Zhen Zhen on the Go-Go
Posted at 12:02 pm July 9, 2008 by Ellie RosenbaumOur littlest panda, Zhen Zhen, is growing up fast. As she’s begun to eat more bamboo, she’s awake more, doing the classic “mini-Mom” next to Bai Yun and looking as cute as, well, a panda cub! She amazes and delights us all with her antics, biting and nipping at Mom, swinging and hanging from the tree limbs, learning quickly to grab vegetable treats and take them up into the high branches to keep them out of her mother’s reach (since Bai Yun seems to believe that all food is her food, even from her own cubs).
Smart and dextrous, Zhen astonished us all last week by staying awake, raging around the exhibit, playing with Mom, munching bamboo, and just being silly for over 3 1/2 hrs. It was a lot of energy for a young panda, and well into hour three, we kept waiting for this tuckered little cub to drag herself up a tree to sleep. Time and time again, though, she’d get her second – third – sixth wind, revive, and go trotting off. It was pretty cool!
We’ve also seen her nursing on exhibit, more than I’d personally seen in the last several months. Perhaps it’s a change of her personal, internal schedule, or with Zhen Zhen eating more bamboo, Bai Yun is less inclined to concern herself with feeding ZZ, or maybe it’s something else. Either way, it’s a beautiful thing to see, all too soon to be gone as ZZ continues to grow.
Big sister Su Lin, still on exhibit on the right, has a new pastime these warm, muggy days. After finishing her breakfast, she’s taken to playing what I call “Hide-and-Go-Sleep.” She trundles herself over to the front left corner of her exhibit, with her tail toward the front wall, and lays her tummy down on the cool metal of the drain cover to nap, out of view of anyone under five feet tall. Given that the fur on her belly can be up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) long, and it’s cool and damp in that corner, we can’t blame the girl, but it does make for a challenging viewing situation. All we can suggest to visitors is to keep coming back, since once she awakens, the bamboo is back in the center of the area, where a good look can be easily had by all.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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July 9th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Sounds as though Su has discovered Cousin Tai’s secret! The drain is a cool place to be (pun intended). Sorry, though, for the visitors, if they can’t see her. At least Tai’s drain is in view of visitors from inside the building. I don’t know how I would get through my day without checking on these wonderful creatures; they are part of my family.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Thanks for the blog. Wish you would do more. Atlanta keepers post comments on Mondays and Wednesdays. It’s something for us panda friends to look forward to as we keep up to date on pandas all over the USA.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I have just been watching Mei Xaing and she very uncomfortable, she’s squating, pawing at the straw and licking herself, I just wonder will Tai have a sibling on his birthaday
July 9th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Fingers crossed for more adorable panda cubs!
I thought I had been able to see more interaction than usual between Bai Yun and ZZ, but I didn’t know if it was just where the camera was at the time. A few times it seemed as if ZZ just came down to play but not to nurse–but I didn’t know if I had missed the nursing or if Bai had decided ZZ needed exercise and a nap rather than more milk.
I agree with Barbara #1–a day without pandas is like a day without sunshine.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I just went to the Sandiego zoo for my first time while I was on vacation.
I wanted to ask Barbra a question. Is Mei Xaing pregnant? If so when is she do? Im from Seattle Washington and the woodland park zoo is nice but Sandiego zoo is like your in the real habitat. Thanks to this blog and others we are able to talk ask questions and give our oppions on differrent situations. Thank you marlene snyder 
I loved it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially the pandas
Moderator’s note: We’re glad to hear you had a great time at the San Diego Zoo, Marlene!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Ellie–Thanks for the update! I’ve noticed ZZ being very active too, I must’ve been watching her that incredible 3 1/2 hour play session recently. I couldn’t believe she just kept going and going! Did I notice she has a new hammock? This morning she had the biggest branch of her mom’s bamboo up there. She is really a delight to observe, and how she is growing!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for the fun update. ZZ has been quite active when I’ve viewed; and what a delight. Fun to watch Big Boy Tai this morning with his ” birthday cake.” He was my first love, and introduction into the panda webcam world. I would like to have a dollar for every hour I’ve watched our babies in the last three years. Mei seems to be going into a birthing phase. Here’s hoping Tai does have a sibling soon. If she’s not really pregnant, how long does this phase last? Does anyone know? NZ webpage says the progestin should continue to increase over the next few weeks. She looked like she was ready to give birth today, but what do I know. Received a request from Pandas International to vote for Suzanne Braden as Animal Planet’s Hero of the Year. The winner gets $10,000 for their cause. Pandas International could certainly put $10,000 to good use! Thanks again for the update — we all really look forward to them.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
It doesn’t seem possible Tai is 3 years old today and sounds like Mama may have another one soon.
News from China:
Authorities yesterday unveiled a 2 billion yuan ($292 million) reconstruction plan for Sichuan’s Wolong Nature Reserve, which was severely damaged by the May 12 earthquake.
