Wolong I also had to shed a tear. These people seem to be truly attached to their pandas. Steve #23 I agree with your statement that China is a super power nation and that a lot of money has been invested for the Olympic Games. However, I doubt that the poorer people who just had to suffer this horrific earthquake will have the benefits of the Olympic Games’ revenue. And neither would the caring people and their pandas at Wolong that, I feel, are dependent on our help. From my point of view it does not matter in which part of the world people and animals need help after such a far reaching catastrophy. Having had so much pleasure with the pandas via SDZ’s webcam and other zoos I personally feel that I just owe it to their ” brothers and sisters” in their original homeland. And let’s remember that without the dedication of the Wolong staff we would not have the benefit of being able to watch the pandas living in the zoos worldwide, United States, Europe and wherever else.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:08 am
BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) — When eight 2-year-old pandas arrived at Beijing Zoo on Saturday after a long journey from their quake-damaged home Wolong reserve center, both the keepers and tourists cheered.
As the ” national treasures” , the eight cubs, flown to Beijing by a special charted plane, had narrowly escaped death in the recent 8.0-magnitude quake that rocked southwest China’s Sichuan and has claimed more than 65,000 lives, including six staff members at Wolong Nature Reserve.
The eight pandas will spend the next six months in the capital as planned to add festivity to the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
Shortly after they arrived, the pandas were moved into an 800-square-meter glass house composed of seven pens, with air-conditioning and round-the-clock monitoring devices. Also provided for the pandas are four play grounds, including a pond, a lawn, a ladder and a terrace.
” We keep the indoor temperature at 25 degrees centigrade, so the pandas are ensured conditions similar to their natural habitat,” said Zhang Jin’guo, vice director of Beijing Zoo.
In the meantime, the zoo managed to procure 240 kg of fresh bamboo and bamboo shoots from central China’s Henan Province, as well as apples, carrots, milk powder, corn bread and mineral supplements, said Zhang.
Pandas are very picky and normally eat only fresh high-altitude bamboo shoots.
While the eight lucky ones get used to their new residency in Beijing, their fellow pandas back home are still in the quake trauma.
” Psychological counseling” for the rare animals was put in place, said Wang Pengyan, director of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong, 30 km away from the epicenter of Wenchuan County.
To comfort the pandas, the keepers greeted them by names, touched their heads gently and maintained eye contact with them. ” These methods prove to be useful, and most of them are mentally stable now,” Wang said.
Panda keeper Gao Qiang still shivers when recollecting how the pandas survived the quake.
” Before we realized what was going on, a whole mountain had collapsed and rumbled, like a cyclone of huge rocks. The pandas were roaring with horror I never heard before.”
Instinctively, the panda keepers ran to the open ground, but they returned to the building when they remembered the pandas.
” We treat the pandas like our own children. Do parents abandon their children when the disaster strikes? ” said Gao emotionally.
Within seconds, the pandas climbed into the trees, not daring to move. Gao and his colleagues ran back amid aftershocks and crashing stones. They climbed up and held the pandas in their arms, before bringing them to the ground. ” It was no easy job: they weigh 150 kg each, twice our size,” he said.
More worrying were 14 cubs. When Wu Daifu, another panda keeper, rushed back, the rising river was approaching the six-month-old cubs, who were clinging together in such a big fear that ” they were biting or scratching us violently,” Wu said.
Rescue of the adult pandas was much more difficult. They scattered everywhere. For those who would not return willingly, anesthetic was the only solution.
” It was heart-breaking to use anesthetic on them,” Wu recalled.” We patted their heads, gave them comfort, and inserted the needle as slowly as possible.”
The quake left two pandas injured and six others missing. Fortunately, five of them have been recovered safe and sound by Monday, he said.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Steve #23, I and alot of my fellow bloggers either work, foster or donate our time to local animal shelters, This tragety is bigger then that, these rare and beautiful animals are on the brink of extinction and deserve our help just as the people of China do, If you remember the golden rule ” do unto others as you would have them do unto you” you would understand the word compassion. The people of China have put aside there oen misery to help others. The panda keepers have put themself in danger to make sure this world symbol is safe. The olympics is a place where everyone gathers for a time of peace and cooperation and puts aside political differences. If everyone had the attitude like you the world it would be a sad sad place. We need to save our animals for our and our childrens future, but mostly for our planet
May 27th, 2008 at 9:26 am
XiXi has been captured and was taken to the Wolong Reserve. He seems to be okay.
Thanks for the opportunity to help the Reserve through SDZ and AZA. I did my part; also donated to Pandas International. It would be good to know in a few weeks, the total that has been contributed through this fund. I feel this blog played a big part. I also join with others in appreciation of the opportunity to share the news we read and to vent our feelings here. Just knowing many others out there share the same concerns and love for the pandas is reassuring.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I for one had the most enjoyable experience at the SDZ and will go back again without hesitation. The habitat is gorgeous, the staff incredible and oh yes, the bears… Well they are the ” show” …….
How exciting to hear that one of the missing Panda’s has been spotted. At least we know that it is close to the reserve and we will keep our fingers crossed that there is a rescue soon, and that the last remaining missing bear is found safe and sound…
I also must say I am so impressed, when I got home from work yesterday there was a message on my machine thanking me for my donation to the Wolong Effort… How cool was that Margo… thanks….
May 27th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I am so happy to hear that one of the missing pandas has been spotted, and that Hua Mei is in a safer location with her brother, Mei Sheng. I will continue to pray for the safety of the remaining pandas and caretakers.
And as a side note, I have only positive things to say about the keepers and security personnel at the SDZ. They have always been very polite and willing to answer my constant questions when I visit the pandas. Their love and concern for the pandas is very evident; a friend told me her father, visiting from China, was impressed with how well the Pandas were taken care of and how careful the SDZ was to make sure the pandas were always in a peaceful and calm environment.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Here is a very sympathetic report on the emotional trauma to the Pandas and how they are being taken care of and comforted.
It is in this report: Pandas recovering from quake trauma in news today from this site: three w’s dot chinaview dot cn .
BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) — When eight 2-year-old pandas arrived at Beijing Zoo on Saturday after a long journey from their quake-damaged home Wolong reserve center, both the keepers and tourists cheered.
Shortly after they arrived, the pandas were moved into an 800-square-meter glass house composed of seven pens, with air-conditioning and round-the-clock monitoring devices. Also provided for the pandas are four play grounds, including a pond, a lawn, a ladder and a terrace.
” We keep the indoor temperature at 25 degrees centigrade, so the pandas are ensured conditions similar to their natural habitat,” said Zhang Jin’guo, vice director of Beijing Zoo.
While the eight lucky ones get used to their new residency in Beijing, their fellow pandas back home are still in the quake trauma.
” Psychological counseling” for the rare animals was put in place, said Wang Pengyan, director of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong, 30 km away from the epicenter of Wenchuan County.
To comfort the pandas, the keepers greeted them by names, touched their heads gently and maintained eye contact with them. ” These methods prove to be useful, and most of them are mentally stable now,” Wang said.
Panda keeper Gao Qiang still shivers when recollecting how the pandas survived the quake. ” Before we realized what was going on, a whole mountain had collapsed and rumbled, like a cyclone of huge rocks. The pandas were roaring with horror I never heard before.”
Instinctively, the panda keepers ran to the open ground, but they returned to the building when they remembered the pandas. ” We treat the pandas like our own children. Do parents abandon their children when the disaster strikes? ” said Gao emotionally.
Within seconds, the pandas climbed into the trees, not daring to move. Gao and his colleagues ran back amid aftershocks and crashing stones. They climbed up and held the pandas in their arms, before bringing them to the ground. ” It was no easy job: they weigh 150 kg each, twice our size,” he said.
More worrying were 14 cubs. When Wu Daifu, another panda keeper, rushed back, the rising river was approaching the six-month-old cubs, who were clinging together in such a big fear that ” they were biting or scratching us violently,” Wu said.
Rescue of the adult pandas was much more difficult. They scattered everywhere. For those who would not return willingly, anesthetic was the only solution.
” It was heart-breaking to use anesthetic on them,” Wu recalled.” We patted their heads, gave them comfort, and inserted the needle as slowly as possible.”
The quake left two pandas injured and six others missing. Fortunately, five of them have been recovered safe and sound by Monday, he said.
The last panda at large is an adult, so it is more likely to avoid danger than the younger ones, said Xiong Beirong, an official with the Sichuan provincial forestry bureau. ” We keep our fingers crossed for him.”
To ensure their safety, the Center shipped six pandas the past Friday to the adjacent Ya’an, another panda breeding base, which was less affected by the quake.
Given the conditions in Wolong remain bad, the Center is considering moving more pandas to other safe habitats. 14 of 32 panda shelters were destroyed. A few were repaired, but collapsed again in strong aftershocks.
Among the pandas at Wolong rescued from the quake are Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, who have been offered to Taiwai as a goodwill gesture. ” The two pandas are mentally disturbed in the quake, and they need some time to recover,” said Wang Pengyan.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I just saw a picture of Xi Xi after he was rescued. Mixed emotions of being ecstatic that he was found, but heart wrenching to see him sedated and carried on a tarp. I just hope that Mao Mao is located unharmed and that as time passes no wild pandas are found harmed.
Search google news for panda wolong and the article is by Mail on Sunday, UK entitled ” Aftershocks destroy 420,000 homes as Chinese earthquake misery continues”
May 27th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Chen #9. When I donated I put my country at the end of my address in the ‘State’ box. It went through straight away with no hassle – just the lovely e-mail by return. Thank you for the donation site, SDZ.
And thanks to everyone keeping us informed of what’s happening in China. I hope they don’t get any more huge aftershocks.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Hi! Just read the newest news report on the China quake situation. There were 2 more aftershocks yesterday (Mon., 5/26), registering 5.2 and 5.7, a half an hour apart. Over the last 2-3 days, there have been 3 strong aftershocks that have rocked the earthquake zone with the strongest at 6.0 magnitude. Reports started out that 70,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, then went up to 20,000, then today the strongest estimate is about 420,000 homes destroyed or damaged. These were buildings that have survived or partially survived the 7.9 quake on May 12, and with every strong aftershock that has happened over the last 2 weeks, these buildings were further weakened and compromised. These last 3 strong shocks ultimately did them in, and now the rebuilding effort just got a lot more daunting and excruciating. Plus, now there are 8 people that have died from the 6.0 aftershocks and several hundred more people injured, some of them in serious or critical condition. Apparently this faultline will continue to have these aftershocks for about 2-3 more months with the hope that they will go down in number and magnitude. USGS has recorded several dozen of these strong aftershocks in the 4-6 range since May 12, with thousands of the smaller 1-3 mag shocks. Also, the Chinese Army has been working over the weekend to open up the landslide dam on the river that has created a lake using heavy equipment and possibly explosives. They are hoping to dig a deep trough thru that landslide to help drain the water out of the quake lake to relieve the pressure. In the meantime, almost 200,000 people have been evacuated from a flood prone area to safer areas. With the threat of more heavy rain coming in and aftershocks, they are trying to get as many people out of that area as possible.
