Moving Forward
Posted at 9:49 am March 17, 2009 by Ellie Rosenbaum
Gao Gao
Gao was the exhibit bear, and he was up to the task, eating and focusing on the presence of Bai Yun in the adjacent area. The preliminary interest we’ve been seeing from them is continuing, change of location notwithstanding. All the vocalizing, scent marking, defecating, and listening continued through a good part of the morning. Bai even climbed up a poplar tree to scout out Gao on the other side, as she’d done a few times last week in the main exhibit, so it looks as if everything is just fine.
How long this will last depends both on the construction and, as always, Bai Yun and her hormones. We’ll try to keep you updated as we learn more and decisions are made.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
Watch the pandas daily on Panda Cam.
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March 17th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Thanks Ellie for keeping us informed on how our sweet pandas are faring during the noisy construction. At 10:34 AM PT, Zhen Zhen looks like she’s celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. She has decorated her bedroom floor with green bamboo. It’s sprinkled all around like a lovely green carpet.
It’s very attractive, I might add.
Let’s all hope that the construction is completed quickly and quietly so that Bai and Gao can get down to business. Having the keepers nearby to socialize with Zhen Zhen and Su Lin is a plus. Thanks to everyone for keeping our sweeties happy during this important bamboo construction.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Wow!! I’d love to be one of those keepers entertaining Zhen and Su (“the girls” as Ellie calls them – sweet!). I’ve only managed to see Zhen for a few seconds then the cam switched over to Gao. Thanks to all who care for these black and white wonders. I’m looking forward to when they will be back to “business as usual” but then, how can that be, if Bai and Gao get it on again!! Oh my! Just think of the possibilities, panda lovers – we could have three cubs to watch by September!!!
March 17th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hello Panda Team!
Our 3rd grade class has been researching endangered animals for 3 weeks now. We’ve been spending A LOT of time on the Giant Panda and learning as many facts as we can. Our class watches the Panda cam each day around 2:00pm.
In addition to finding out as much as we can about pandas, we’ve been reading the book The Year of the Panda. The panda cub in the story was named Su Lin. We were so surprised to see one of your pandas was named the same. Our class looked through the blog archives to see if we could find any information about Su Lin’s name, but couldn’t find anything! Can you please tell us how Su Lin got her name?
Thanks!
Mrs. Swanson’s 3rd grade Class
Moderator’s note: We had an online naming poll, and the name that received the most votes from our panda fans was Su Lin. You can read more about the voting at http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/help-us-name-the-baby-panda/
And here’s a blog about the “original” Su Lin: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/whats-in-a-name/
March 17th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I want to schmooze with them!!!!
Thank you for the update, Ellie!
March 17th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Can I sign up as a volunteer schmoozer too? Please, pretty please?!!!! Y’all sure do take wonderful care of ‘our’ pandas and are much appreciated (by pandas as well as pandamaniacs)!
I’m crossing my fingers that the early signs of ‘interest’ and sweet talking between Gao and his lady love Bai continue and escalate! Go studmuffin, go!
March 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I wholeheartedly agree with Linda A. but since I can’t schmooze with these wonderful creatures, I give them a little hug and pat on the head in my sweetest imaginings. In the real world, they’re wild animals that I’ll never get to pet or tickle, but in my dreams the pandas and I are great friends. (No, I’m not crazy…I just have a whimsical imagination!)
As Gao anticipates Panda Breeding 4.0 with wild (and uncertain) anticipation, I hear Tian, Yang and Le Le are pulling up a rock and settling in front of computer monitors at their respective zoos, ready to take notes. They’ve heard the legendary tales of Gao, the panda mating sage, and hope to get a few pointers for next year. Mei Xiang, Lun and Ya Ya will be waiting for the video primer to come out on DVD since they’re all pretty busy right now.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I finally got my ZZ (or Zip-Zip) fix today. She is quietly sitting in her room, eating bamboo, very slowly, I might add. While I realize she’s just a fledgling at eating bamboo full time, at times she seems uncertain about just how to approach the piece she has. It made me wonder. Ellie, is she consuming enough bamboo daily to get enough nutrition, or do the keepers supplement her diet with lots of fruits, vegies, and biscuits? I’m sure all young pandas go through this after being weaned, but all us moms still worry. (At my age, it’s “granny-worry!)
