All Eyes On…Gao Gao
Posted at 12:16 pm April 7, 2009 by Suzanne Hall
Gao Gao
The female panda responds to the seasonal flush of hormones that lead to mating in many ways. Early behavioral changes may include increased scent marking, decreased appetite, and increased restlessness and motoring about. Since males and females do not typically hang out in close proximity, the effect of these changes is to draw the male in to her at the time of her estrus.
Her scent, laid down with lots of marks left behind during her wandering about, catches the attention of males who may stumble across her path and then know to look for a female in estrus. Later behavioral changes, like increases in bleating and chirping vocalizations, call to any males who have begun to zero in on her, so that she can be found among the dense bamboo cover.
Physiological changes usually include an enlargement in her vulva and a change in color of these tissues, becoming redder and fuller as she approaches her peak. At mating time, these changes even include a dilation, or opening, of this part of her reproductive organ. What is usually a gray, bumpy patch of skin under her tail becomes a bright red, enlarged visual signal for the male, exuding scent. When touched on the back or hips, a female in peak estrus has a seemingly involuntary tail-up response, which serves to expose the reddened area. This clearly facilitates the mating process and helps the male to get the job done.
Gao Gao, for his part, appears to have noticed some changes in Bai Yun. Staff has reported he is showing an increased interest in Bai Yun’s scent in the tunnels. This is very significant to us. For all of our experience and education and understanding of the breeding process with pandas in general and Bai Yun in particular, no one knows better than Gao Gao how to ensure a successful mating with our panda matriarch.
You will be seeing some new things on Panda Cam in the coming days as we respond to our bears’ changes. The Howdy Gate will open soon, allowing the two bears to meet across a barrier and reacquaint themselves. It also allows us to assess their interactions and read Gao Gao’s responses. We will also begin pen swapping, moving Bai Yun into Gao’s pen and vice versa. This offers our male better exposure to our female’s scent. Again, we can watch his response to guide our understanding of where “White Cloud” is in the process.
In 2007, Bai Yun rocketed from mild signs of estrus to mating activity overnight. Literally. We are ready to be on our toes this time. Who knows how this will happen, and there is still the possibility it won’t happen, if Bai Yun never reaches a peak that our boy is sufficiently motivated by. Keep your eyes on Gao Gao: he’ll let you know.
Suzanne Hall is a senior research technician for the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research.
Addendum (posted April 8): To clarify, I indicated the staff will be making some changes to the panda protocol over the next few days, but I think it would be premature to say we think breeding is going to occur in the next few days. We anticipate we are probably a few weeks away from an actual breeding at this time.
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April 7th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Suzanne, thanks for the very informative blog. I think you and the other staff will be kept very busy assessing the signs that Bai Yun and Gao Gao give you. Did you ever think that with your job you would also become a teacher? Because that is what all of you are. You share your knowledge and we soak it all up.
Thank you for your patience, Lee
April 7th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Suzanne, thank you so much for the great information-packed update and reproductive science lesson. One of the things that’s most fascinating about giant pandas is their mystique. While scientists are busily engaged in research and zeroing in on the mysteries of panda reproduction, the females here in the U.S. keep changing the rules! It’s exciting for all of us but as you said, it does keep you on your toes, doesn’t it? I never thought stress hormone levels, panda feces and such could ever be so exciting, yet here I sit on the edge of my seat, watching Bai Yun, Mei Xiang and Ya Ya move through another breeding season. Thanks for including us and educating us.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
P.S. That’s a great photo of handsome Gao Gao.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Things are getting really exciting. Must find a way to check in really often over the next couple of days.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
The nose knows!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Great news. Pseudothumbs crossed here.
Although ZZ will always be “my” baby (she was my first panda), I’m growing more and more fond of wonderful Bai Yun. She obviously loves her cubbies–how marvelous if she could have one more.
There’s such a sweet series of pictures on Rita Petita’s Flickr site. Go to her “collections” page, then to Pandas 2009, and click on the “Bai Yun Greets Zhen Zhen” set. Read the description about what happened and watch the slideshow.
Whatta mom!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Oh boy! Exciting times in Panda Canyon! Hope to catch the lovers at the Howdy Gate!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Gao is just one terrific mate! He searches out how Bai Yun is feeling, “listens” to her messages, and responds to her needs when she is ready. What a guy!!!
April 7th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I really must visit this cam more often. From what I have seen over 2 days, tuning in a different times, Bai has been in the same position since yesterday. Seemingly sound asleep atop her “cave”. As I said, I REALLY need to visit more often. I can hardly wait for the fireworks to start!
Heads up!, Gao.
Sweet scene today on ZA panda cam. Xi Lan was sitting in a big pile of bamboo, facing Lun Lun, trying valiantly to munch away on his boo. At times, he seemed to approach eating bamboo by osmosis, that being the side of his face.
Eventually, he was distracted by something in the corner of the enclosure, a gate post, or some other unobtainable object. Then the cam went off for the day! At times, he just seems so precocious, or maybe that lost cam time makes me forget he’s nearly 8 months old. He really fascinates me pretending to be such a big, bad guy, attacking bushes and moms.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Oh, thank you so much for this recent update. I can’t wait to see Gao and Bai at the howdy gate and see how they react to each other! It will be my first time seeing them together and I”m excited!
April 7th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Oh, boy!! Now the fun begins! I’ll be trying to get on the SDZ pandacam as much as I can over the next few days, and hopefully catch Bai and Gao doing their thing! With Mei Xiang and Ya Ya already having their estrus and AI procedures, it was a matter of time as to when Bai was going to show us something. Hopefully all will go well, and we will be watching 3 panda females go thru this long process of their hormones going nuts, having pregnancy behaviors, counting the days since AI thru hopefully a birth of cubs, the usual long routine from now thru summer and fall. Have fun watching and waiting, everybody! Thanks for the article, Suzanne! Keep us updated about Bai and Gao as much as you can, ok?