I am so glad that the Chinese staff from Wolong were able to get Xixi located again and get her back home to Wolong Reserve. That’s very good news especially when I read that she may be pregnant. Now, we are all hoping that Mao Mao will smell the bamboo and the apple/biscuit treats that the staff laid out for that missing panda, and that Mao will be smelling the goodies and follow the trail back home to Wolong. Hope that strategy works for them!
Had to go to the store yesterday to get a new mouse for my computer because the old one was freezing up on me and about ready to die. This new one is working very well now! YEA!!! Now, I can navigate thru the SDZ site a whole lot better without the mouse freezing on me! Been on the pandacam off and on, saw Bai, Su Lin, Gao, and maybe little ZZ. Been very tough to catch ZZ right now. Does anyone have any good ideas as to a great time to catch ZZ on the pandacam? Let me know!!
Also, been on the NZ website panda page on their pandacam yesterday afternoon, and saw Mei Xiang in her den area laying down napping. I think she was in there for quite awhile. Haven’t checked the NZ site yet today, but I’m going back on there to see what Mei Xiang is doing, and also check the pregnancy update for anything new about her. I’m also checking Atlanta Zoo and Memphis Zoo for any new updates about their female pandas, especially Lun Lun in Atlanta. Ya Ya in Memphis is still making everybody wait on when she’ll start her estrus cycle.
Well, gonna go. Got some things to do. Will check back on the pandacam later on. Has anybody there heard anything from Jennifer Keating at all since the May 12 quake? Now I’m getting a little concerned for her. I know that she was in Beijing right after the quake hit, but other than the phone call by Ron to talk with her, we haven’t heard anything more about her and what she’s been up to over the last couple of weeks. Hope she is safe and well. We need to hear from her soon!
Love and prayers for China and the pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I’m so glad to hear that one of the missing pandas has been found XiXi. Now I’m praying the other panda will be found safely soon and also the wild pandas are doing ok. I’m happy to see donation are coming on your website. I made a donation to Panda International the next day after the quake if I can work it out I hope to make another one. I just keep praying that all the after shock will stop soon and the people of China can get back to rebuilding their lives.
Oh yes and thanks all of you for information about what going on over there. As I check everyday for news and hoping it’s good news.
Thank you
Pam in Ohio
May 27th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Good news about Xixi being found.
#23 Steve – It’s too bad you feel that we should not help. After 9/11 the world reached out to us (& yes we are the SuperPower) & we gladly accepted all their help. Those of us donating are trying to help save our beloved pandas & the poor farmers & people in the small villages who can’t comphrend what has happened & their situation gets gets worse every day. My heart breaks for all. I can’t begin to imagine all millions of homeless with just the clothes on their backs & the rainy season coming.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
The following is a video captured by a cell-phone camera recorded the keepers of Wolong Panda Reserve how to move the panda cubs to the safe place after the 8.0 earthquake happened on 12 May 2008:
news dot nationalgeographic dot com forward slash news forward slash 2008 forward slash 05 forward slash 080520-rescue-video-vin dot html
The situation was so dangerous in Wolong Panda Reserve Centre where a large scale of landslide rolling down.
May 28th, 2008 at 3:01 am
WITNESSING CHINA’S TRAGEDY UNFOLD BEFORE OUR VERY EYES
Monday, May 26, 2008
By Elisabeth Liptak and Robert Litwak, Special to The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — From the moment we arrived at Beijing’s spectacular new airport May 6, the pride of the Chinese people as they prepared to host the Summer Olympics was evident. Six days later, in the aftermath of the Chengdu earthquake, we witnessed an even more impressive face of China.
We were visiting the Panda Reserve Center in Wolong, about three hours from Chengdu, as part of a World Wildlife Fund tour when the 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck on May 12. The reserve is like a typical zoo but with 1,500-foot mountains towering on all sides. At 2:28 p.m., in a series of jolts that lasted about three minutes, boulders, trees and dirt came tumbling down. The nearest of the pieces of uprooted nature landed about 20 yards from us.
The center’s director quickly summoned his staff and discussed how to move our group to higher ground. A boulder the size of a small car blocked our path out. The staff set up a ladder as a work-around; we had to crawl through brush, climb the ladder and cross a footbridge to get back to the entrance. Rain began to pour, but we were soon at the entrance, huddled under umbrellas.
After about half an hour, a young staffer carrying a baby panda appeared on the footbridge. At first we thought the panda had escaped in the chaos. But soon a steady stream of cubs, 13 in all, was coming across the bridge in the arms of young handlers. These courageous young men and women had gone back into the wreckage to rescue the national treasure.
Meanwhile, other brave staffers drove up the mountain to see whether the road to the nearby Wolong Hotel was passable. When they returned, we boarded our bus and our driver, visibly shaking, navigated the three miles. Upon arrival, we learned that the hotel was damaged beyond occupancy; the parking lot was deemed a safer place for us to stay while awaiting rescue.
As night fell, the hotel staff brought blankets to our bus. Over the next three days we were joined in the lot by a busload of British tourists, some 15 carloads of Chinese tourists and several hundred villagers whose homes had been destroyed.
There was no way to communicate with the outside world. We learned through a radio report that the road out of Wolong had been taken out by the earthquake, stranding us. This report placed us approximately 60 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter (it was only later that we learned we had, in fact, been less than six miles from the epicenter).
At dawn the next day, we were awakened by the sounds of clanging pots. Outside the bus, hotel workers were cooking in a makeshift kitchen. The rice congee (basically a watery boiled rice) they prepared was the diet of Chinese babies and ” very healthy,” our stalwart tour guide, Frank Wang, assured us. It became our staple, sometimes supplemented with pickled vegetables and small pieces of pork salvaged from the hotel’s refrigerators.
The heavy rain lasted two days. When the sun finally broke through, it raised our spirits, but it was not until the third morning that we heard a helicopter.
Minutes after it landed, our guide told us that we would be flown out. We had five minutes to board, each being allowed a small bag. Smiling young men in military uniform motioned for us to sit on the floor. After we took off, they passed around soda and cookies, as if we were on a passenger airliner.
One of the young men, who looked all of about 18, asked, ” How does your heart feel?” At first we thought he was inquiring about our health, but he produced a diary with a pen and asked us to jot down our feelings.
Although we had been rescued, the 45-minute ride to Chengdu was bittersweet. We flew over scenes of indescribable destruction and suffering. All of the bridges that had carried us up to the reserve were in ruins. Entire villages had been leveled. Tourists who had had left the reserve in a bus while we were still there were killed in the earthquake.
In 11 weeks, the world’s attention will once again focus on China. We will watch the Summer Olympics with vivid recollections of the courage and generosity of the Chinese people. Their kindness to us was unfailing, even as their nation suffered this staggering tragedy.
Elisabeth Liptak is executive director of the Washington Literacy Council. Robert Litwak is director of international security studies at the Woodrow Wilson Center. They live in Washington.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Thank you Hua Mei! Look what you started. Because of you, many people are aware of the plight of the panda. Because of you, many people are praying for the Chinese people. Because of you, many people are sending their money to support the Chinese people & the pandas. Who knew you would become such a goodwill ambassador! God Bless the Chinese people, the pandas, all who take care of the pandas & all people who love pandas!!
May 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am
on a lighter momment, I just thought how we could help the situation in wolong. Since space is tight we have room for six pandas, we could always bring our first born and our only boy home for a looooooong visit. I know it’s been a while for Hua Mei but i wonder if she would remember anything. I’m sure Mei Sheng would remember Angie and her back scratches. This is cooperation and collaboration at it’s best.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I feel I need to comment about the donation of funds to animal causes. I would bet that most Panda lovers are animal lovers in general, and they do donate to their local Humane Societies, etc. These are extraordinary times, as was Katrina…and we donated to the animals for that, too. In times like these politics falls to the wayside and the very best of human nature comes out…remember, Bless the beasts and the children, they have no voice, they have no choice. I am so proud to be part of the Panda lovers and animal lovers in general, they are the best of what life & love is all about! oh, thanks also to SDZ for the great load of information and a place for us to have a voice!
May 28th, 2008 at 10:37 am
I tend to agree with Barbara #40 and Maureen #50. I believe that we should put all differences aside in the name of compassion. These poor farmers and villagers have lost everything and need our help. Thank God that none of the precious pandas died! Imagine if you lost everything, would you not want assistance?
Just because we are helping China does not mean we have neglected our own animals at our local shelters or animals in the USA. Like Barbara mentioned, most, if not all of us, contribute either time and/or money to animal causes here too.
Sadly, most of our shelters are understaffed and overcrowded, and we have irresponsible pet owners who don’t spay/neuter their animals or abandon them, thus causing the death of millions of unwanted animals per year.
I continue to salute all of the rescuers, workers, and charitable organizations that are working hard to lend a hand to the Chinese. I also pray for the safety of them and all of the pandas. Blessings to you all.
May 28th, 2008 at 10:52 am
#23 A few weeks after 9/11 word got back to a very small African tribe that one of the world’s biggest and richest cities had been attacked and thousands of people had died. This town had no radio and it was only when another tribe was passing through that they heard what had happened. The village elders got together and decided they needed to help this city (NY). They gave NY several cows which were their most valuable posession. It didn’t matter that we have billions of dollars, they only knew we had been hurt and they knew you must always do what you can to help others. They have no schools, no computers, no electricity, nothing we take for granted. They have their livestock and it was to be ours.
May 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Hi, you guys! Got on the Pandas International website, and they have their latest update written up. It’s a great big, HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who have donated to PI, and there are pics with the update that shows that all of the food and supplies have gotten to Wolong in very good shape despite the road conditions going up there. PI also says to keep on donating because there are a lot more shipments of this kind that still have to be made for weeks if not months to come. Things in and around Wolong and Wolong Reserve are still in uncertain conditions, and with the latest aftershocks damaging or destroying thousands more homes and buildings, there’s a lot of recovery and rebuilding to do that will take years.
The quake lake is still considered hazardous, and the Chinese Army are on a 24/7 watch on it and continuing to dig the trench to ease the water level of the lake. Parents of the 1,000 teenage kids that were killed in the Juyuan Middle School collapse had a memorial at the destroyed school site over the weekend, and are vowing to find out who the builders are that built the school and seek justice towards the builders for shoddy construction work. They feel that this will be the only way to gain closure in their lives that have been so badly dismantled during and after the earthquake.
Got on the pandacam, and the cam was on Bai and ZZ’s yard but no sign of either of them! No doubt ZZ is up a tree again!
