Spring is coming to an end and summer is just around the corner. So what have our pandas been up to these past spring months and what’s in store for them this summer?

I get a lot of questions about how the pandas cope when the San Diego temperature spikes in the summer months and how our climate compares to that of their natural habitat. Giant pandas live in mountainous regions of China in dense bamboo forests that are commonly shaded with conifers. It is a cool, misty environment. Luckily for our pandas, the microclimate in the canyon where the Giant Panda Research Center is located tends to be cooler than many other places at the San Diego Zoo, especially when a fog bank rolls in.
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A 7-month-old panda cub at Wolong

Now that I have returned from China safe and sound, I have had a chance to evaluate the goals of my project. During my stay I observed the breeding of 16 female giant pandas. With the help of my Chinese co-workers, I was able to collect recordings from all these pandas and their male breeding partners. There were even a few opportunities to record vocalizations from the six-month-old giant pandas. During the summer I will be processing these data and I will make sure to post an update when I am finished.
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The Horticulture Department has wound down from preparations and activities surrounding our annual Spring Garden Celebration, which turned out to be a smash. I hope you were able to attend, to walk through the Garden of Senses Trail, take a Botanical Bus Tour, or meander around learning about all things related to plants and conservation at the many booths set up around the front of the Zoo. Maybe you enjoyed a cup of organic fair trade coffee, or a taste of organic wine, or were lucky enough to have a sample of the garlicky pasta whipped up by our chef. Whether you joined us or not, there’s no need to wait until next year to experience the botanical aspects of the Zoo!
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Well, the end of spring is here and summer is quickly approaching. Bear Awareness days were a great success and I think we’re ready to call it quits on the breeding season (see Kelly’s blog, Love Lost at Polars?).There have been no changes with the polar bears other than the usual acknowledgement of the warming weather. This tends to heighten the activity levels and all of the bears are utilizing the pool on a daily basis. We still have them separated into pairs but discussions are taking place regarding housing the three together again. (more…)

The animal carcasses that condors rely on for food are widely distributed across the landscape and are relatively unpredictable in their occurrence. Condors must regularly make long-distance foraging flights over large areas to maximize their chances to detect a suitable meal. Because of their large size condors can conserve energy by soaring for long periods without flapping their wings, similar to albatrosses. Condors require strong and consistent thermal winds to achieve the altitudes needed to make these long-distance soaring flights in search of food.
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It’s been about 11 weeks since our Cape clawless otter pup was born in Bear Canyon (see Hali’s blog, Otter Pup Arrives) and I know there are many of you anxious to get a viewing. Well, any time now you will get that chance as this brave little girl (determined by exam on May 3) is starting to venture out of her den area.
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