Prayers go out to the Italian people in Central Italy after the deadly earthquake that hit that area 2 days ago.
Well, not much else right now. Will write back later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 7th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
VERY exciting news indeed! I have no doubt that Bai will not disappoint us this year!
I feel terrible about the news from the Memphis zoo today. No panda cub again this year. It must be so discouraging for the staff who work so hard. Next year gang! Ya Ya will pull thru yet!
April 7th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Exciting times!
April 7th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Candy #12: Oh no, I had not heard the news about Ya Ya, I’m so sorry. Maybe we need to send Gao on a US tour of the zoo’s so he can spread some of that charm around
April 7th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Perhaps a collection of romantic songs could be piped in for the loving couple. A few that come to mind:
“Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” by Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack, or “One More Night” by Phil Collins. Perhaps
“Never Gonna Let You Go” by Sergio Mendes or “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers would be nice. And of course there is always the incomparable George Gershwin! Though I’m beginning to feel a bit like a voyuer!
Thanks again to the wonderful San Diego Zoo staff for all the incredible education you provide for us : )
April 7th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
SDZ, This is wonderful news! I am going to be watching the cam alot of the next couple days, hoping to get a glimpse of the reunion between Bai and Gao.
#12 Candy – I feel horrible too for the Memphis Zoo and keeper staff. This was YaYa’s second pregnancy loss. My thoughts are with the MZ and panda keeper staff throught the coming days,weeks and months. Thank you to everyone who does such great work through conservation and research of the Giant Pandas.
April 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
To clarify,
I indicated the staff will be making some changes to the panda protocol over the next few days, but I think it would be premature to say we think breeding is going to occur in the next few days. We anticipate we are probably a few weeks away from an actual breeding at this time.
April 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Suzanne, your blogs are more than informative. They are scholarly. I note that you have learned the many facets of panda reproduction in minute detail. And you express technical information in a way that anyone can understand. Keep up the good work!
April 7th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Hello, what good news to look forward too. Yes, Mei Xiang was literally 2 months ahead of her usual estrus this year, but not everything these Giant Pandas do, are predicatable…as a volunteer at NZ on the Asian trail and the panda cam, she keeps the scientists and keepers on their toes.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Suzanne – As if we needed another excuse to be glued to the panda cam your news that Bai may be entering estrus will have us all waiting & watching for news. Have no doubt that our “superstud” Gao will know when his lady love is ready.
While so many things go wrong with other panda pregnancies Bai & Gao seem to have the right chemistry for mating & wonderful healthy cubs.
And it was sad news from Memphis today that there will not be a cub this year. ;(
I don’t know if I can stand another year watching MeiSheng. For days it seemed liked she was in labor only to find she had another pseudopregnancy.
So our hopes are with our 2 cub making pandas – mama Bai & pappa Gao
April 7th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Thanks, Fonsia #6 for directing us to those pictures–and the sweet story. Rita Petita was there at just the right time. ZZ was my first cub too, and I’ve always been amazed by Bai Yun. The screen saver picture of her holding Zhen Zhen really catches her essence, I think.
I caught a sweet moment in Atlanta the other day too. Xi Lan was squirming and turning around on his log and he lost his grip with his back paws and was kind of dangling. From out of nowhere, Lun Lun appeared, reached up for him, climbed up onto the log, and curled up around him, like a big Mommy cave. Panda moms are truly special.
Sad about Memphis–Gao Gao needs to send his instructional pamphlets and DVDs.
This will be my first time to see Bai Yun and Gao Gao together, too. Bai Yun was trying out a number of–er–unusual poses on top of her rock today. I think the Queen is gettin’ frisky!
April 7th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Candy, Iowa; I read your news about Ya Ya late tonite, so I went to the Memphis Zoo website’s
panda blog page to read the news for myself, and sure enough, Ya Ya had another miscarriage! That is very unfortunate because I was hoping and praying soooooo hard that she would be able to hold her pregnancy to full term and have a baby panda cub. That’s the second cub she’s lost; the first miscarriage was back in June, 2007. I’m beginning to wonder what is going on with either Ya Ya or Le Le, specifically Le Le’s sperm. That will be something for the MZ vets, panda keepers, and researchers can work on to get some answers to this problem. They are hoping that Ya Ya will be able to have her estrus in spring, 2010, and pray that she doesn’t go for a whole year to do that and make all of us wait again. That’ll be hard on us pandafans if she goes thru that again!
Well, we still have Mei Xiang to keep track of. She’s been pretty reliable as far as going thru the full stages of her hormone levels and pregnancy behaviors. And, we are still waiting on Bai Yun to show signs of estrus, and Bai and Gao can have their dates together. Bai is also reliable in going thru her full stages of hormone levels and pregnancy behaviors. We still have a chance of seeing 2 cubs in one year again since 2005 when Tai Shan and Su Lin were born about a month apart that year. Do some good praying and keep those fingers crossed panda style, you all!
Gonna go! Will write back later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 7th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Candy (#12) – what do you know that we don’t know? I read your post and immediately checked the Memphis website. The most recent info I could find was from 3/30 and it said that her hormones seemed to indicate a pregnancy but that it could also be a psuedo pregnancy and that they wouldn’t be sure for a bit until the time they could start performing ultrasounds. Please tell us what you know..?
April 8th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Good Luck to Bai Yun and Gao Gao.
Best wishes to all the panda keepers and everyone who cares for our wonderful pandas at the San Diego Zoo.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:21 am
#23 Kris…MZ posted the news about Ya Ya’s pregnancy yesterday on the panda keeper’s blog. If you go to the panda cam page, look above the video frame and find the link to ‘Keeper’s Blogs.” Click on that, then click on panda blog and there should be an entry with yesterday’s date with information about the pregnancy loss.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Suzanne (SDZ) – Thank you for the clarification.