Gotta go! Will check in later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 28th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
#28 – Jennifer – If you will go back to the blog prior to this, you will find an email I received from a friend who works at the zoo where Shi Shi resides. Shi Shi is fine.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Karen, #22, many thanks for the detailed explanation about Hua Mei and her two oldest cubs. Hopefully Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are feeling more secure now, as I saw a picture of them the other day eating more normally. I read that they both were scared and had ” mental” issues that needed reassuring after they returned to Wolong. When the aftershocks cease, the panda will be able to feel more secure and their more ” normal” routine can return. Because of the shortage of bamboo and apples, and the fact that it has to be imported from elsewhere in China, they must have a diet transition too. That is bound to upset their hungry tummies and make them even more uneasy. At least finally the emergency shipments of food from the government and Pandas International are getting to the people and the pandas so that they can get their strength back. It is hard to maintain your stamina when you have little or no food, and you can’t sleep because the ground keeps shaking badly.
Cheri, #48, Jennifer keating is fine. It was reported on SDZ website on May 13 or 14 that she was not at Wolong at the time of the earthquake. She was safely in Chengdu or some other city. Ben from ZA was also reported to be OK.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:33 am
On another topic–5:55 a.m. San Diego time–is that Bai Yun up in the tree, or is the camera making Miss ZZ look so big? I know she’s growing fast, but…
May 29th, 2008 at 8:54 am
What great pictures on the Panda’s International Site of the aid coming into Wolong. Hats off to everyone right down to the Truck Drivers (my son and husband are truckdrivers) who risked their own safety to get the aid into Wolong. Not only for our beloved Panda’s, but for the people of the area.
I agree with some of the comments on here about donating to China, how can we not? At a time like this we need to all think ” there are no borders” , they need our help no matter how small. I am Canadian and I support my local SPCA on a monthly basis, and I donated to the US Humane Society after Katrina. I have also stood at Ground Zero in New York and thought about how the better part of the world came to aid of suffering then, I being honored to have been a part of that world.
So lets all say a Prayer not only for our black and white beauties, but for the people of China that have lost so very much in this tragedy. And for the organizations here in North America that are providing us an opportunity to help.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:21 am
I just found a news article from NBC that I found interesting for looking to the future.
” Panda preserve seeks new home
Also Thursday, the head of the world’s most famous panda reserve, badly damaged by the earthquake, said it was looking for a new home.
” What I’m worrying about are secondary disasters, such as severe aftershocks,” Zhang Hemin, chief of the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve, said by phone. ” The road is easily blocked by rocks falling from the mountain. There would be no way to get the food in.” ”
While we are ” discussing” whether we need to help the Chinese or keep our aid in US, the Chinese are dealing with daily battles to survive and get enough food and safe water to the people and animals in the ancestral home of Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Whether we like the politics of the country involved is irrelevant. People go to war to help people that are not in nearly the need these people are. For once we need to put aside our personal preferences and likes and dislikes, and think about others who are on the verge of starvation, have lost everything, including most of their family members and friends, and their support system of people and capacity to earn an income. Most of their jobs are gone, and they are too much in shock, and injured physically and mentally to start businesses from scratch. They are literally trying to scratch out enough to have clothes on their backs, food in their stomachs, and a rainproof covering around them.
Imagine a 2000 mile path of destruction in minutes caused by a combination Category 5 hurricane with the strongest possible tornado, that stretches from Arizona to Maine. That kind of natural catastrophe would have similar impact in US, and would stop such petty discussion in the name of helping each other survive.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Dear panda lovers, last night I was browsing on youtube.com looking for new panda videos and I came across a very heartwarming clip from the Japanese zoo (Shirahama?) that has the twin cubs. In the midst of all our anxiety and concern about the effects of the China earthquake, here it was, a documentary video showing the birth of the twins and following them as they grew into the rambunctious youngsters that they are today. For me, it was a reminder that, despite the challenges that we face today, the beautiful cycle of life, ebbing and flowing, continues as it always has. I highly recommend this video as a tonic for our heavy hearts. Unfortunately, all the narration is in Japanese, but the pictures speak for themselves and they are sure to bring back memories of us, pandaholics, glued to the webcams watching the birth and growth of our precious ” babies.”
Now, this video is not easy to find because, it seems, the language translator can’t work with the Japanese characters. So instead of a title, there are just 4 squares. I do remember that the video was uploaded yesterday, so the best way to find it might be to search for ” panda” and sort by date added, then page through the videos uploaded over the last two days. You might also want to include -kung when you type in your search; otherwise, you’ll be inundated with the trailers for the Kung Fu Panda movie. Good luck and enjoy!!
May 29th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I received my usual ” Google Alert” for panda’s this morning and read a very distressing article. I have posted part of it below. I know this is normally not allowed, Moderator but I have seen a number of other bloggers post stuff from other sources since the quake. If you need to delete or revise, that is fine. I have not heard of the panda reserve in Gansu before. It is sad and upsetting to read that their entire panda population has gone missing! You would think that at least some would wander back in search of food. I hope they are okay and are quickly located. If anyone else has any info, please post it to the blog. You guys are a great resource in finding out information. Thanks!
102 pandas missing at reserve in Gansu
MORE than 100 giant pandas have been missing at a nature reserve in Gansu Province since an 8.0-magnitude quake struck Sichuan Province on May 12, a newspaper reported.
All 102 pandas at Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve in Gansu, which claims to be world’s biggest reserve for panda in terms of area, have gone missing since May 12, Lanzhou Morning Post reported today.
The epicenter of the quake, Sichuan’s Wenchuan County, was about 250 kilometers from the reserve. Numerous aftershocks have also rocked the region.
The disaster blocked roads in the reserve and caused landslides that made the area difficult for staff to rescue the animals, which are unique to China, the report said.
A team of 16 scientists, who were studying the pandas when the quake occurred, reported that they heard animals screaming as rocks and trees fell during the disaster, the report said.
The quake has changed the pandas’ habitat including heavy damage to bamboo trees, the animal’s main food, Huang Chengxiang, deputy director of the reserve, told the newspaper.
Besides, the catastrophe may also affect mating this year, Huang added as May is when pandas usually copulate.
The reserve will send staff to rescue the pandas as soon as conditions permit, Huang said.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:16 am
#52, Solshih, thanks for sharing the account from the American tourists with us. It puts it all in perspective for me.
I read one of the British tourist’s accounts and they were heartsick at the thought of what might have happened to the busload of tourists who had just left Wolong Reserve when the quake struck. Since communication was out, they didn’t know the outcome yet. The American account filled in the missing information, by stating that the busload of tourists were killed on the road after the earthquake struck.
My hope is that their hearts were warm from their just finished visit with the pandas at the reserve. As I recall they had just held the pandas prior to boarding their bus. The British tourists were asked to wait until the afternoon so the other tourists could hold the cubs in the morning before departing in the early afternoon. Being gracious and flexible may have saved the British tourists’ lives, as they were not on the road or bridges when the earthquake hit, and were alive to be airlifted to safety from Wolong hotel parking lot.
May we learn to be gracious and flexible in helping our fellow citizens of this world when we have it in our power to provide for their needs.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Hello, it’s pandafan again. The video of the twin cubs in Japan appears to now have a title: 愛浜＆明浜 See if you can copy and paste this into the search box in youtube.com. Other search terms are aihin, meihin, and mei mei. Also it was uploaded on May 27. The video is 8 minutes long – very touching.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Is Xi Xi a sister of Bai Yun?
May 29th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I am a naturalized citizen of US from China. I have subscription to China Daily oversea edition.
I read some reports that moved me to tears beyond myself, of the rescue workers, many of whom have lost their loved ones to earthquake. Especially the keepers of pandas in Wolong. The reports showed how much they loved our national treasure and no matter what, they are willing to take any risk to save the pandas.
When the earthquake struck, the keepers instinctively ran to open ground, as one should do when earthquake strikes. The difference started here. They instinctively ran back to their charges. One of the keepers said afterwards ” We treate pandas like our children. Would a parent abandon his/her children running for his/her own life?” . Many pandas were in shock. They ignored their keepers, stood there, not moving. The keepers had to embraced the pandas, calling their names softly, petting their head to convince the pandas it would be safe to follow them. Younger pandas climbed up trees, refusing to come down. Many keepers climbed to the trees, put the pandas into their arms and talked to them softly directy into their eyes. This is the breeding season. Many pandas are in estrus. It is very dangerous to handle these pandas. The keepers put their own safety aside, not to mention they didn’t even know their own loved ones were safe or not. ” If I had only one breath in my life, it would be for the pandas” . Tears running down my cheeks. Hats off to those panda keepers and the Chinese people.
I agree, no matter what countries we are talking about, no matter how many differences we have, we should help others in need. Chinese people donated 3 million USD to Katrina victims. I am sure they know our differences. But in the face of natural disasters, there are no boundaries of countries.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Hi, you all! Just read an article from the MSNBC website about the China situation. The heavy rains that were forecasted have come in which grounded the helicopters from flying relief supplies and food to the heavily affected areas in the earthquake zone. Plus, a chemical fire at a warehouse used to store detergent and other items has injured over 60 soldiers, hopefully none seriously. Xinhua News said that Beichuan Town has been roped off and they plan to rebuild that city in a new location. Also, the director of the Wolong Panda Reserve has also indicated that they are looking for a new location for their conservation center that is in an area that will be much easier to get to. He’s very concerned about the aftershocks, bad road conditions, and landslides at the current location. Also, still no sign of the only missing panda still out there somewhere. So, with donations coming in at several donation sites here in the US, we should be able to raise enough money to help Wolong Reserve build a brand new, stronger facility in a better, safer area along with the supplies, equipment, and food that they will be needing for weeks and months to come. Pandas International will be working towards sending the new medical equipment to the reserve as soon as they can with the new panda moms due to give birth sometime in June. Most of the medical equipement at Wolong was either damaged or destroyed in the quake.
I agree with Margaret about what we need to do with our thinking about China. Yes, China does have huge issues with human rights, political prisoners, pollution issues, the Tibet situation, recalls of products due lead contamination, and the Olympics among other things, as well as the fact that their government is a communist government. She raised a very good point that even tho China does have these problems, their people do need our help and the help from other countries in order to have shelter, food, resources, and the rebuilding effort that will take years to do. Myanmar (Burma) is in the very same situation due to the massive destruction by a cat 5 hurricane named Cyclone Nargis over a month ago. The Burmese also need everyone’s help as well. The prayers of all of us for both countries are still needed as well as the relief efforts that are still ongoing for both countries. We would expect a lot more from our friends of countries that would help us out if we had a monster disaster on our hands. Please keep donating, pray for both China and Burma, and especially pray for the people, pandas, and other wildlife of China.
Checked pandacam, saw Su Lin this morning, Gao Gao this afternoon. Both of them eating their boos!
Gonna check the cam later to see if I can catch ZZ on it!
Love to pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 29th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Are my eyes deceiving me or have Su Lin and Gao Gao switched yards again? It has been two weeks and that is about how long the switches were last year, so my guess it that is was time for a change of scenery for enrichment for both of them. C3 showed a lovely panda with two ears that appeared to be the same size, and it didn’t look like Gao Gao’s face.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Is there any chance of bringing back Hua Mei and Mei Sheng to let them stay at SDZ while China is rebuilding? That would be such a blessing and a treat!