The plan was jointly developed by experts from Wolong Nature Reserve Administrative Bureau, Peking University, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing-based Turenscape Company. It has been submitted to the Sichuan provincial department of forestry and the State Forestry Administration for approval, sources from the Wolong Nature Reserve Administration Bureau said.
According to the plan, the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Wolong will be relocated from Hetaoping to Gengda, which is also in the reserve.
The new site in Gengda would feature a laboratory covering 650 sq m; panda houses covering a total of 1,500 sq m; a panda hospital; a training ground for preparing pandas in captivity to live the wild; an environmental education center; and a bamboo forest for feeding pandas in captivity.
” The new panda houses are big enough for every panda to roll around inside,” Li Desheng, deputy chief of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, said
A giant panda disease prevention and control center will be built in Dujiangyan.
Wolong Nature Reserve Administrative Bureau chief Zhang Hemin told China Daily the relocation is expected to cost more than 2 billion yuan.
The May 12 earthquake, the epicenter of which was just 30 km from Zhang’s center, wreaked havoc on the reserve. One panda died in the disaster, and another has since gone missing.
Fourteen of the center’s 32 panda houses were destroyed, and the rest were severely damaged, rendering 61 pandas homeless, Zhang said.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Great update, Ellie! Catching little Miss ZZ on the pandacam is like playing phone tag! Sometimes I’ll see her on the cam, and at other times I totally miss her! It just depends on when I can get on the pandacam. I’ll just keep on trying to get on the pandacam at the right time to watch this cute little fuzz ball do her thing. So, she’s starting to eat a little bit of bamboo now? She’s growing up! Anybody know what her current weight is?
I will be voting for Suzanne Braden for Animal Planet’s Hero of the Year. Got the email newsletter about that last nite. I agree with everybody that this Pandas International director has done a yeoman’s amount of work since the May 12 earthquake to make sure that Wolong Reserve Center had what they needed ASAP for the pandas and the staff, and then just continued on with sending and/or bringing in the donations to them. Her accounts of her visit to Wolong and the surrounding area over the last couple of weeks were astounding, and she will be writing some more about her time there on the PI website. Like Suzanne said during the first few days after the quake hit, Pandas International will be sending relief supplies, food, tents, other supplies for the Wolong residents and the pandas for as long as it takes to make sure that everyone, pandas included, have what they need to get thru the recovery and rebuilding time. She has stepped it up big time, and will continue to keep it going indefinitely. Suzanne Braden will probably tell everyone that she is not the hero in this work, but that the Chinese people are the real heroes thru this whole thing since the May 12 quake. And, she will probably be right, too. It’ll be great for Suzanne to be honored as Hero of the Year, and the $10,000 will be really great for PI to use to make sure that the relief effort keeps on going for who knows how long.
Gonna go! Checking pandacam again tonite and tomorrow!
Tai Shan is 3 years old today!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
July 9th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Thanks for the great update on baby Zhen Zhen. That girl is amazing….she has been so precocious and advanced for her age since she was a very tiny ball of fluff. If she were human, she’d be skipping grade levels and taking A.P. classes!! But don’t grow up too fast, ZZ.
I can’t believe she’ll be a year old next month. I remember it so clearly – my husband and I had gone out for dinner to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary and when we got home, I logged on to this website and found out we had gotten the BEST anniversary present!!
Enjoyed watching Tai celebrating his birthday. He was the panda who turned me into a pandaholic.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Marti #6 – Yes, a new hammock was installed this morning. ZZ slept in the reddish hamock toward the center of the exhibit, but I didn’t see her there — She slept 4 + hrs.
My joke was that it’s black and white— she’ll disappear if she dozes there!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Isn’t it funny… Just when you think you have the pandas all ” figured out” they do something different. That’s one of the many reasons to keep watching. There is always something new!
Thanks for the update Ellie. You always have a great way of making me feel like I’m there and can ” see” what is happening.
Love, Joy
July 10th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Marlene #5 they have started a birth watch on her as of yesterday, with a panda as we learned you can never tell to quite near the big day, but Mei hasn’t been eating some of her favorite things and according to the keepers she is uncomfortable and doen’t reallly want to walk to get her ultra sound so who knows, only Mei for sure but lets hope.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Wanted to thank the Meerkats for the great shots recently. Last week I saw Bai Yun climb more than I ever have as she pursued Zhen Zhen for a bath and play. Bai is still a frisky panda. It was so heartwarming to watch their interaction. And Zhen is just a wonder–racing around, dragging food up a branch, or teasing her mother. Thanks for all your efforts to keep us in on the action.
On another note, the speculation that two-thirds of the wild pandas were/will be lost as a result of the Sichuan earthquake is overwhelming. 1,000 pandas! It is absolutely horrible to imagine.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Thanx for the update Marlene….. after finally catching little Zhen Zhen on camera yesterday…. I too noticed boy is she getting big !! =) Growing fast….I hope to catch some of her antics, but have limited access right now to viewing. I’ll keep checking in tho’ as usual.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I love to watch all the panda kids….. Tai Shon enjoyed his birthday treats. He is still a clown. Just watched Mei Xiang sleep on her rock. She looks quite peaceful today. Like she knows she better rest up now…. Are he US zoos equipped to handle twins?. It would require a keeper to be in the den switching them out correct? Are the keepers allowed to do that in the US?