=)
March 17th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Dear Mrs. Swanson and Your Third Grade Class:
How absolutely wonderful that New Panda Fans are being given the opportunity to watch the pandas from the classroom!!!! Every single viewer will gain an understanding of the ‘gift’ all animals bring to the world; they will also learn that ALL animals need respect and protection (including their fellow human animals). Mrs. Swanson, thank you so much for making panda watching part of your curriculum. I can ’see’ this subject evolving into a social studies process in which the students also learn about different countries, and what those countries are doing to promote animal (including humans) well-being. Congratulations to you and your students.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Dear Mrs. Swanson and Your Third Grade Class
Welcome! What you are studying is so important! I hope when you are “our” age, you will live in a world where there are no endangered species; only happy and healthy animals.
Thank you, Mrs. Swanson, for sharing your post. I hope you all enjoy watching the cam, and reading the updates. Our black and white bears are very special.
By the way, where are your located?
March 17th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Looks like Mr. G is resting up for his upcoming tryst with Queen Bai, and I’m glad to hear that Bai has been keeping tabs on her one and only studmuffin, as Suzanne #5 calls him.
I too would happily sign up to help keep “the girls” amused. Zhen Zhen looked restless earlier today before she settled in to eat. She kept looking around–perhaps she heard or smelled some of the unusual activity and wanted to participate?
Welcome to SDZ pandaland, Mrs. Swanson and Class!
March 17th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Mrs. Swanson’s 3rd grade Class – We area all so excited that you have the opportunity to share the San Diego Zoo bears in your classroom. We love to watch our favorite pandas and see what new activities they are up to every day. Right now they are playing a musical exhibit game while they patiently wait for the new bamboo cooler to be installed. Since bamboo is 99% of their diet, it is very important that they have lots of fresh bamboo to eat every day, like 40-60 pounds for each one of them in the Winter. This new cooler is very important for keeping the bamboo just the right temperature and humidity so it will be in perfect condition for them to eat. Around Christmas 2008 the old cooler started to have serious problems and is barely working. So the construction workers at the zoo are working as fast as they can to install the new one. I think the pandas will have a big party and lots of shouting Horrah! when it is installed and they can be sure to get their favorite food just the way they like it every day. Keep watching the Panda Cam and reading these notes. You will learn a lot from Suzanne and Ellie who work with the pandas every day. We are jealous and wish we could work with the pandas too.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I just noticed the picture of Gao on the update — I swear that’s Shrek. Think of Shrek with only his lower teeth are showing. Love that guy! I mean Gao.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Just wondering WHO is on cams 4-5-6 (the left hand front enclosure) today and yesterday if Bai is out in back? Su Lin? looks so much like Bai! Yesterday I saw whomever it is in the late afternoon and thought Whoa, is that Bai? Did she suddenly halt the whole thing by showing estrus-imminent signs? But Ellie’s blog says she’s out back. Is the front viewing walkway closed anyway even though there’s a panda out there, or is she only there in the late afternoon when construction noise is done for the day??? Curious!
March 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Welcome Mrs. Swanson’s class!
Don’t forget to check out the Zoo shop. There are plenty of panda books there written for children that would make wonderful read-alouds.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
If no one has mentioned this, I hope SDZ will indulge me – Atlanta Zoo Panda Cam is back, Friday at 10 am!!
March 17th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Marti #13–that’s definitely Bai Yun on camera 4-5-6.
Good news about the Atlanta cam, too. Never enough panda cubs or opportunities to watch them!
March 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Bocomet #15: Really?? There is no update on the web site or on their My Space site?!! Is it really so??
March 17th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
A warm welcome to Mrs. Swanson’s 3rd grade class – you will find a lot of information here & a lot of dedicated panda fans who wish we had the opportunity who have to watch these wonderful animals on a live panda cam
Sounds like “love is in the air” once again if Bai is tree climbing to check on her love Gao – & so we wait for our Queen Bai to let us know when she is ready
#15 Bocomet – wow wow wow what wonderful news that we may be seeing XiLan soon
March 17th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Woo hoo!!!!! ZA Panda cam is back in operation!!! You lucky fans who are able to do so, tune in to ZA this Friday, at 10 a.m.!!! What great news!!! Sing, dance, do the panda rock or jig or polka, whatever!!! Thanks to the generousity of EarthCam and Ms. Mara Strock, we will see an end to our pandacam withdrawal pretty soon!!
March 17th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Happy belated St Patrick Day to all I’m was wearing my green panda shirt in honor of the day and pandas. So glad to see the AZ panda cam is coming back this Friday what great news.
Glad to see the third grade class has decide to learn more about pandas. By starting them at this age they will be more aware of the dangers these animals face. And what needs to be done to make their habitat much better and all of worlds wild life.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Marty #13, I think they’re moving Bai back out to her front exhibit when the construction is done for the day. I noticed yesterday, too, that she was back on cams 4-6 after about 4:00.