Kris, #65, if that is true, then it is indeed a sad day! We simply cannot afford to lose more pandas! Please everyone, continue to pray for the pandas and the Chinese! God bless!
May 29th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I really don’t appreciate people stating their own political views in this blog. Listing all the issues you think you know from US media (I bet some never read Chinese newspapers) what are wrong with China is not fair, to say the least. After all, how much do we know about China and its issues, except reading from the newspapers? All medias are biased. I read both. I know both Chinese newspapers and US newspapers are not always telling the truth, from firsthand experiences.
We come here to discuss the tremendous tasks ahead. Just we thought the population of Pandas was starting a comeback, now this. I don’t anticipate the same success of the this year’s breeding season of Pandas as the few previous years. It really breaks my heart with a setback this big.
Let’s put polics aside. This is not a political forum. Let’s focus on helping earthquake victims, our beloved pandas and the Chinese people in need.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
CHINA EARTHQUAKE: VILLAGERS RESCUED AFTER 16 DAYS
By Richard Spencer in Beijing for Telegraph.co.uk
Last Updated: 11:14AM BST 29/05/2008
Forty villagers stranded on a remote mountainside by the Sichuan earthquake for 16 days have been plucked to safety by helicopter.
Residents and men working near the village of Yangjiagou had eaten nothing but reserves of rice mixed with local wild herbs since the earthquake and subsequent landslides cut them off on May 12.
Eight were mining company workers who had taken refuge in a cave, while five more were trapped in a phosphorus mine.
Their late rescue demonstrates the difficulties rescuers have faced reaching all those affected by the quake. While some of the bigger towns struck were close to main roads and less than an hour’s drive from major airports, others were in the wild Sichuanese mountains where soldiers with supplies had to be dropped by parachute.
This village is in a particularly remote area 12 miles from the nearest town, Qingping, but paths and roads were blocked by the landslides that have scarred the region.
A rescue team was only alerted to their existence after four other miners managed to walk over the mountains to beg for help eight days after the earthquake.
Helicopters found no trace of the eight men they said they left behind until they found a note on Monday on a river bank asking for help and giving directions.
After drawing a blank on Tuesday, partly thanks to bad weather, a squad of soldiers managed to land on Wednesday, walking a mile on foot to where the eight were sheltering in a cave.
The other 32 had converged on the nearby village over the preceding days to await help, finding warmth in duvets taken from the ruins of houses.
Another landslide which blocked a river above the town of Beichuan, causing a dangerous barrier lake to form, is still being tackled by a detachment of 2,000 soldiers with dynamite and earth-moving equipment also landed by helicopter.
The 158,000 remaining residents of the valley below have been moved to higher ground, while there are contingency plans to move 1 million more if the natural dam looks likely to burst completely.
That would include all the population of the major city of Mianyang, home to 800,000 people and some of China’s most advanced engineering facilities.
The threat posed by the lake has been worsened by the arrival of the Sichuan rainy season, which will put more pressure on the dam.
The quake death toll was updated last night/today to 68,516, with a further 19,350 people missing.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Cheng #73…Here, here. You are absolutely right. This is not a polical forum..it’s a blog where we can talk about our beloved creatures and how we can best help them and the wonderful people who put their lives at stake to help them. We are not individuals in this world..we are brothers and sisters and we all need to help each other in times of need. I believe that everyone is entitled to their beliefs but here, on this site, it’s not about how you feel politically. There are other blogs that are more suitable to that kind of discussion. Let’s keep this one as it was meant. It’s all about Pandas.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
EARTHQUAKE-DAMAGED PANDA RESERVE PLANS TO MOVE
By CARA ANNA – 10 hours ago
Associated Press
SHANGHAI, China (AP) — The world’s most famous panda reserve wants to find a new home after its current one was badly damaged by this month’s deadly earthquake in China.
” It’s better to move, I think,” Zhang Hemin, the chief of the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve, said by phone Thursday.
A state-run news agency also reported Thursday that another panda reserve, China’s largest, has had to call off patrols and its annual panda census because of the quake’s aftershocks.
The Wolong reserve is just 20 miles from the epicenter of the May 12 quake, which has killed more than 68,000 people, including five reserve staff members.
One panda remains missing. Conditions remain so bad that the Chinese government last week arranged an emergency food shipment of about 5 tons of bamboo for the 47 pandas still at the reserve. Many panda enclosures were heavily damaged.
” What I’m worrying about are secondary disasters, such as severe aftershocks,” Zhang said. ” The road is easily blocked by rocks falling from the mountain. There would be no way to get the food in.”
The reserve’s location in a damp, narrow valley several hours’ drive from the capital of Sichuan province made it an easy target during the 7.9-magnitude quake, which tossed down boulders the size of cars. Most of the staffers, tourists and pandas were outside at the time.
According to an article by the only journalist at the reserve during the quake, Shanghai Morning Post’s Wu Fei, some pandas froze and looked at the sky, not moving even when their handlers tried to get them going.
Other handlers picked up baby pandas by the scruff of their necks, one in each hand, and ran, Wu said in his article published May 18.
The on-the-spot rescue was complicated because some of the pandas were in what the Chinese call their ” falling in love period,” being particularly excitable and prone to attack, reserve researcher Heng Yi told Wu for the article.
Some pandas have been moved to another breeding center in the Sichuan capital, Chengdu, and eight were flown to Beijing last weekend for a previously scheduled six-month stay at the Beijing Zoo for the Olympics.
Meanwhile, any move of the Wolong reserve has to wait for a damage assessment by geologists, Zhang said.
Another panda reserve, China’s largest, has been forced to cancel its patrols and annual panda census because of aftershocks and blocked roads, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
” We’ve not been able to get into the heart of the forests to check if the giant pandas are OK,” Huang Huali, deputy director of the Baishuijiang Nature Reserve Administration, told Xinhua.
The reserve is in Sichuan and neighboring Gansu province and is about 62 miles from the quake’s epicenter.
The rare panda is a powerful symbol of China. About 1,590 pandas are living in the wild, mostly in Sichuan and the western province of Shaanxi. An additional 180 have been bred in captivity in hopes of increasing the species’ chances of survival.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
#65- Kris…
CCTV news has a longer article than China Daily. It has more detail on Baishuijiang Reserve in Gansu Province: (so far no pandas found dead)
www (dot) cctv (dot) com (slash) english (slash) 20080529 (slash) 111496 (dot) shtml
May 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Cheng, #73–I agree with you. I’m grateful that the SDZ moderators allow postings on a wide range of subjects related to pandas, but this blog is not a political forum. During this terrible time for the Chinese (including the ethnic minorities of the country), we should put aside political feelings, I believe, in the interest of helping the people and animals who are suffering.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
#77-PWong – Thanks so much for the CCTV link. Poor China has certainly experienced bad karma in the past three weeks. Obviously we all wish the best for all the inhabitants of the affected area — human and animal.
May 29th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Dear Cheng # 69 and 73,
Your information will be very valuable!
I think I visited the panda-cam around 2:30 and ” Mr Munchy” was definitey on camera 
I Adore Gao!!! Although…it’s 6:10 Pacific time and Gao is sound asleep on the top of the hut and a pile of bamboo is on the ground…..hmmm….that’s unusual 
Keep it up!!
Welcome aboard. We do know as human beings, that help and not politics are the most important. We, also know that news is limited and on occasion biased some way or another. Please know that we (the people-friends) are sending what we can and will continue to do so because we love those on this planet. Stay with us…you will see
To Margaret # 71….I think it was Gao today
To Cheri: I love your updates. You are ‘everywhere’ to find and give us information you have read! I am over many of the same sites and I know this: Cheri will aid and help to disperse this information
To All: Bless you and the help you can send. Human Beings. What a term. Can we translate this worldwide to PLANET INHABITANTS??? Keep up your work!!!!
May 29th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
#57 Terry from NY – once I read your blog I remembered hearing about a poor African tribe that wanted to help the US after 9/11 & sent us cows that were soberly accepted. Here is a tribe with nothing but reached out to help the richest country in the world.
#65 – Let’s pray the story about all those pandas is not true – #77 P Wong shared a site with some better news.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
#64, Pandafan,
Thank you for your introduction of the lovely panda twins.
Is it this Youtube ?
http(colon)(double slash)hk(dot)youtube(dot)com(slash)watch?v=39QyPOAekQE
Here is the link of Adventure World in Japan where they live:
http(colon)(double slash)aws-s(dot)com(slash)english-new(slash)index2(underscore)afp(dot)html
May 29th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PANDA HABITATS.
To Kris #65 who said, ” I have not heard of the panda reserve in Gansu before.â€
The Giant Pandas natural habitats are spread over 3 provinces in China, namely Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.
The majority of pandas live to the west of the large Red Basin where Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan is situated, along a long disconnected strip of mountainous terrain at the edge of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, stretching from the northern part of Sichuan down to its border area with Yunnan province at the south. This is also the place where Wolong is located.
There is an estimated hundred odd pandas living in the southernmost part of Gansu province, which is really an extension of the panda habitat stretching from northern Sichuan into Gansu.
Uniquely, there is another group of pandas known as Qinling Pandas that live in ShAAnxi province, with its capital at Xi’an which is famous for is Terracotta Army. (This is to differentiate from another adjoining province by the name ShAnxi with city of Taiyuan as its capital. Shanxi is well known in China for its coal production.)
Qinling Pandas which is geographically separated from the Sichuan pandas for tens of thousands of years, inhabit the Qinling Mountains at the southern part of Shaanxi province and are considered by some scientists to be a sub-species within the giant panda family, with its own unique characteristics e.g. the Qinling Pandas have smaller head and dark brown color rather than black. (Though they look no different from the other pandas on the few occasions I saw them on TV.) There are an estimated 200-300 pandas in this group.
All pandas outside China are from the main Sichuan-Gansu group.
I hope my own limited knowledge of pandas above have help to enlighten you and maybe add more to the overall public knowledge about the unique pandas which is truly God’s gift to mankind. It shows God has not given up hope on man just yet!
While China has direct care and control over the pandas, I believe the world has a stake, a say and a role to play in the well-being of the giant pandas. The Giant Pandas truly belong to the World. The World, not China alone, owns the Giant Pandas!
” Ren zai, xiong mao zai!†– So long as human exists in the world, so too will pandas!
May 30th, 2008 at 7:35 am
This morning on Good Morning America I saw a very uplifting segment. They showed a school in the Chinese earthquate zone that had been totally demolished. It is now up and running with styrofoam classrooms….it looked to be a very large school with many classrooms. After thinking about how much difficulty we seemed to have getting people into trailers after Hurricane Katrina, I was totally astounded by what they had accomplished in such a short time. I guess my point is that we probably don’t need to worry so much about our beloved pandas….the Chinese people are going to take care of them just fine.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Thanks to all who responded to my post of concern regarding the pandas in the Gansu reserve. There was a google alert this morning from China.org.cn (see below). It is confusing that one day we get word that all the pandas are missing and then less than 24 hrs. later we hear that they are all fine. I really hope the later is true.