July 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I wish this was happening when I came to visit the zoo. Must be amazing to watch this magnificent animal try to get acquainted with its surroundings.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Ha Ha Ellie, she’ll disappear on the new black & white hammock!! I had that funny thought too, that it was created to be panda-camo! (get it?) Anyway, she’s a blast to watch on the cam-o and we’re thrilled to be coming down this weekend to see our panda pals and their incredible human friends in person! (it’s enrichment for humans)…see ya soon!
July 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Yeah for Miss Z! I, too, have a hard time believing that she is almost a year old! Had fun watching Tai sneak on his b-day ice cake. He was most cautious and when a chunk of it broke off and fell, he ran for cover! He did almost the exact same thing last year! Also watched his momma Mei on the other cam and she definitely looked like she was nesting. I guess she would do this even if it is a psuedo-pregnancy but I have my fingers crossed for a sib for Tai!! And while we are at it, how about one for Mei Lan too? (Hint, hint Lun). Hoping that Zhen will have a great birthday bash next month as well. I will be watching!
July 10th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Zhen-Zhen is zoom-zooming right now! Great camerawork and thanks for the update on the girls.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
During my last visit, the big cub slept more than the small cub. And yes, that little corner seems to be her new fave spot. It seemed like a really ” cool” spot. And in that corner, one certain playful boy panda once chewed and broke the hot wire. You’ll see where the repair was made. Every time I see it, it makes me smile. I hope he’s doing fine over in China.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Over the last week, I’ve seen some funny, scarey and endearing interaction between Bai and Zhen. One day Zhen was dangling from the branch above Bai and then fell to the ground. Another day, she made the mistake of bugging Bai who was trying to sleep. She climbed on Bai’s back and was otherwise annoying her..when all of sudden Bai swatted Zhen with her paw and poor lil baby went flying about 3 – 5 feet to the ground. Wow…thought she might be hurt and she was a little slow on the uptake but within a short time she was back up at it. Have also seen a time or two when Zhen was on a lower tree trunk and Bai grabbed her and pulled her to the ground and then put her nose to Zhen’s belly. I gotta think Zhen likes that as she just lays there on her back squirming. So fun to see them interact. Love the SDZ for sharing these beautiful pandas with us…Love all of them – Gao and Su…so wonderful to see their personalities, and natures.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Miss ZZ looks very fetching in her fancy new hammock and I think Gao Gao really likes the new matting or carpeting or whatever is now in the passageway in the classroom area.
And I’m soo jealous of all those lucky people looking forward to Polars, Pandas, and Pancakes this weekend. Pictures, please!!
July 11th, 2008 at 6:32 am
When I was in DC for Tai’s birthday, I tried to log on to SDZ from my hotel. The security server blocked the site because the blocking software decided that it might contain information on ” criminal activities” !!! The party, by the way, was lots and lots of fun and there were newpeople all over the place. You have never seen so many otherwise normal adults being so incredibly silly.
So this is my first panda fix since Tuesday. But I have to ask, what kinds of criminal activities are you promoting??? Inquiring minds want to know.
Seriously, Zoomie is growing up so nicely. And Su is soooo mellow. Wish I could afford to come out for the two birthday parties next month, but will have be content with screen captures of the girls. Maybe next year.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Where has the last year gone, our little girl will be 1. It seems like yesterday that she came into the world, it has been a treat to watch her grow and see how different each of Bai’s cubs has been. This little girl is a live wire and sure does give mom a challenger. I see her hammock and she really is enjoying it. it has been a year of joy and tear but we always have the joy of watching Miss Fluffy butt, Zoomie, cubmuffin and all her other cute names.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:10 am
What a cool shot of ZZ up in the tree, with people wandering by underneath on the sidewalk! Great work Meerkats!!!
July 12th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Enjoyed watching Zhen and the white cylindrical object this morning (Saturday). Assume it had a scent to it. Zhen has learned to give mom some distance around new treats and objects.
July 13th, 2008 at 11:46 am
yesterday was a hoot! the antics of zz were so……….funny! it’s the first time I have seen zz and mom
interact like this. but then, I am a new panda cam addict as my husband calls me! mom had to help zz down from a high log as her legs were dangling, trying to get a foothold onto something. mom held her back legs as she eased zz head-first onto the ground where z did a sommersault! funny! poor mom was
also trying to peacefully eat some bamboo when zz jumps on her from behind. mom gave her a cuff with
her paw and zz went flying. hysterical! your web cams are the best! thanks!
July 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Been watching Mei Xiang on NZ panda cam and am wondering (and hoping!) if she will give birth soon as she seems so lethargic and rarely leaves her den area. She keeps pawing at the straw and chewing on the Kong (?) toy in her den. Hoping and praying she gives birth to a healthy cub!
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I love Zhen Zhen I have 50 pics of her from when I was at the zoo