Bocomet, that’s great news about the Atlanta Panda Cam!
March 18th, 2009 at 2:35 am
#15 Bocomet – Really? Atlanta Zoo Panda Cam is back? I went to their site and couldn’t find that information anywhere – can I ask where you found it? It would be wonderful if we could see those pandas live again.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Thank you #15 – Bocomet – for that information!! Nothing posted on the ZA website yet, but you can read about it at ajc.com (first story)!
Apparently a company called “Earth Cam” has agreed to look after the cam for two years. Another wonderful panda lover, Mara Strock, of VA, has agreed to cover the cam’s local server costs. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
March 18th, 2009 at 5:18 am
#15 Bocomet…That is great news! Thank you for letting us know. Many thanks to Earth Cam and to Mara Strock, as well, a panda fan who agreed to cover the local server costs (according to AJC).
Is there any avenue to contribute to the SDZ’s wishlist via snail mail? I see that contributions can be made online or via telephone, but if a person preferred to mail their monetary gift, is there a suitable address to which an animal lover could send a small token to cover a wishlist item or two?
I forgot to mention in previous posts that I like the picture of Gao. He looks like he’s enjoying himself.
Moderator’s note: You can mail in a Wish List contribution to:
San Diego Zoo
Attn: Wish List
P. O. Box 120551
San Diego, CA 92112-0551
March 18th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Wow! What great news from ZA. It will be so wonderful to, once again, be able to see ALL of the U.S. Pandas. We’ll get to see Xi Lan’s first steps outside. Thank you Earth Cam, Ms. Strock and ZA, you have made thousands of people happy.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:04 am
OMG, ZA cam will be back!!!! Thank you to their sponsors. Hopefully, Mrs. Swanson’s class will have a moment to peak at our youngest little one.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Monika 22 it’s posted on the web site and on the cub update page. It will start on Friday March 20th.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:17 am
YAY!! ZA Panda cam to return!! When I first read Bocomet’s blog, I checked the ZA website – nothing. Then I went to the AJC website. I couldn’t find anything there either. But – I got it on my google alerts this morning and it was from AJC so maybe I just missed it. I couldn’t be happier with the news! I sure did miss being able to see Xi and the rest of the ZA family. So glad it is back! Happy day! Now… patiently (ha ha) waiting for the Bai & Gao romance to progress!
March 18th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Our pandas seem to be taking everything in stride with the construction. I wished they could talk! They are probably just like us – waiting for the new cooler to be operational.
Also congrats to Zoo Atlanta on getting a sponsor for their Panda Cam. I’m sure they have been trying like crazy to get support for it. We are just toooo impatient. I will get to see Xi Lan on Friday before I fly out that night on my holidays to S.E. Asia. Internet cafes are everywhere so I plan to check out all the pandas every couple of days. Does being in the air all your birthday and then loosing a day mean I don’t have to add a number on to my age? Yes, just kidding.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Kudos to all the teachers who include the pandacam in their day! last year I was wearing my panda earrings and a lady admired them and said “I am a teacher and we watch the pandacam all the time”…her students were whining about so much pandacam time and said ‘why do we have to watch all the time’?? And she said, in fine teacher form…”BECAUSE I SAID SO”. Anyway, kudos also to the panda keepers and all you do to care for our pandas and hopefully preserve the species.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:32 am
#22 – Monika – ZA panda cam will go live on Friday – March 20. Until then there is a note on many pages on their website announcing its return. A lady from Burke VA also provided funds to host the local server to help with the camera.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Yes! Good news about Atlanta’s panda cam! Their latest video of Xi Lan climbing up onto his water bowl and proceeding to sit there like he is King of the Mountain. ZZ at 10:00 this morning seemed quite restless in C11. She kept trying to cimb the walls…even stood on her water bowl to reach higher. Soooo cute. Thank you Meercats for following her around the room.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:10 am
A big thanks to all of you who responded to our class. We appreciate you taking the time to write to us!
Our class likes receiving new info about pandas and enjoyed learning about Su Lin’s name. Since we live in Indiana, the San Diego Zoo website is the best way for us to “view” the pandas in an environment that is as close to their natural habitat as possible. Our class hopes the new cooler works out well because we know the bamboo is so important to our panda friends!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Mr Gao Gao is looking splendid as usual today (11.16am SDZ time). He posed beautifully for some postcards. Great news that the Atlanta Cam is coming back. Can’t wait to see Xi Lan again.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Thank you, moderator, for the address. I found a reference to a post office box on the site but wasn’t sure whether there might be different box numbers for different purposes. I appreciate that you took the time to post that for me.