102 pandas in Gansu reserve safe: official
The giant pandas in China’s largest giant panda reserve in Gansu Province, which were reported to be missing after the May 12 earthquake, are considered to be safe and well, local forestry officials said on Thursday.
” Our reserve was seriously affected by the quake,” Li Shiren, an official of the Baishuijiang Nature Reserve Administration told the Beijing Morning Post.
The administration’s seven work stations in the reserve were damaged to different extents, and the mountain roads were all blocked. 50 forestry workers in the mountain lost contacts with the administration for about one day after the quake hit, but were confirmed safe later, according to Li.
After the quake, the administration sent two teams, about 90 researchers altogether, into the reserve to check out the pandas’ safety, and the second team has just returned on Wednesday.
” All the pandas in the reserve are safe, according to our experience,” Li Shiren said.
The researchers traced fresh excrements of pandas and heard their sounds for many times. And the 64 forest rangers, who live in the reserve all year long, didn’t find any abnormal behaviors of the pandas.
” Giant panda is a very sensitive animal. It will stay in its cave if anything usual happens. Besides, pandas in the reserve will go down the hill everyday to drink water, which makes it easy for our workers to spot anything out of the way,” Li added.
Li also confirmed the bamboos in the reserve, which is a major source of food for the pandas, remain sufficient in amount.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Kris #85 thankyou for sharing that report with us. It is so frustrating as we hear something, then we hear something different. The report yesterday that workers heard the animals ” screaming” broke my heart, your post was very uplifting.
I hope that all of the Wild Panda’s ” sensed” that something was wrong and were able to get out of harms way. I also hope that Wolong will rebuild, as there have been some reports of possible relocation. I have never been, but any pictures I have seen are amazing (My wall calendar is all Panda’s from Wolong) and seem to be a Panda’s paradise. But again we must sit back and wait and we all know that the Chinesse people treasure these bears and will have their best interests at heart.
Have a great weekend everyone, I’m off to ZA (via webcam) to check out Mei Lan. Really enjoyed watching Su Lin this morning.. Can’t seem to catch little Miss Zhen on the ground, she is one high climber!!!
Just a little thought here, maybe we will be able to keep our US bears just a little bit longer, I mean we have the room, don’t think any of us here would mind right???
May 30th, 2008 at 11:04 am
The dedication of the keepers in China is overwhelming. They or their families have suffered terrible losses and yet they continue to focus on their Pandas. Including going into the mountain rubble, which can’t be stable to look for those Pandas in the wild. What wonderful, caring people they are.
The tribe that gave NY the cows were the Masai. google cows given to NY and the NY Times has the article.
And thanks so very much to this site for letting us stay connected and share information. It means alot to us all and brings a measure of peace to us.
Thank you
May 30th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
#82 Anita – enter the url as www(dot)youtube(dot)com. From there you can do the search as I indicated in #64 or #67.
My hearfelt thanks to all who have provided updates on this forum. How forunate we are, indeed, for SDZ’s generosity in allowing us to exchange these bits of news. I’m glad to hear the pandas in Gansu are safe. It will take a long time for the individuals and organizations that have been affected by this unfortunate tragedy to get to a point of feeling the kind of security they need to move forward. Let us continue to hold them up in prayer and do what we can in any way to help with their dire needs at this time.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Bobbie Wood, #80, I agree that it is Gao. I looked at 2:00 PM PDT on Friday, and the close up is on C3 and is of Mr Studmuffin cruncher himself. He is having a great munching session in front of his fans.
Have a great weekend everyone. Let’s hope there are no aftershocks in China, and no Tornadoes or Hurricanes in the US. The sun is shining brightly in sunny VA, and we are projected to have a very hot weekend. Great for those itching to get out on the water and get their suntans started.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
The earthquake is a cataclismic event that places the survival of pandas in jeopardy. I am so grateful for the many bloggers who have taken the time to share their concerns. And Ron Swaisgood has done a wonderful job of keeping us posted on the situation at Wolong. But so much more than rebuilding the Wolong Center is at stake. In their lovely book ” Giant Pandas in the Wild,” Lu Shi and George Schaller remind us that in 1976 an earthquake in the Min Mountains, not so far from Wolong, resulted in the death of an unknown number of wild-living pandas. From the pictures I have seen of the current quake, the collapse of whole mountainsides can only mean that many wild pandas have perished in this terrible event. On the basis of recent census date, we had come to believe that something like 1,600 pandas were all that was left in the wild. Now, it seems likely that that number is lower, but it will take years to determine the loss. There isn’t anything we can do about the quake-prone mountains of China being the last refuge of giant pandas, thanks to human pressure that drove them to this last resort. But, when it comes to rebuilding the captive centers, those of you who have been to Wolong will remember that it is a narrow valley, surrounded on both sides by steep mountains. In my view, it makes no sense to rebuild Wolong at its present location. To do so would mean that at some unknown future date, another devastating quake will occur. I am all for rebuilding the Wolong Center, but would strongly prefer that it be in a safer area.
Several bloggers have commented on the 8 juveniles that were transferred to Beijing Zoo in anticipation of being entertainment for the people attending the 2008 Olympics. I know from personal experience that Wan Ming-Wan, the head keeper at Beijing Zoo, where they are residing, will provide the greatest care possible for these 8 juveniles. But we do not know what role they will play in the Olympics. If it turns out that they have been trained to shoot baskets, twirl batons, push baby carriages, etc., as was the case when a pair of giant pandas came to the San Diego Zoo in 1987, then China will have undermined its commitment to their conservation, something that the West has bought into. I am so very hopeful that such a despical portrayal of this magestic species will not occur. Just seeing them in all their cuteness is reward enough. I see an awfully lot of emotion in the messages you have sent. It is within this milieu of wonderment of giant pandas that eager championing of their survival on the one hand and the desire for exclusivity in their promotion on the other has the potential for exacerbating differences among all of us involved with this mysterious and majestic animal. You are all involved. You are among the most committed. The real need is to channel all that wonderful sentiment expressed in the blogs into a constructive effort. Think about it. You have the power to influence decisions, and I believe you would welcome that. But you need someone to come up with a means of doing so.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
#83 solshih – Thank you for explaining where the majority of our pandas are located,( most of us know about the reserves at Wolong & Chengdu ) along with the different species. I’ve asked before if our beloved Gao is a different species because he seems so much smaller. ZA today reported that pappa Yang’s weight at @ 300 lbs. And your quote – brought more tears – ” Ren zai, xiong mao zai!†– So long as human exists in the world, so too will pandas! We will do everything we can to help.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
On a brighter note – I haven’t seen Miss Z for days so checked time lapse – & as Zhen has grown so it’s hard for me to tell if I’m watching her or Bai. Our pappa Gao was happily eating his bamboo. When I checked NZ Tai was sound asleep on a tree branch in what seemed a most uncomfortsble position – his head & legs hanging over the branch. When I checked ZA Lani was having fun scratching her ” butt” on her climbing structure. ZA reports they are still waiting to see if Lun Lun is pregnant. They hope to know by mid-summer. Lun, like all females, are trained for their keepers to perform ultrasounds so we wait for good news from ZA & NZ ((& we need some good news)
And because I needed some cheering I checked you tube tonight – many of Miss Z’s & Tai’s videos are no longer available. Darn it.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Hi! Was reading some of the more recent comments tonite, and somehow I missed the one Steve (#23) wrote a few days ago. I do agree with Steve on the point that yes, we do need to take care of our own people and animals here in the states, but when there is a major catastrophic crisis in this world such as what happened in both China and Burma, then we need to come together with other countries to help those people that badly need food, water, clothes, shelter, medicines, medical help, rescuers, anything that they need in order to get thru their disasters without losing more lives. So far, China has been very gracious in letting the US, Japan, Russia, and other countries come in to help in rescue efforts and bringing in the relief supplies that they will be needing for months if not years to come. I even think that some of your earthquake experts from California that help with building infrastructure that can withstand strong earthquakes could be very helpful in teaching the Chinese builders on how to rebuild stronger, safer buildings in earthquake areas. As far as helping with China’s wildlife, that is also needed. China has a lot of species in the country that are on the endangered species list, including pandas, red pandas, and other wildlife. Helping the Chinese rebuild their reserve centers that were damaged in the quake is the right thing to do. Steve (#23), I hope that this will help you understand why we as a country do what we can to help others. We are not a selfish nation as you would want us to be, and I don’t like the idea of becoming an isolationist country due to what happened to the US in the past 100 years. I read an article on the web in the last couple of weeks that described the wildlife in Burma becoming seriously endangered due to the Burmese government not doing enough in protecting their habitats and conservation efforts. The cat 4 cyclone that hit Burma over a month ago has put these endangered animals in even worse shape, and we have hardly anyone in Burma to find out about these animals because of the government’s paranoid attitude towards anyone coming in from the outside. Animal conservation and saving wild animal habitats should be a very important project for everyone here in the US and also around the world.
Got Pandas International newsletter yesterday, and they are saying a HUGE thank you for the donations. They also said that unless there is anything really newsworthy to share, they are limiting updates to once a week on Fridays. They do have alot of work to do in helping Wolong get relocated, rebuilt, and keep supplying them with food, formula for the baby pandas, water, medical equipment, and other supplies that they no doubt will be sending into China for months to come. PI and the Chinese have done a heroic job, and we should keep helping them out with the money that they will need to keep doing what they are doing. Medical equipment is pretty expensive, but PI feels that they can get them and send them to Wolong and other reserves.
Margaret mentioned no more aftershocks; I sure do hope so! Checked the USGS website a couple of days ago, and there have been a marked decrease in aftershocks in the 4-6 range over the last week alone. But, they still feel that this fault will still stay fairly active for a while longer with no guarantees of the fault stopping altogether. The 30+ quake lakes are still under 24/7 watch by the Chinese Army with continued trench digging to relieve the pressure of the water that continues to build up in those lakes. Hopefully, these heavy rains that come in every so often will only last a day or two and not for more than a week.
Well, gonna go. Margaret, you mentioned hurricanes. Well, I’m from Florida, and our Atlantic hurricane season starts this Sunday, June 1! NOT looking forward to it at all! At least California will not be directly affected by the East Pacific tropical storms or hurricanes unless they are on a weird track towards that state! Lucky you!!
Haven’t checked pandacam today, but will be getting on it tomorrow morning. Gotta try to catch ZZ on the cam somehow!!! When’s the best time to catch ZZ on the cam??
Please keep praying for China and Burma, and China’s pandas! I agree with some of you about the pandas in the 4 zoos here in the states. It will be very nice for China to let these zoos keep them for at least another year or so until things are in better shape in the reserves, especially Wolong. That should help to relieve the stress for the pandas as well as the US keepers that have cared for these pandas for years. Tai Shan in DC was supposed to go back to China at around 2009, but hopefully they can put that trip on hold for awhile. That will be nice for him as well as the other pandas in our 4 zoos. They are just too precious to be sent back to China while the country is still recovering from this awful disaster. Hope that will work itself out in due time for everybody.