#23 – Kris – the news for YaYa is posted on yesterday’s MZ panda blog. In the MZ post, is states “a gestational sac was seen during ultrasounds within the past week”, however they (MZ) found that “ the sac was unable to be found during today’s ultrasound. It is now believed that the sac has either been reabsorbed or expelled”. This does not have anything to do LeLe’s sperm.
#22 – Chari – Your post regarding a possible problem with LeLe’s sperm is a little insensitive considering YaYa and the MZ have just suffered this loss. I am sure you mean no harm, but this is about the conservation of pandas, not personal speculation.
Cites taken from MZ website – panda blog
April 8th, 2009 at 10:40 am
#15 Carolyn: Let’s not forget the ultimate in seductive love ballads and a panda favorite: “Beary” White (“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” among others). Go Gao Gao.
So dismayed by the news of Ya Ya in Memphis. I was hoping to make a visit next fall to see my first panda cub. So reminiscent of the disappointments with Ling Ling in DC.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Thanks Suzanne for the info. As for me, my first little cub was Su Lin, and I got to see her in person with her Mom, when I was visiting in San Diego, and my what a big girl she is now, I cannot believe how she has grown. Then came little ZZ, another little sweetie, sometimes she looks lonely when the camera is on her, maybe she is just sleepy. Anyway, here’s to another little cub in the next few weeks. Good Luck Panda Team, and Mom and Dad.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:04 am
My fingers are crossed, my toes are crossed, and so is anything else I can cross! This is my first time watching Bai and Gao get together (hopefully) and I’m so looking forward to seeing them at the howdy gate. Good luck Bai and Gao. I too will have to tune in more often.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:18 am
I certainly pray for more successful breeding for our beloved matriarch, Bai Yun and Mr. Studmuffin, Gao Gao. I really hope that Bai Yun would have twin boys this time! Thanks Suzanne for the update!
April 8th, 2009 at 11:20 am
My condolencese to Yaya, I pray that she would have some cubs of her own one day soon!
April 8th, 2009 at 11:29 am
#27 Sharon: And of course Gao’s Gao favorite “Beary” White ballad “Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long” : )
April 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Oh I hope this happens next week when I am there in person to witness the event! Everybody keep your fingers crossed!
Carol
April 8th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Suzanne, I was wondering if I could ask a question…What is the prevailing opinion about whether giant panda mother and offspring have an awareness of their relatedness several years after they have separated, especially in captivity? Is there any memory that kicks in, a sensory memory of smell, etc.? Or does time and separation lead to pandas being oblivious to their prior familial relationship?
April 8th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
OMG, I have been really busy the last couple of days, and JUST had the pleasure to read the update. I am so excited. I “bearly” can stand it. I’m going to have to find more time to watch. Come on my Shrek Bear.
Sad, sad news about the Ya Ya and Le Le. I wish it had been different.
Thanks for the exciting update of our Bai and Gao.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
For those wondering what might have happened with YaYa’s preganancy, reread some of the early 2009 info from NZP about why Tian and Mei Xiang are separated the past two years after breeding. One of the things that all 4 US zoos are researching is the affect of stress hormones on reproduction in captive pandas. Pandas are notoriously difficult to breed and come to successful birth in captivity. One of the suspected culprits is stress hormones. If you watch closely you will see that SDZ has done everything possible to lower stress hormones in both Gao and Bai. That is presumably one of the reasons Bai is not moved away from her current exhibit until she is closer to estrus. Moving her could potentially trigger her stress hormones and affect the breeding ability. Likewise Mei and Tian are separated before breeding and after breeding to ensure that their proximity is devoted to breeding only and that other interactions don’t trigger stress hormones that could jeopardize the potential pregnancy. This is a hard lesson learned from 2007, when Mei had AI with Gao Gao’s sperm. That year Mei and Tian were not separated after breeding and AI, and speculation about her not getting pregnant arose that pointed to possible stress hormones triggered by their “playful” interactions. So, to make sure that was not a factor, in 2008 and 2009, they were separated immediately after their unsuccessful breeding attempts. We now wait to see whether that paid off or not. Unfortunately for YaYa she has her own biological clock and the unusual timing of both her 2007 and 2008 estrus may have been affected by day length, temperature etc. I have read that research is being done on how day length affects estrus and success rates in breeding and pregnancy.
Stay tuned because the pros, Gao and Bai, will most likely teach us all a lot more in the coming weeks. They can “turn on a dime” literally and maybe will.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
#27 Sharon and #32 Carolyn, how about getting everything going with “Let’s Get This Party Started”.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Oh, Zhen Zhen, if only i were the bamboo leaf you brushed past, as you eyed and got up to retrieve a larger bamboo branch to munch. If only i could hold you and feel your soft fur and nuzzle you. Every time i see you, my heart aches to have you hear my voice whisper what a beautiful baby you are. I envy your keepers to be in your presence. You are just too sweet for mere words…
I know….what a sad, silly human I am….. = – )
April 8th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
#36 Margaret…After watching Mei and Tian play almost daily for four months in the fall and up until “mating day,” I noticed some interesting things about their play bouts. Tian almost always initiated play and most often did so by walking up behind Mei while she was still enjoying her bamboo breakfast. He would nibble on her shoulder blades until she would get up and rumble around with him. Some days, she would try to ignore him but Tian was usually persistent. When she’d go off by herself after eating on days when she didn’t want to play, he would usually still pursue her. That’s when a lot of Mei’s growling would happen to signal that she just wanted to be alone. Maybe that’s where some people have perceived that Mei is aggressive or a bully but I don’t see it that way at all. When Mei did consent to play, things would start off on a very playful tone but sometimes Tian could be really aggressive. He’s a male panda doing what male pandas do, and it seems logical that he has a lot of pent-up natural aggression. In the wild he’d be getting into tussles with male pandas now and then. Mei bears the brunt of that (no offense to Tian…he has no malintent but is just “being a boy”) and when Tian gets carried away, she stands up for herself quite adequately (hooray for girl power, I would say!). Usually it’s Mei who runs up a tree to end the playing and get away from Tian but he often follows her and the famous “tree fighting” sessions ensue. So…as I ramble, I completely understand how Mei’s stress hormones may rise when she and Tian are “hanging out” together. As to Ya Ya, I’ve gotten the impression from different sources that she is a shy animal and there are probably things about her daily experience that may elevate her stress hormones. The NZ has a research article somewhere on their website that discusses different personality types in zoo animals and how stressors affect them differently. Shy animals tend to be the most affected by stressors. I’m really interested in what will be concluded in reference to studying how weather changes affect the pandas. Washington and Memphis do have wide weather variations, from subfreezing to extremely hot and humid (I check the NWS website often in the four cities where the pandas live — I’m so weird!). Atlanta does have an occasional cold snap but the weather there doesn’t seem to swing as wildly as Memphis and Washington. San Diego seems to have the least variations in weather.