There’s a holiday song called “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” but as a panda fan, I think this is the most wonderful time. Male pandas are acting frisky (did anybody see Tai this morning? So cute and such a fast runner!) and female pandas are keeping us in suspense. New bamboo coolers, the return of ZA’s panda cam, thirteen pandas across the country and the hope of more on the way…panda heaven, I’d say!
March 18th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The Panda Cam at Atlanta is coming back on Friday March 20, 2009!!!!
Our pandas have a new boo cooler…can life get any better????
March 18th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Tami M., #36: Maybe this is an omen from the panda gods. More baby pandas, perhaps?
March 18th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Cindy (#37) – YES!! Right on! An omen from the panda Gods!! Love it!!
March 18th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our AZ pandacam is BAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!! Start date is this Friday, March 20, 2009, 10am-5pm!! A new sponsor has stepped forward to help in the cost of running the pandacam, and the name of that sponsor is on the AZ panda page (couldn’t remember the name because I got very excited about this outcome)! Now, we can watch little Xi Lan do his crazy funny stuff in the dayroom and playing with his mom, Lun! WOW!!! Prayer works, you all!! They will have the pandacam on Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm, their usual cam times. At least we will be seeing this little cub live instead of in videos and pics! Thanks Atlanta Zoo!! We really do appreciate all of your hard work in getting a new sponsor to get your cam back online!
Well, gonna go for now. Will be back later on! Have to check the other pandacams!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
March 18th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Is that a cumulative sigh of relief from all over the world??
We should probably all send a big Thank You to EarthCam, AND Zoo Atlanta, for the deal to get ZA panda cam back up. It will be interesting to see how they utilize the 12 cameras; whether in the panda area, or through-out the zoo. It’s said to a AudioVisual System, so maybe we will also have sound. I’d love to hear the little Prince of Atlanta vocalizing to his momma!
Wow! the view of Bai’s enclosure today is scary! I realize it’s just camera angle, but she looks to be way the heck down in a hole.
BTW, San Diego Zoo: you all should know for a fact that we ALL express much appreciation for all that you do to keep us in touch with the West Coast panda family. Without our panda fixes every day, there might be a new defination for PMS. (Panda Missing Syndrome!)
March 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Melissa #35, and Tami #36, my sentiments exactly! When I read the news about Atlanta’s Panda Cam, I was thrilled, not just for myself but for all of us devoted panda fans! What more could we ask for? Panda cams, pandas and cubs, panda boo coolers – it’s a thrilling time to be a panda fanatic! As always, thank you so much SDZ for providing a forum for us to discuss ‘our’ bears regardless of their location, and thank you for keeping us so well informed as to what’s happening with our beloved Bai, Gao, Su Lin and little ZZ! Can’t wait to see a pic of this new cooler!
March 18th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
This is definetely a gift from the panda gods..(because we were patient little panda worshippers) and baby pandas from San Diego Zoo—-twins of course!!!!
And a blessing for the National Zoo that Mei Xiang be pregnant.(please,please,please)
March 18th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I love my animals, all of them great and small, little zhen zhen is really growing. I can reconize her because of her tiny hands and how they are slowly turning the thick pieces of boo around in her mouth and she still is the smallest of the pandas. Thank you all for the info on AZ, I have been missing their baby panda. Anyway, why is it that I can not see the baby elephant. I turned to them and all I see is the ground and Sat and Sun I watched the ball on the tree. Please can we see the baby elephant? Thanks
March 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I love reading all the positive posts. The pandas certainly play a huge part of our lives and our moods! I still want to be the girls’ schmoozer.
I did send a thank you to Earth Cam for sponsoring the ZA cam. Their sponsoring the cam worked; I did check out their website, and it’s pretty cool.
I echo all the sentiments above regarding SDZ — thank you, thank you for everything you do for our animals and for us.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
#6 Melissa – while Gao is certainly our “studmuffin” & Queen Bai his Lady Love have mating down to a science I understand thatMeiXiang (hm, how to say this with 3rd graders reading) while ready to mate never got herself in the right position – it seems like our females need a video also.
March 18th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
ZOO ATLANTA IS COMING BACK!!!
Oh, my, I’m so thrilled to see this message:!!!