Gotta go (again)! Will be back later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
(As usual, long again! Sorry!!)
May 31st, 2008 at 11:15 am
This morning I found this news from SanDiego(dot)com about Hua Mei, Mei Sheng and the relocation of the remaining pandas at Wolong to another facility.
S.D. Zoo-born pandas survived China quake, May 31, 2008, UNION-TRIBUNE
The word trickling in from China confirms that San Diego Zoo-born panda cubs Hua Mei and Mei Sheng survived the earthquake that heavily damaged the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
Five pandas escaped, including Hua Mei’s oldest cub, but the cub since has been recaptured. As of yesterday, only one of the panda preserve’s 83 pandas still was missing, said Dr. Ron Swaisgood, co-director of the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Unit.
All the pandas that haven’t already been relocated will be moved to a facility about four hours to the south.
Twelve enclosures were destroyed and 34 more heavily damaged in the May 12 earthquake. Five employees of the Wolong nature reserve were killed. None worked directly with the pandas, said Swaisgood, who has been in contact with colleagues there.
They told him of aftershocks averaging 5.0 on the Richter scale that continue to rock the area almost daily. Last weekend, a 6.0-magnitude aftershock collapsed several more preserve facilities. All buildings, including staff housing, are uninhabitable.
” The employees are living in cars and in tents and trying to take good care of the pandas,†said Swaisgood. ” Many would love to be with their families (whose homes were destroyed in nearby communities) but are not leaving because of their dedication to the pandas.â€
Because the access road won’t be rebuilt for months, preserve officials are discouraging visits but have asked for financial assistance. The S.D. Zoo, working with other zoo groups to raise money, has added a link on its Web site at https://www.sandiegozoo.org/sl/wishlist/pandaearthquake.cfm to the newly formed Wolong Panda Center Earthquake Relief Fund.
In conclusion I must echo my deepest gratitude to the SDZ monitors of this blog for allowing this to be the most informative source of the troubles in China both for pandas and people. I treasure all contributions by everyone moved to share. This blog resembles a quilt of words held together by the love of pandas and all who support them. It is a treasure and a joy to check every day. My complements to all who have managed to creatively share web sites that are getting easier and easier to decipher.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Hi! Was on the National Zoo website today, and noticed on the panda page that they have a donation link to the Panda Conservation Fund (I think that’s the name for it). That’s another vital link for everyone to use if they want to make a donation thru the NZ site along with the other donation links that will help China. Thanks NZ for being a part of the relief effort! Have not heard anything new about China’s situation or if the Wolong staff has found the last missing panda. The relief and recovery effort is still ongoing over there.
Hoping that we will get some new info about Wolong and their efforts to get the reserve rebuilt soon, and that Jennifer Keating will send us an update about her end of things there. Haven’t been on pandacam today, but will check it out tomorrow.
Still praying for China and the pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
It’s so nice to be able to come here and see how thoughtful panda friends are, especially in a time of crisis. My experience with the Chinese people that I’ve met on four trips there, including both Wolong and Chengdu, is that they are the kindest people I’ve ever known. They deserve everything we can do for them and more.
The Wolong staff members’ devotion to the pandas is real. To think of those cubs and the adults before their own safety is amazing, considering everything that was happening at the time. But, it’s not surprising…they really do consider the pandas to be their children.
I hope when things are rebuilt and settled, with our help, we can visit the Wolong Center, wherever it is, and personally say ” thank you,” to the brave men and women who are trying to survive and protect the pandas, as well as worry and care for their own families and the community.
I’m going to continue donating to both the SDZ panda/China relief fund and the PI relief fund because we know that ALL the money will go to the right places and be used for the right purposes. I’m glad that some of it will go to the Wolong families and the community to help them during this very challenging time.
Thank you, Ron, and other SDZ staff members for handling the funds and seeing that the Wolong staff receive them and also for letting us know how things are there. When you get a chance to spend some time on the phone, please let them know how much we care about their welfare and that we send our best and warmest wishes that they will be able to get through all of this and do well in the future. We may be far away physically, but we are close in thoughts.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
To # 68 Pandapanda,
According to my research on Tai Shan’s extended family tree, Xi Xi is half sister of Bai Yun. They have different mothers but share same father, Pan Pan who sired more than 20 cubs with at least four female pandas.
In fact, Xi Xi is full sister of Tian Tian (Tai Shan’s father), sharing same set of parents. She has given birth to at least 4 cubs including one set of twins.
So, it makes them ” first cousins” to Hua Mei, Mei Sheng, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen and Tai Shan.
June 1st, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Just an update about China’s quake lake situation. Just read on the MSNBC website that the larger of the 30+ quake lakes was able to be drained, thanks to hundreds of Chinese Army and engineering personnel that have worked tirelessly digging the trench they felt was needed to get this ever increasing lake to start draining, which has eased the fears of massive flooding. Over 197,000 people have been evacuated from that area over the last week or so because of those flooding fears, but the Chinese government still feel that this area is still not safe enough for people to move back in there yet. This lake and the 30+ other lakes are still under constant watch because of the rainy season that has started. Heavy rains that last for longer than a day or 2 could swell these lakes to overflowing or threaten to collapse the trenches that were made to drain them. Plus, there are a lot of dams along a couple of rivers that are still damaged, and there’s no word on whether there has been any repair work on any of them with the exception of the one major dam that had repairs done to stop the leaking. So, the danger of flooding is not totally over with yet, but at least the threat has eased up some thanks to this large number of people that have worked hard to get this one lake to drain into the river. To the Chinese people that live in those areas, these hard workers are their heroes right now! Still no more news about the missing panda, tho. I’m hoping that Mao Mao is doing ok out there in the woods. Also, some of the smaller panda reserves that are near these quake lakes are probably breathing a little easier now that the flooding threat has been lessened, but I’m sure that the people that watch these reserves are also keeping up on the updates about these lakes as well.
Anybody seen little ZZ on the pandacam today? Didn’t get on the cam today; kind of mad at myself because I was home pretty much all day and had the time to get on the cam! My bad!! Anyway, will check on the cam tonite and tomorrow.
Looking forward for more updates from Ron and hopefully one from Jennifer Keating. Hope you all had a very nice weekend! My son is out of school for the summer and that means trying to keep a 16 year old kid busy for the next couple of months! P Wong, haven’t seen any new ” conversations” lately from you! Hope that you have a real good one for us to read soon!
Love to all the panda keepers, pandas, and China’s pandas,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 1st, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Hi
I see the blogs have slowed way down the past few days. I guess they still haven’t found the last panda yet I’m still praying it will be found ok soon. I was just reading on National Geographics.com that Wolong may be moving to a new location which would be safer. I’m hope this is true. Well I hope we don’t forget all the needs of the pandas and people of China as time passes by.
June 1st, 2008 at 10:09 pm
REBUILDING WOLONG
I imagine that one day in the near future, Americans visitors to Wolong will come away not only with joy for having seen and interacted with the magnificent pandas but with pride at the notice board or plaque put up in Chinese and English informing the World that the Wolong Panda Center was rebuilt after the Wenchuan Earthquake and the pandas were being cared for with the help, love and support of the American People who had so generously lent their assistance and donated their dollars.
May God Bless the People and Pandas of China and America.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
solshih #100–thanks for the lovely thoughts. I think we would be happy without a plaque, but with knowing that the pandas and keepers in Wolong, or wherever they choose to relocate, are safe and secure, with plenty of food, good shelter, communication, and access to supplies. The fact that some of the keepers are living in tents or their cars is a testament to their dedication to their charges. Rebuilding will, no doubt, take a long time, but I’m pretty sure we will be interested and willing to help every step of the way. Thanks for all who share information and communications.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:50 am
So sad, watching BBC news last night, to see the poor parents visiting the ruins of their childrens’ school and laying flowers on the rubble. They were unconsolable and I had to try very hard not to burst into tears with them.
Chari, I haven’t seen ZZ for ages either. Maybe I should try a different time. Was watching one of the polar bears over the weekend having a wonderful time, coming up to his/her full height and launching backwards into the water and propelling him/herself across the pool. Kept doing it again and again. It was lovely to watch.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
Still waiting for word on the missing panda.
Also agree that Wolong needs to be rebilt in a safer location
Watched a great play session a few minutes ago – Bai was playing with Zhen for quite a while.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
# 96 – Cathy G
I agree 100% with you and I’m sure that pandaholics will help to rebuild.
They deserve the best!
Elisa
São Paulo, Brazil
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Don, #90, thank you for your input. I am impressed that you read our bloggers’ comments. I had not even considered that they might have trained the 8 pandas sent to Beijing. Surely not! That would be a tragedy. I’m hoping they realize the creatures for being magnificent enough just to see and enjoy. I am thinking also that you compliment us with more power than we actually have. Can we organize and accomplish the things you suggest? If we can be that influential we certainly should give it a try.
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Check here for 3 footages of Wolong facility panda rescues:
http (colon slash slash) www (dot) youtube (dot) com (slash) user (slash) keleding
Since narrative is in Chinese (mostly Mandarin), here is summary:
part 1
- Wolong conditions before and after the quake
- Leading the tourists up the makeshift ladder
- Saving the baby pandas
- Reunion and psychological rehabilitation of Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan
- Finding evidences of Xixi. Searching for Xixi.
part 2
- After big quake 5/12/2008, 6 adults missing but 4 (including Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan) return (on separate occasions). Two adults, Xiao Xiao and Mao Mao still missing.
- Then Xixi, celebrity panda that had been recently bred, escapes on 5/17/2008
- Searching for Xixi
- Brief earthquake footage of people conditions
- Then footage of 6 adult pandas going on military assisted trip to Ya’an
part 3
- Rescue of Xixi
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Does anybody really think that the bears that went to Bejing would be trained to do ” tricks’? I certainly have my doubts. The past 3 weeks have show great testament to how the Chinese people value the Panda Bear. Risking their own lives to keep the bears out of harms way. I mean I guess anything is possible, but I for one think that the citizens of China and the keepers of these beautiful creatures would be horrified if they were to be used as circus animals.
So Don #90, I hope you were just speculating and do not know something that we don’t know? You are right on when you said their ” cuteness” is enough.. It truly is enough and the world will have it’s eyes on Bejing during the Olympics, so we can only hope that the bears will be treated with the respect they deserve.
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Hi, you all! First thing off the bat—I FINALLY saw little ZZ and Bai Yun just a few minutes ago at around 6:30 pm EDT on cam C5!! YEA!!!! After days and nites of trying to catch her on the cam, I got to see her today! She was being her feisty little self trying to play with her mom and her mom’s boo while mom is eating her boo! She has grown some since the last time I saw her on the cam a couple of weeks ago or so. Little Miss ZZ will be 10 MONTHS OLD tomorrow, June 3!! WOW!!! Before long, we’ll be celebrating her first birthday on August 3rd! Anyway you all can update her profile info as far as her newest weight in the last couple of weeks? Love to see how much weight she has gained over the last few months!!