I didn’t mean to ramble so much but the science of giant pandas gets me really excited!
April 8th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I was really hoping for YaYa and LeLe AND Memphis Zoo! Her problem seems to be that the fetus fails to implant in the uterus. Poor thing. She may be in more stress that what shows. I guess female pandas can be sort of like humans in that some just reproduce easier than others. Poor YaYa may not be able to have babies.
Got an update today from NZP. The ultrasounds are not showing anything yet, and Mei Xiang is still eating normally and dancing to go out to the yard in the morning. The keepers don’t seem alarmed yet, but she keeps them guessing. Darn! I thought I might get to see a new cub in May when I visit NZP. We have to keep positive thoughts. Mei Xiang has always been one to do her own thing.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
How wonderful that Bai and Gao may decide to create soon!!! And how sad the Memphis Zoo staff must be right now. And how much fun we all are having watching Xi Lan and Lun Lun on the AZ panda cam! Also, keep checking you tube under Xi Lan Panda because LCNessie is having a ball putting up new videos
I just click on date added then this week and there is something new to watch 
Kat W #38….perfect sentiment. You couldn’t have said it better 
April 8th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Melissa – 39…You’re not weird! I do the exact same things, and not just with zoo cities. I check on weather at places where I would rather be than here at home!! (I’m retired, and sometimes it gets boring!)
April 8th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
There’s some serious ‘bamboozling’ on C11 right now (15:33 SDZ time) but I can’t tell who it is – though I know it’s not Gao because I’d recognize him. Whoever it is, she’s having a great feast, surrounded 180 degrees by her bamboo piles.
So sad about Ya Ya in Memphis. Must be so hearbreaking for those who worked so hard – I remember some even missed out on Christmas dinner when they were doing the AI sessions on Christmas Day. I understand Ya Ya is still a young bear, so maybe it’s just not her time yet. I could be wrong, though. Still, it’s a sad state of affairs.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Is that Bai or Su Lin in C11….hard to tell between the two of them.
April 8th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
How delightful to have dinner with Zhen Zhen tonight–and look how big she is! Remembering the day–or days–she spent trying and trying to climb over that sill she’s sitting on, while Bai Yun would whoosh by every so often. So many memories of her sleeping in the corner, climbing into the water bowl, hiding behind the platform to surprise Bai Yun… Thanks for the C11 memories, Meerkats!
April 8th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Or have Su Lin and Miss ZZ switched places?
Moderator’s note: Keepers tell us that Zhen Zhen could be seen on C11 Wednesday afternoon.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I am praying that our beautiful Bai and studmuffin Gao Gao can mate again successfully. We need another panda baby to watch. Good luck to both of them. Thanks for all the information you provide us pandaholics.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Melissa #34, I’ve wondered the same thing. Would Bai Yun recognize her cubbies after having been separated from them for a long time? If the worst happens and we don’t get another cub this year (sad thought), it would be interesting to try and find out. I especially wonder if she would know Su Lin.
Somehow, though, I’ve just got a hunch that Bai Yun is going to come through again this year. She is WonderPanda.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Kat #38 – I think you expressed how all us “panda lovers” feel.
For new bloggers, Yang Yang is XiLan’s daddy & a real goofball – ZA says LunLun (mommy) has a round fluffy face considered beautiful by the Chinese and daddy is a huge, handsome goofy panda. I would love to know what causes an adult panda to go on a tear all of a sudden – check” Yang and the weeble” on youtube – he just played & played:) & made my day.
Bobbie #41 – thanks for the reminder about LC Nessie – she is too funny – but while on youtube check out “Yang is Too Sexy”. I am still laughing.
April 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Suzanne #17 – You know, of course, now that you’ve said that Bai will surprise us all with unexpected timing!
Which brings me to my question. Does time of day have bearing on panda mating?
April 8th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Melissa, #39. thanks for sharing your observations about Mei and Tian’s “play bouts,” and for adding info about Ya Ya. All I have read is that she hates the outdoors and stays inside all the time. Le Le loves the outdoors and he stays outside as much as possible. Different temperments, and different tastes for sure. Perhaps she misses her mountains around Wolong. As I recall Ya Ya and Le Le are also from Wolong as are SDZ and NZP parent pandas.
It is an interesting, albeit sad scenario for YaYa that she has trouble with pregnancy. Twice she has appeared to be pregnant with embryo sacs, that are seen on ultrasound and suddenly disappear. I recall reading that they did a very thorough physical of her with ultrasounds, etc. in 2008 to see if there was any reason that she did not come in estrus, as it is unusual for a female panda to skip an estrus. She went from January of 2007 to December of 2008 which is an extraordinarily long time between estruses. But she is also one of the few, if not the only female that comes into estrus in winter. Her body seems to have a different chemistry and physiology.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Just wanted to add my disappointment about poor YaYa in Memphis. I was hoping so hard that this would be the year for a panda baby in Memphis. They must all be so sad there.