Giant panda fans, stay tuned, because PandaCam is back! Thanks to a generous gift from EarthCam, fans all over the world can continue to enjoy watching Zoo Atlanta’s giant pandas Xi Lan, Mei Lan, Lun Lun, and Yang Yang on PandaCam.
Zoo Atlanta’s PandaCam will launch live on Friday, March 20, 2009, so stay tuned to see what’s happening with giant pandas.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Thanks for the great update Ellie … and, of course, for including a photo of my Gao. Look at that face – who can resist? Definitely not his precious Bai. Sounds like the girls are pretty unphased. Unfortunately it looks like there is quite a line ahead of me as a schmoozer. Maybe Gao will put in a good word for me as one of his ardent fans!
And welcome to Mrs. Swanson’s 3rd graders! Nothing warms my heart more knowing there are children out there being educated about conservation of our most endangered species. And to be able to see them in action via the cams brings it all home. I can’t thank SDZ enough for allowing us to share in their world.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Hi! I’ll be checking all the pandacams today to see how all the pandas are doing, except Atlanta Zoo’s which will be online this Friday. The AZ panda keepers did get a new update written on Wed., 3/18/2009 about Xi Lan’s latest measurements and weight. Their usual disclaimer is Xi’s wiggle factor so these numbers are the best measurement numbers they can get on this active little cub! Here are the numbers: body length 35 inches, tail length 4 inches, neck girth 16 inches, chest girth 21 inches, stomach girth 24 inches, nose width 2 inches, weight 27 pounds. This little guy has done some growing in the last month or so since the last measurements were taken! On Tuesday, 3/17, there’s a short video of Xi Lan climbing up on the water bowl! He’s got a new seat as a lookout spot now!
Read the new article about all the construction noise and all of the pandas doing pretty good in handling all of the activity that’s going on near their enclosures. Glad to hear that the new boo cooler is being installed FINALLY! Good to know that all of the pandas are getting used to all of the construction noise. Before long, this will all be done and they’ll be wondering where all the noise went to! But, the human keepers will be very glad when this gets done and the noise will be GONE! A very nice week for all of us pandafans! The luck of the Irish also came thru, too, for all of us Irish pandafans! And, this Friday is the first day of SPRING! Hoping that love is in the air for Bai and Gao!!
Well, gonna go. Will check in later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
March 19th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I see that Gao is back on C3 in the morning on Thursday, 3/19. Does that mean the construction is completed for now, or that Bai is indicating that they need to be in their home territory and so they have been moved back to the front exhibits?
Hopefully both.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:11 am
What a wonderful surprise. Gao Gao is front and center (8:20 AM PT) in the C3 exhibit. Does this mean that there is a pause in the bamboo cooler installation?
It’s so much fun watching our lovable Gao Gao munching away on a pile of bamboo.:-)
March 19th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Glad to know the cooler install is on schedule and that ZA Panda Cam will be back. In addition to the nice folks at Earth Cam, I think we all should offer a gigantic “Thank You” to that nice lady who made the generous donation to help things along, too. Panda Power!!
March 19th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Ooh–I hope all the bears can get back to their yards. I thought ZZ was going to grow suction cups on her paws and start walking up the walls of her bedroom yesterday. Poor thing knew there was something going on and she wanted to be part of it!
And is that Su Lin or ZZ having such a great time with the bag in the classroom?
March 19th, 2009 at 9:55 am
#45 Maureen…I included the lady pandas in the fun. They’re waiting for the lessons to come out on DVD.
And although I keep reading that everything was supposedly Mei’s fault this year, she got it right a few times throughout that infamous day. I recently read five books primarily about pandas in the wild and two actually contained rare photos of panda breeding in the wild. Based on those photos, I can confidently say that Mei doesn’t bear all the blame. There were times that Tian could have used Google maps to get to the right neighborhood, shall we say. 
March 19th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Is Su Lin going to be in the classroom all Bear Bonanza weekend? It’s good to hear about Atlanta, but for us locals, this matters more to us locals…
March 19th, 2009 at 10:40 am
$53 Melissa – well said
March 19th, 2009 at 11:33 am
March 28th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I have quit watching the cams as it breaks my heart to see our little ZZ not be allowed to climb her trees. I will be so glad when the new cooler is installed and hopefully little ZZ will be able to return to the life she loves. I am holding off on the webcams until about the 5th of May when hopefully our little gals (ZZ and Su Lin) will once again be able to enjoy life.
Moderator’s note: Suzanne Hall, one of our panda researchers, addresses that concern in comment #38 of the blog, Mei Sheng’s New Exhibit: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/mei-sheng%E2%80%99s-new-exhibit/