Bobbie Wood (#80)—Thanks for the encouragement from you about all of my LOOOOOONG comments over the last few weeks! I appreciate that alot! I’m glad that you are able to get the information from what I’ve written so far. I’m just trying to get the info out about what’s going on in China when I find out about it from the news sources that I watch on cable TV and on the news websites on the internet. I try to keep them as reasonable as possible, but when you have alot to share, that’s pretty hard to do sometimes! So far, everybody has had alot to share about this aweful situation and how this has affected the pandas in China.
I had a feeling that there were more panda reserves in the provinces that were hit by the quake. I read in these comments about the Baishuijiang Reserve in Gansu Province being severely damaged or destroyed by the quake and the status of their pandas were a little bit up in the air for awhile. I hope that what I read in some of the later comments is true in that the pandas and the keepers/staff of that reserve are ok. This is just one more of the 30+ reserves in China that will be in desperate need of help and rebuilding. Hopefully, someone or an animal conservation organization will help out in the cause of making sure that this reserve, along with all of the others, are taken care of with the relief supplies and food that they will need to keep going.
I tried to google Wolong Panda Club to see if the website is still up and running, and could not get anything. I wanted to check on any statements that have been made thru them on how they are doing and what their needs are. Nothing online right now. There’s no way to get on their cams since just about all of them have been damaged or destroyed by the quake when the buildings were leveled. I’m hoping that when they do rebuild in a safer area that they can get new pandacams in there, and then get them up and running so that we all can see the pandas on their cams, too!
Well, not much else right now. Did not get anything new about the China earthquake today. Let’s just hope that this is a good sign that things have finally settled down somewhat, that the aftershocks are almost nonexistant, and that the quake lakes are continuing to drain into the river. China is still in my prayers every day, tho. That will not change for quite a long while! Also still waiting on word from Wolong about their missing panda, Mao Mao. Oh yeah, I read one of the comments that Hua Mei and a few other pandas were sent to Baifengxia in A’an recently. That will help her in being in a less stressful environment for awhile until Wolong gets built. I wonder if she will get to see her little brother, Mei Sheng? Wouldn’t that be awesome?!? I also read in that comment that some other Wolong pandas were sent to Chengdu and a couple of other reserves that were not as affected by this quake, mainly to lessen the overcrowding that existed after the earthquake hit. Making sure that these pandas are safe, secure, well fed, and happy has been those keepers’ priority over the last few weeks. With the reserve pandas spread out to other places on a temporary basis, that will help the Wolong staff and keepers feed the pandas that are there better, plus be able to spend a little more time and feed the baby pandas better as well. Apparently from what I’ve been reading from some of you, these pandas are still pretty cautious and shaky when being outside on solid ground. Their mindsets are telling them if it is totally safe to walk on the ground again, or if the ground will start shaking again. Pandas are having some of the same emotional upsets that the Chinese people are experiencing now, and these keepers at the reserves are doing their best to encourage their pandas to be outside, play, take naps, and just enjoy the outdoors more unless it’s raining too much. These keepers have alot of work ahead of them with their pandas.
Gonna go! Love to all of the pandas and their Chinese keepers,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Thank you, P. Wong of #106, I loved the panda videos! It was quite touching and being Chinese I was able to understand everything they said. Thanks again!
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
#101 Francis in NYC – I agree with you that no plaque is necessary and if the Chinese people do decide to put up a plaque in Wolong, I am certain that it will acknowledge the kindness and generosity of all panda lovers from around the world. The recovery from the devastation will be a long journey both physically and emotionally. Thousands of lives have been turned upside down and for many people, nothing will ever be the same again. Let us continue to pray for those who have been touched by this tragedy, including our beloved pandas.
May God bless the people and pandas of China, and also the pandas in the USA, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Austria, Thailand, Germany and Hong Kong. And let’s hope that those precious bears that just arrived in Beijing will encourage even more people to recognize their plight and give to their cause.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:59 am
If any plaque is put on the entrance to Wolong it’s should be dedicated to the memory of the staff who lost their lives and to the dedication of the keepers and the staff who risked their lives to save all of our beloved pandas. The people of the area have lost so much, giving to the relief fund is the least we can do. Know matter how much we give the people will know that we care and acknowledge their heroic efforts.I am thanful for everything I have and this made me realize how fast it could be taken away, I now value the simple things in life and enjoy them more.The first baby to be born will symbolize the rebirth of wolong in this difficult time and the journey will continue.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
#90 Don – I understand what you are saying. And, I also know that at least some of the zoos in China have daily ” shows” of the different animals. Animals made to do tricks and trainers who tend to anger when animals make a mistake or just won’t perform. I’m sure the Chinese people love their pandas; let’s hope that they will come to think as much of their other animals (such as the tortured moon bears used in bile farms).
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I just saw our tv station ABC7 online and thay had a picture of 4 of the pandas that are in Beijing for the Olympics and they look happy and healthy and I swear that one even had a smile on it’s face. Great way to end my day
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Xinhua News Agency just posted 3 new pictures of the 2 year old sub-adult pandas at the Beijing Zoo. They seemed happy and calm. At least something cute and positive for all to see! You can see the pictures at china(dot)org(dot)cn(slash)environment(slash)news(slash)2008-06/03(slash)content_15601740_3.htm. Enjoy! Blessings!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
#111 Barbara agree with you completely that any plague at Wolong should be dedicated to their staff & keepers. When I heard about the earthquake my first thought was the pandas before I realized what a disaster this was. Yesterday on CNN a reporter had somehow made it to what had a thriving city -they showed before & after pictures – there was not a building standing & rescue workers had not gotten there yet – the devastation is beyond belief. I read in the paper that some schools have reopened (in tents) & poor children in other areas of China are donating pencils for those in the hardest hit areas, while children in the unaffected cities are no longer asking to go to McDonalds but are donating that money also.
On a brighter note – check out ZA update Mon. They explain how 300 lb. pappa Yang squeezed his whole body into a cut out plastic tub to annoite his body with tabasco sauce (his favorite scent).
June 4th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Good old Gao Gao, wandering round his enclosure at 00.50 SDZ time. Always starts me off with a smile in the morning here (8.50am). Thank you everyone for the continuing updates re the pandas. Hopefully the aftershocks have calmed down now. I heard the other day that Iceland had a huge earthquake which did quite a lot of damage. Are we going to have an earthquake year? The world is definitely changing.
June 4th, 2008 at 1:09 am
REACHING OUT TO HUA MEI – An everlasting bond
It is gratifying to note that Huamei, “the magnificent beauty’ as her name means, is still so deeply loved here in the Land of her Birth and Cubhood. All the expressions of concern for her well-being in the aftermath of the Wenchuan Earthquake are testimony of the deep love and enduring affection she had engendered during her early years spent in the States.
It is touching indeed that when the world literally came crashing down on them – Huamei, her many young cubs and their other panda cousins in China, could also turn to and rely on her many devoted fans, friends and former keepers from across the seas to help rebuild their lives, even after having had left the States so many years ago and are now half the world away, coupled with the fact that many of her young cubs and their other panda cousins are not even personally met or known by name by the people here. An earthquake in the remotest part of China has reverberated across the oceans and has certainly touched the hearts of many around the world. Such is Huamei’s magical charm.
If Magnificent Beauty could speak the human language, I am sure she would be very grateful to all for standing by her and rushing to the aid of her “people’ (read pandas) in their hour of need. And if pandas could cry, I am sure too she would shed a little tear of pride for the warmth received from across the seas. Pandas can feel human love too.
HUAMEI, THE MAGNIFICENT BEAUTY – the mother of six magnificent cubs, one of whom has been specially chosen by the people of Mainland China, to be an emissary of peace and unity to the people of Taiwan – AMERICA, THE LAND OF YOUR BIRTH, WILL NEVER LET YOU WALK ALONE!
June 4th, 2008 at 6:05 am
The title of the three footages of Wolong pandas in youtube as mentioned by #106 P.Wong are ” Panda’s Earthquake Adventure ”
For those who concern about the eight pandas sent to Beijing Zoo might be trained to play ” tricks ” just like in a circus , it is strictly prohibited by the laws in China, that pandas are not allowed to be trained to play any kind of performance for entertainment purpose.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Nice site on Panda Cam this morning, close up shots of Gao Gao… eating again.. ha ha or as usual maybe I should say.
Got home to a nice package yesterday, I had ordered 2 prints of Bai and Zhen back in March, well they never arrived (maybe someone in Canada Customs liked them too), well Margo in the SDZ store resent them and I got them. Oh folks, if you haven’t checked out the prints at the online store you should. They are gorgeous…….Even my husband couldn’t help but say how cute they are. Great service from the Store, I’ll be doing more shopping…
Loved the pics of the bears at the Beijing Zoo, I can imagine they will be treated like Royalty… Does anyone know if they are staying there or will they be going back to Wolong after the Olympics? Hey, I have an idea, Vancouver, BC (where I live) is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, maybe they can come here….
Have a great day everyone!!!
Moderator’s note: We’ll pass along your compliments to our ShopZoo.com staff. For all sorts of panda merchandise, visit our online store at http://www.shopzoo.com/shopzoo.cgi?cmd=search&search=panda
June 4th, 2008 at 10:04 am
To All Panda Bloggers – Regarding a previous blog of mine #24, I want to apologize for transposing two letters in the goggle search phrase.
To watch these adorable pandas, goggle ITN Rescued Pandas Settle In.
As previously mentioned, it’s a narrated video that shows the eight Wolong pandas enjoying their new enclosure that will be their home for the next six months. Very enjoyable.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Maureen#115, I would loved to have that sight on a video. can you imagine what a sight and tabasco sauce who knew what a turn on it is. It’s been nice to see the eight panda healthy and happy after such a terrifing time. I saw a article that kids are back in school made of styrofoam, how ingenous. It was nice to see big daddy this morning and I also checked on Mei Lan she was all streched out and all hanging out right next to the window where the public got a GOOD look. she is so funny
June 4th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Hi! Hope all of you are trying to stay COOL this summer! It’s HOT already here in Florida! Got on the cam a little bit ago, and saw Bai on her favorite perch sprawled out NAPPING! Little ZZ is up in a tree where we can’t see her on the cam NAPPING! I like the idea of Vancouver, BC, Canada having the pandas at their Winter Olympics in 2010, but I don’t know if China will let that happen. There’s been alot that’s happened this year, and I think that these 8 pandas will be happy just to get back home to Wolong in November. It’ll be worth a try, tho. Don’t know what mascot the Vancouver Olympic Committee has chosen for their Olympics, but I think the best mascot that they can choose is the polar bear. Now that they are on the threatened list, this will be a very good way to educate the public and visitors coming to the Vancouver Olympics about the situation that the polar bears are in now and what people can do to help them keep going. Just an idea I had! I also read the AZ’s panda update on their panda page about Yang and his tabasco sauce ” bath” ! That was funny! That’s his favorite scent, and I know that he just reveled in the smell of it all day! NZ website still has the Panda Relief Fund link on their panda page. Hope they keep that going for a long while. The more donation links for earthquake relief efforts and for Wolong and other reserves, the better! I kind of figured that Beijing had some restrictions about the pandas at Beijing Zoo. This should be a very good educational opportunity for everybody, especially the kids, about the pandas situation in the wild before and after the earthquake, and what everyone can do to help conserve these animals and their habitats.