Still hoping (HARD!) that Mei Xiang will give us a baby this year…..
April 8th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
#39 Melissa and #42 Dianne, I don’t think you’re weird. I also have the weather channel in my favorites for all the Zoos with Pandas, and visit them frequently just to see what the temperature/weather is for them.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Hi! Nancy Herpin, my question exactly! I just got on the pandacam at around 2am EDT before going to bed, and the cam was on C11, but no panda was there. So, moderator, please settle this mystery for us, ok? Who is the panda on C11? It’s not listed on the Cam list! Waiting for your answer!
Thanks,
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
Moderator’s note: It was Zhen Zhen.
April 9th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I was watching C11 later on last evening and I think it’s ZZ that’s been enjoying her ‘boo’ in there.
I just caught the AZ cam a few minutes ago and the Xman, Prince Xi was in the hammock room, sleeping on the upper logs. He’s all curled up into a ball with his nose firmly wedged between the two logs. So cute,–and funny! They are so entertaining – a great way to start the day!
Have a good one, panda lovers.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I’m watching and waiting for Bai and Gao…the last time they had a rendezvous I was working, I turned on the cam at 4:55 p.m. and lo and behold!! I was so excited that I actually worked “overtime” that day! So sorry about Ya Ya and Le Le, especially their keepers since I know they invest a lot in the panda program. Hopefully their day will come too…Happy Easter to all the panda fans, keepers and of course the Pandas!
April 9th, 2009 at 10:20 am
#51 Margaret and fellow Ya Ya admirers…Ya Ya has been outside alot today! She’s out right now, on what I call the “mini mesa” (big, flat rock) eating bamboo. She was there earlier this morning, as well. It’s good to see her out and about. The spring breezes and sunshine proved irresistible to the indoor-loving panda today. Maybe pandas get cabin fever from time to time, too?
Wikipedia isn’t exactly the definitive word on any subject, given that it is user-generated information, but I was saddened to find that Le Le and Ya Ya don’t have their own Wikipedia pages, as the other US pandas do.
I have the utmost confidence that the good people at MZ along with all of the other panda keepers, researchers, veterinarians, etc. will continue to make strides in unraveling the mysteries of panda reproduction. The public loves to see the cubs (including myself!) but the most important thing is that every cub is an advance in conservation and science and every pregnancy/pseudopregnancy is an opportunity to add more to the reproductive science knowledge base. I’m so glad that all of the pandas have keepers, doctors and volunteers who care greatly about them and want to make the pandas’ daily experience optimal. It’s challenging since animals can’t tell us if there’s some small thing that bothers them or makes them anxious, something that humans might never think to question. It was a big advance when clouded leopard researchers figured out that the leopards were highly stressed as a result of being housed near the other big cats in zoos. The roars of the lions, etc. made them feel threatened and they were constantly stressed out, so they now are housed far away from the other cats in zoos and having a much better experience as a result. I thought that was a great discovery and the panda researchers are learning things, too, to enhance the existence of our dear black-and-white bears. With giant steps (and sometimes baby steps) along with patient persistence, the intrepid researchers will figure it out. I’ve got my pom poms out to cheer them on!
April 9th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Margaret, I forgot to clarify something I wrote about Ya Ya. I have the impression she is a shy bear but didn’t mean to imply that it’s a scientific conclusion, if it came across that way. I get too excited when I type my posts sometimes because I enjoy sharing with other panda lovers so much and when I re-read what I wrote, I wonder if something got lost between my brain and my fingers! Ack.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
It is very sad news for Ya Ya and the MZ keepers but like any have said before I think everything that happens is a new learning tool. Hopefully in the future Ya Ya will be able to bless them and all us panda lovers with a little cub, and if not something new will be learn from all this.
I guess we have to be thankful for all the beautiful pandas and cubs we have now.
April 9th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Pandafan #55, you were right about seeing ZZ on cam C11. I just read my earlier comment about that, and the moderator comfirmed for me that it was ZZ on that cam. Was just on the SDZ pandacam, and Gao was just snoozing away! Also, got on the AZ pandacam a couple of times. The first time, it was the outdoor cam, and it was on Lun sound asleep near the log structure. The second time, I just caught Xman climbing over the doorway ledge probably looking for his mom! Snack time! NZ panda page has a new update about the pandas there from April 6.
That’s it for now. Will write back in later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 9th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
#49 Maureen in Stanwood: Oh My Goodness! Thank you for the tip to see Mr. Sex-appeal Yang!!! I just love the different music choices the Panda Movie Makers use!!! Too Funny
#50 Joy in Kansas: I recall that when Bai and Gao got together to mate last time, it was sunny and morning…perhaps between 9:00 and 10:30 pacific time. I have often thought about that as I normally see the bears sound asleep if I’m at the SDZ during those hours
April 9th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
I took a couple of minutes and watched the vidoes of Yang and LCNessie’s Xi Lan. OMG, what a treat. I’m sorry I haven’t had more time to check on the SDZ pandas; but every morning when I turn on my computer, I am greeted by Su Lin’s wallpaper at age one. Makes me smile. She was just on the cam, and she has just turned into this beautiful young lady. I’ve learned that my heart has an enormous capacity for love of these special animals; I thought I could never love a panda more than Tai. Then, Su Lin came into my heart, and it surprised me how much I loved her. The rest is history ……… it’s pretty cool how much the pandas have taught me.
I’m off and running tomorrow; so I’m wishing everyone a great Easter now.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Hi again! Got on the NZ pandacam no. 1 late this afternoon, and I saw who I thought was Tai Shan having a wonderful time chasing his blue ball, rolling and summersaulting, laying on his back with the ball in his front paws, and doing his usual walking around at around 3:30-4pm EDT. He even got a couple of carrots from his keeper for a snack! That’s the best time I’ve seen Tai being in his playful mood in a long time. Usually, I catch him either eating his boo or sleeping. Also, got on the SDZ cam and just saw ZZ wondering off from her boo pile.