Has anybody gotten any kind of word about Mao Mao, the missing panda, and if anyone out at Wolong Reserve has seen this panda recently? Hope so! Still very concerned about Mao and the panda’s ability to find some bamboo to eat. I’m surprised that he’s been out there as long as he has, and has not come back to Wolong yet. Maybe there’s something going on mentally that’s telling this panda to stay away from Wolong because it shakes too much. Don’t really know, but that would be my guess as to why Mao has not come back home. Hopefully someone will get up in those woods and start to locate Mao and the wild pandas soon.
Well, gonna get back on the cam and see what’s up with the pandas.
Still praying for China,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 4th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Conversation with Mei Sheng #23
Mei Sheng: Left, right, left… Right, left, right…
Tourist: Hello, Mei Sheng.
M: Oh, hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: Now how’s your restaurant business? You don’t seem all that busy.
M: Oh, but I’m pretty busy, actually.
T: You mean adding new dances?
M: Yup. I’m revamping the entertainment offerings.
T: Oh.
M: My new clientele from Wolong demand sophisticated upgrades.
T: How about mystery theatre dinners and concerts?
M: And more varied menus.
T: You mean bamboo varieties?
M: And mustn’t forget playground toys.
T: Oh, I see a big plastic tub, a blue kiddie pool… Now what’s this?
M: Hee hee.
T: A barrel of red pepper sauce?
M: It’s laced with fresh crushed garlic. Sichuan style, you know.
T: So this will go well with wowotou biscuits?
M: No, these are new scent ointments.
T: Oh.
M: And here’s mint chocolate chip, Hami melon, kimchee, durian mash…
T: Durian mash! Now that’s putrid!
M: Well, it’s worth a try. Test marketing, you know.
June 4th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Chari #122, I agree the Polar Bear would be an awesome mascot for our 2010 Olympic Games here in Vancouver, however, higher ups have designed 3 Mascotts based on British Columbia animals and myths (they must be cuz I’ve never seen any of them). A Sasquatch, Sea Bear and a Thunderbird. They kinda look like pokemon characters…. Kids love them though! I still want the Panda Bear
P. Wong, loved your convesation with Mei Sheng, your so creative… Also loved the ZA’s post on Yang and his fav scent of tabasco, yikes he’s a goofy bear….. NZ has a post up stating that Wolong has had electricity restored… yahoo… hope things will only get better for the people and bears…
Just spent the last while watching Bai hoping to catch a glimpse of her little one, but to no avail.. She must be sleeping in her favorite spot… High up…..
June 4th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
#117 -solshih – you certainly have a way with words. Just know that the US is grateful for what China has done to save this magnificent animal. We may comment on the ” rental fees” for the pandas but we can see the money is being spent to save the pandas & educate the people. Unfortunately I didn’t know too much about HUAMEI but as other cubs were born & the panda cams became available more people became interested. I know I spent hours watching Tai & Lani (SuLin was always high in tree & hard to see).
We are so grateful to the Chinese for their dedication in the midst of their personal suffering to care for the pandas.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
P Wong (#123) I’ll put my order in for Mint Chocolate Chip… one of my favorites. Although, if it’s mixed with kimchee or durian mash I might want just a bit to sample first!
I just saw some of the photos of the panda enclosures that were damaged in the earthquakes. I started crying as I thought of how close pandas came to being critically hurt. It’s a real miracle that no pandas died. And it makes me remember again the brave men and women who risked their own safety to run back and rescue them.
Thanks to the Chinese panda caregivers, bona fide heroes!!!
Love, Joy
June 5th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hi! Some news here to give to you. One is that I was watching MSNBC News on cable, and they had the story of the 8 pandas from Wolong at Beijing Zoo just laying around relaxing, eating bamboo, and playing with each other. The exhibit is enclosed and set at the temperature that is the normal range in the Wolong area, and that exhibit is HUGE! These pandas have a lot of room to roam and run around in, plus there are climbing structures in there for them to climb onto for naps and playtime. Looks like they have settled in very well over there, which is a great thing for them after all of the trauma from the earthquake. People are already coming to the zoo to see them and hopefully getting the conservation message about these bears. The other thing I want to mention is that I got my email newsletter from Pandas International today. Richard Heisler, who is a very good artist in photography and painting, will be auctioning off some of his works thru ebay to raise money for PI in their ongoing effort to get food, water, and other relief supplies to Wolong Reserve and the city of Wolong. The PI website should also have that up on their front page as well.
Got on the cam today, and I saw little ZZ climbing all over her mom’s back to get to a tree log, then she plopped on that log for awhile. What was funny about this was that Bai was asleep when ZZ was climbing on her back! Bai hardly budged at all! Then, I went to check on a couple of other blogs on the SDZ website for a few minutes. I came back on the pandacam, and just saw Bai sitting there looking at something, and no ZZ! ZZ has wandered off to find a spot to nap in, probably in a tree.
Darlene (#124), I’m glad that you liked my idea of polar bears being the mascot for the Vancouver Olympics. But, the 3 mascots that the Vancouver Olympic Committee chose do sound like mythical cartoon characters! Where did they come up with those names?? I agree with you, it’s either the pandas or the polar bears for mascots!!
P Wong, thanks for another one of your fabulous conversations! It’s been awhile, too! This was one’s just as cute and sounds like Mei Sheng wants to upgrade his restaurant again now that the Wolong pandas are with him! Keep these conversations going, ok?
Well, gonna go and try to get a nap in. Been battling sinus and sore throat the last couple of days. too much pollen here in Florida! Gonna check the cam, too.
Oh yeah, new pregnancy watch update for June written on the NZ website panda page. Not too much change in Mei Xiang’s luteal phase. Has an updated chart with the update.
Write to you all later,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 5th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Afternoon cutie-pie alert: Zhen lying on her back with her fluffy tummy, then sitting up like a big girl panda manipulating bamboo. What a sweet picture!
June 5th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Hi again! Just was on the Pandas International website main page, and they’ve added 4 new links for us to watch and see. One was a link of the Chinese news broadcast in Chinese about the earthquake, and what the rescuers and Wolong staff were doing to get their pandas to safety. The other link was from you tube and had several videos and photos during and after the earthquake. There were a couple of videos that were in there that were done before the quake as well. One of them showed the one year old pandas playing in their pen; they were soooooo cute! The third link was from Heng Yi who snapped a bunch of photos right after the earthquake hit. Going back to you tube, there is one video that you all have to see–it’s the actual video that someone took of the huge landslide just above Wolong Reserve. You will be amazed how massive that landslide was and how close it came to totally demolishing Wolong altogether. For some reason, only God knows, that landslide stopped just short of the front entrance! Then there’s a link to an article by Reuters that describes the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. According to seismologists, this fault line will probably stay pretty active for weeks and months to come, but should lessen in intensity. Just thought I would pass that on to you all in case you want to see these links that PI has provided. Gotta warn you, tho; some of these pics and vids will get you to tears; I did!
Got on the pandacam again and caught little ZZ playing with a small piece of boo! She’s starting to get a little bit curious about that food, isn’t she?
Gonna go.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 5th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Oh P. Wong — how I love your conversations with Mei Sheng — but I do still get teary eyed — I miss the big guy so much — and it breaks my heart that he is so far away and had to go through such a scare with the quake(s). How I wish you really could talk with him and let him know that we are thinking of him — and all of the other pandas — and their keepers.
MSNBC does have a short video on their website showing the beautiful glass enclosure for the 8 pandas — and it really looks lovely. Temperature controlled with lots of plush grass and climbing structures — and keepers to scratch their bellies. And lots of visitors oohing and aahing — which was really nice to see. I’m sure their are no ” tricks” to be done — just the cuteness of 2 yr olds rolling around, eating their bamboo and just being their adorable selves.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I read in the paper today that there was another 5.3 aftershock in China today – no reports of injuries or buildings collapsing (from what I see there is nothing left to collapse). From the picture on the NZ website showing the damage to Wolong it’s amazing that no pandas or keepers were killed.
I see our Miss Z now weighs 36 lbs.
ZA reports that Lun Lun’s appetite has increased & they are ” cautiously optomistic” she may be pregnant as her appetite increased when pregnant with Lani.
CNN had video today of the cubs at the Beijing Zoo – they looked happy & content eating their bamboo. Understand crowds of adoring fans are trying to get a glimpse of the pandas.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I read the blogs every day and appreciate all the information about the panda’s in Woolong after the earthquake.
I am a softy when it comes to animals. I miss Hua Mei and Mei Sheng. I also watched Hua Mei give birth to her first baby. I cried when she and Mei Sheng had to go back to China. I was watching the news on TV June 3 and they showed Mei Sheng and I think they said Shi Shi in their new surroundings. I don’t remember where it was. They looked good. They were both walking around smelling everything. I also donated to the fund for the pandas. I haven’t been able to see Zhen Zhen in a long time. She must be up in a tree when I get on. I miss her. She is so adorable. Bai Yun is such a wonderful mother.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Conversation with Gao Gao #35
Tourist: Hello, Gao Gao.
Gao Gao: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: So how are your Hakka style housing projects coming along?
G: Oh, getting there…
T: Now that’s a sizeable tu lou fortress. Isn’t it a tad big?
G: Oh, I expect to get tenants, too.
T: Besides your harem, you mean.
G: Yup. And some structures I will sell.
T: Any buyers?
G: Yup. Lots. Especially at preconstruction prices.
T: So you’re not caught up in the real estate downturn?
G: Nope, not for commercial property.
T: Well, I’m surprised you have so many buyers.
G: Well, some are deeply discounted.
T: Oh?
G: On account of the 5/12/2008 Wenchuan (Sichuan) earthquake…
T: Oh, so you’re offering some to Wolong friends…
G: And friends in Gansu, Shaanxi, plus other parts of Sichuan…
T: Now that looks like the Delaware Water Gap.
G: Yup.
T: You built there?
G: And some in the Hudson Valley.
T: The Tri-State New York Metropolitan Area?
G: Uh huh. It’s an area with very quiet earthquake activity.
T: I can’t believe it.
G: We’ll be near the Catskills, Adirondacks, ice caves, lakes, my New Jersey greenhouses.
T: I still can’t believe it.
G: It’s location, location, location.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:40 am
P.Wong #133 So that’s who has been buying all the property in the Catskills. Everytime I’ve been there it changes. I guess our Chinese friends like to play golf and the great clean mountain air. Plenty of Jersey grown bamboo still left. This weekends not going to be the weather for pandas HOT HOT HOT.Big daddy still has it going on.