That’s all for now. Will write back in later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
PS: The update from the NZ panda keepers was on April 7, not April 6. That’s what you get for relying on your brain memory too much! Anyway, it’s a very good update and interesting to read about the pandas.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Oh yeah, I want to send everyone at SDZ and WAP, and everyone that writes their comments on this page, Easter blessings. Have a very nice Easter weekend with your family and friends, and remember what Easter is really all about! I know all of the animals will be getting great Easter presents and snacks this weekend!
Have fun!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 9th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Moderators–thanks for answering my question about C11. Miss Zhen Zhen is growing growing growing into a beauty (instead of being just a cutie)–and she’s so big!!! Over 100 lbs! How much does Su Lin weigh? She must be almost as big as Papa Gao Gao by now.
Moderator’s note: As of today, Su Lin weighs 181 pounds (82 kilograms) and Zhen Zhen weighs 97 pounds (44 kilograms).
April 10th, 2009 at 7:23 am
well! What a treat! I finally got to see Tai Shan in action! What a wonderful kooky bear he is and how all of you who have been watching him since birth must love him.! He was rolling down hill, turning somersaults, climbing on one of the new fallen trees, climbing to the top of a small tree and hanging from his heels, while the tree swayed from his weight, running and jumping sideways. He finally calmed down and went to a door looking for his keeper. I know it must be breaking your hearts to think that he may have to go back to China. I will keep it in my prayers that they decide to let him stay a little longer, although I know he is very important in the conservation of these wonderful bears.
My first experience with Panda watching is Bai Yun and Zhen Zhen, and although I live all the way across the country from them, have never seen them and probably will never see them, they have become “my” bears. I am afraid, along with other Panda fans, I took it personally when they had to be separated. I am so proud of Zhen Zhen. She is turning into such a lovely bear and seems to have settled a lot since the separation, but my heart still goes out to her especially when I see videos and remember how loving Bai Yun is. I know her wonderful keepers are the reason she seems more satisfied now .
Because of this blog, I have turned into a panda fanatic. I have learned so much from the narrators and other panda fans and look forward every day to checking in on all the bears and reading everyones comments.
Thank you so much to the narrators who keep us informed and really seem to care about our cares and concerns no matter how busy they are.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Thanks again to Suzanne, Ellie, Kay and SDZ for keeping us well informed.
Conversation with Gao Gao #57
Gao Gao: Hee hee hee hee…
Tourist: Hello, Gao Gao.
G: Ha ha ha ha… hee hee hee.
T: Gao Gao! Control yourself!
G: Oh, pardon me. Hello.
T: You’re in such a mood!
G: Yup. Can’t help but be excited. Hee hee.
T: So something is perking up, eh?
G: Yup. (sniff)
T: Ah, Gao Gao the olfactory expert.
G: Whee-e-e! Got my degree long time ago. Ha ha ha.
T: It’s that reproductive scientist degree, of course.
G: Yup, the air is good.
T: Whatever you say!
G: The water is good. (Splash)
T: Careful. You’re getting me wet.
G: And such a great Lady Next Door.
T: Of course. Madame Bai Yun is wonderful.
G: What more can a guy want? Baa-a-a!
(Then sings to tune of “Happy Days Are Here Again” by J. Yellen and M. Ager)
Estrus days are here again!
The skies above are clear again.
So let’s sing a song of cheer again.
Estrus days are here again!
April 10th, 2009 at 10:06 am
P. Wong, you are too much!!! And gooood!! Thanks for sharing your gift!
Yes, Tai has been quite active lately – I love to watch him having so much fun. He plays with so much abandon, makes you want to join him – if only we could, eh?
Little Xi Lan so enjoys his days out with mom. He’s becoming quite a handful – swiping back at Lun, biting whatever part of her is handy, and the ways that he sleeps are just too funny!! ZZ of course, is coming into her own more and more. She is becoming so independent and she certainly takes after daddy Gao when it comes to ‘bamboozling’! And how exciting to anticipate Bai and Gao ‘getting it on’ this spring! I, too, hope for another cub. Go Bai, go Mei Xiang!! Let’s get those hormones marching in the right direction!!!
To all the panda lovers out there, I hope you all have a Happy Easter and a nice weekend!
April 10th, 2009 at 11:04 am
I have a wonderful photo of Gao Gao (he’s sticking out his tongue after licking up some honey) on my bedroom dresser. I’m going to have to start talking to it. “Go, man, Go! You can do it.”
April 10th, 2009 at 11:09 am
P. Wong….thanks again for the treat! I have been missing the lovely conversations. They are priceless.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Excellent, P. Wong!
And thanks for correcting my weight estimates, Moderator. Does this mean that Su Lin weighs more or about the same as Gao Gao now? I also notice that Lun Lun and Yang Yang are bigger even that Bai Yun, and that Lun Lun seems to have longer hair–are they a different “breed” of panda or are the differences just individual ones?
Moderator’s note: Gao weighed 165 pounds (75 kilograms) and Bai Yun was at 207 pounds (94 kilograms) today.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
P Wong…another great work. You always make me smile no matter how badly the day is going. I am advidly watching Bai these days…and Mr. Gao..hoping they are both humming “Let’s get it on”…let’s all keep our psydothumbs crossed for another great adventure in Panda Land!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
#66, Viola — Welcome to the world of pandafanatics. Yes, Tai Shan is a kooky, wonderful bear. He has such a wonderful personality, as did Mei Sheng. And I love Gao Gao. I don’t know what it is about the boys … I don’t want to even think about Tai leaving, although I also know they need his genes in China. I hope all his offspring are as kooky–and that the Chinese don’t think he is absolutely crazy. Meanwhile, we’ll enjoy him as long as we can.
The female bears are beautiful, and Queen Bai Yun is very special. I am extremely disappointed that the Memphis Zoo won’t have a cub this year. It is the closest zoo to me with pandas, and I was already planning many day trips down there. Now our hopes are with Bai and Mei Xiang. Everyone keep their fingers and pseudothumbs crossed!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
#57, I don’t know who is outside in Memphis this afternoon, but they are entertaining fans wearing jackets. It seems strange to be seeing people in Memphis in jackets this late in the year. Whichever panda it is they climbed up to the top of their climbing structure outside, and are having a great rest up high on the logs.
ZA panda, I think it is Mei Lan because it is not full grown, was lying down on their back munching away. It is hard to believe it has been a year since we were all worrying about Mei Lan being weaned, and since then we have had Miss ZZ, and now Xi Lan to watch. Time sure flies in the panda cub world.
It is exciting watching both Gao and Bai pace around their yard. I tuned in this morning and whoever was on C3, I think Gao, was having quite a walkabout. Maybe he was waiting for breakfast?
April 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Well by the time this is posted I think the weekend will be over I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and Passover. My, Tai has been feeling his oats lately I think it’s the scent of spring in the air.
I send a small email note to the MZ to let them know I was thinking about their lost and thanks them for all their hard work caring for their pandas. They send me back a note thanking me for thinking of them. I know this is a hard time for them and all Panda fans. Lets keep them in our prayers and hope the future will be much brighter.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
#74 Margaret…Ya Ya was outside earlier in the day. I saw her go inside through the sliding door in the big cave around 12-1 central time and Le Le came out moments later but I didn’t see where he came from. It happened so fast I thought I was seeing things!
I live in the central part of the country and we experienced temperatures in the low 20’s a couple of days ago and snow about 10 days ago. Memphis often experiences similar weather a day or two later, so they probably are a bit chilly. The weather’s been weird in this part of the country throughout the winter and early spring.
I’m glad everyone else is enjoying Tai Shan’s wacky and endearing antics over the past month. I keep thinking it must be a short phase but I’ve gotten accustomed to seeing him sprinting, rolling, climbing, scratching, etc. and I hope it never ends. It’s so sweet and silly. He’s giving Yang a run for his money when it comes to goofiness.
Weird tidbit: Harrison Ford visited the NZ this week and saw the pandas, along with the new baby gorilla, hippo and a few other animals. Not sure if he got a behind-the-scenes tour of the panda exhibit or not, but hopefully he got to see one of Tai’s energetic displays. Indiana Jones has nothing on Tai Shan!
April 10th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
#76 Melissa – to add to your Harrison Ford tidbit. There is a video on youtube called “Mei Xiang’s Ultrasound on April 7′ by wzb3 (there is a typo in the year – but the video is from this week), you can see Harrison Ford witnessing Mei’s Ultrasound. Brenda is too funny and this is a great video – turn your speakers up loud to hear Brenda as she speaks to Mei. On another note, Good luck Gao and Bai….!
April 10th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Oh P. Wong — I’ve missed you so — and your conversations with our bears. Thanks for the laughs — I’ve been humming that song all afternoon — let’s hope it does the trick with Madame Bai.
April 11th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Hi Viola #66,
I was reading your post and I could remember when I became a pandaholic.
In 2002, I spent my vacation in Washington DC and I met Mei Xiang and Tian Tian at NCZoo . They have just arrived there. This experience changed my life!
After that, Mei Sheng born in 2003 I watched him by cam, every day, every development. I read everything about giant pandas. I have planned to met him in person for a long time, because I live so far!
Finally, in 2005, my dream came true and I started my trip in WDC ( visited mei and Tian , again) and every day I read the SDZoo’s blog.
You couldn’t imagine how sad I felt, when I read that Mei Sheng would be out of exibition during my stay in San Diego!!!
I could meet Gao Gao and Bai Yun who have just mated and my baby boy was at the classroom area.
My husband found him sleeping at the top of the tree and so we waited him to come down.
So, I could see or spy him through the hole I found in the wood wall!!!
Although, he has just weaned from Bay, the handsome bear was calm and eating a lot of boo.
I swear, he found and looked at my eye once!!!
In fact, I spent 3 days at the Panda Station spying the hole or catching a glimpse from Sky Fare!!!
In 2006, I met the rambunctious Tai Shan. He was an energetic 14 months old boy, playing with Mei, running around… Fanny and cute!! He is a kooky bear!
I have been watching Tai and Su Li since they were a tiny cub and I don’t know how much time I spent watching boths growing up by cams!
Next October, I’m going to Japan and obviously, I want to visit the Adventure Park where 7 giant pandar are living
( 2 sets of twins).
Am I a Pandaholic?
April 12th, 2009 at 6:50 am
*sigh* – my Gao. Let the panda porn begin! LOL Gao is the poster panda on how to get the job done. And here’s hoping those of us in the East have a cubbie via the Washington power couple soon!
April 13th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Elisa, #79, you are, in deed, a pandaholic!
Has anyone experience cam #1 on NZ not being available? Cam #2 is fine; is it my system or theirs?
How does LC Nessie get those videos? Does he/she work there? It seems there are new ones almost everyday or so.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:51 am
P Wong, you are too much! Another great conversation to add to that long list of conversations for that possible book that we all hope you will be writing soon! You are just too good! And, yes, it’s been awhile since your last one! Keep them coming, ok? We all love to read them.
Been on the pandacams over the weekend and the AZ cam today. Caught the Xman climbing up the log structure. NZ’s pandas are walking around and eating their boo. SDZ had the cam on Gao’s area today, but didn’t see Gao. Over the weekend, it was the ZZ show! Got on the MZ pandacam, and it was set to the outdoor cam. Saw one of the pandas napping outside, but couldn’t tell if it was Le Le or Ya Ya. It was a rough week for the MZ panda keepers after learning that Ya Ya had another miscarriage last week. We all sure were hoping for 3 panda babies this year, so now it’s down to Mei Xiang and Bai Yun. The NZ panda keepers did do an ultrasound on Mei, but didn’t see anything remarkable yet. They still have several weeks to wait and to monitor her for behavior and hormone changes. Still watching the SDZ cams for the Bai and Gao get together.
There’s been a baby boom going on at some zoos around the country. Not only did WAP have a baby African elephant born nearly a month ago, but Columbus Zoo had a brand new baby Asian elephant that was born in late March. The NZ zoo has new babies: Baby gorilla, baby dama gazelle, 2 baby Przewalski’s horses, baby anteater, baby sengi, 2 baby clouded leapords (born at CRC in Front Royal, Va.), and waiting for more to come. The flamingos are starting their breeding season. There’s one other zoo here in the US that had a baby ring tailed lemur born just recently. So, spring has sprung, love is in the air for the animals, and we’re looking forward to more new babies in the weeks and months to come, especially the 2 momma pandas–Bai and Mei! Oh yeah, we’re also waiting on whether female polar bear Chinook is pregnant or not! Fun time!!
Well, gonna go and get some things done. Will write back in later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 13th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Thanks once again to the cam operators for keeping the camera on amazing Bai as she traversed her exhibit on several occasions on Friday and over the weekend. Bai is like a stunning black-and-white furry force of nature when she starts restlessly pacing, scent marking and wading through her pond. On Friday, she grabbed a long piece of bamboo in her mouth on the way by the pile, dragged it into or closeby her pond, and kept on going shortly before she came to rest on top of her rock. I love seeing Bai, mother bear extraordinaire, in action. She is awesome (and almost 18!)!
#77 Panda Supporter…Thanks for the heads up on that video! Harrison Ford is a lucky fellow to get to meet Mei Xiang and witness her ultrasound. I had a feeling from the wording of some of the news posts I read that he, along with Calista and her son, probably got a behind-the-scenes panda tour. Mei Xiang was fabulous…I heard Brenda mention that there were a lot of people there and yet Mei still did exactly what she’s trained to do. What a wonderful bear! I love how sweet and reassuring Brenda is while interacting with Mei, making sure she was as comfortable as possible (no one stands above/behind Mei’s head when she’s reclined in the cage!). Great video!
I adore all of the pandas, each for different reasons, but the “lady” bears who raise cubs and experience pregnancies and pseudopregnancies hold a special place in my heart. The “boys” definitely do their part, but Bai Yun, Mei Xiang, Ya Ya and Lun Lun are extraordinary. What beautiful bears they all are, inside and out!
#79 Elisa…You are definitely a pandaholic! Hope you’ve gotten to see Tai on the cams lately — he’s still kooky!
April 13th, 2009 at 9:18 am
#79, Elisa, you are the ultimate “hooked” pandaholic. You are also very blessed to have seen in person “our” pandas when they were cubs. Thanks for sharing your visits with all of them with us. It sounds so real, I feel like I was there with you. I too live far away and can’t get to visit the SDZ pandas. I did get to see Mei Lan about two weeks before her first birthday. She and Lun were having a great play session, and I got some great short videos which I need to upload to YouTube. I also have seen Tai Shan in DC several times, although he was sleeping in cute poses on all of those visits. We did get to see Mei Xiang and Tian Tian wrestling on a visit in 2007 after Tai Shan was weaned and I got some great videos of that too. I also need to upload them to YouTube. Unfortunately I don’t know how, even though I am a computer professional. I know everyone would enjoy the videos, even though they were taken by an amatuer (sp?) videographer.
Seen lots of Gao chowing down over the past few days. He is very focused on his boo and getting his body bulked up for Bai. Let’s hope it does the trick.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Elisa #79: Yes! I certainly do think you qualify as a pandaholic! How I envy your experience of seeing all these wonderful bears in person. I had a chance to go to San Diego last year with my daughter , but because of my very deep aversion to flying, I didn’t go. How many times have I kicked myself because of this. I now have an opportunity to go to NZ in DC next year and if I have to go tranquilized, I am going. I so hope Tai Shan will be allowed to stay in the states longer and I can see him in person.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Japan and get to spend a lot of time with the pandas. I have been watching the panda cam at the Chengdu Panda Base in China, and they certainly do things differently there. All the little guys are together. I know this is because they take the babies away from their mothers so much sooner than the zoos in the United States. I think our way is better, although I sometimes wonder if little Xi-lan is going to make it. Lun Lun drags him around like a sack of potatoes. This morning she pushed him off the hammock. He keeps coming back for more LOL.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Check out the polar bear cam. It is 9:24 AM PDT, and all three bears are either in the pool or on the edge watching. They are having a blast. Two are doing cannonball dives onto each other in the pool from the rock by the viewing window, and one is the “liveguard” patroling the rock ledge and reaching over to get a close look. I predict it won’t be long before all three are frolicing in the water together. Every time I see this type of active play I am so thankful that Chinook had the opportunity to become a part of Kalluk and Tatqiq’s lives. It has been a wonderful enrichment for all of them. They seem so happy together and make a great “family” group.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Today is a special annual Celebration of the African American Family at the NZP. THe pandas are doing their share to entertain the huge crowd of visitors. Tia Shan is napping spread eagle on his back right next to the viewing window, and Mei or Tian are asleep on the patio near the building which is easily seen from overhead viewing area. It is great weather for a visit to the zoo, so I am excited that so many people are taking advantage of spring break all over the US to visit our zoos and the animals that live there. Spring is a great time for children to learn about young animals as so many new babies are born and animals that were less active in winter are becoming more active as the temperatures and sunlight rise.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Viola #85
I’m very happy to hear you say you will get to DC however you have to.
I live in Ontario, Canada and am driving to Atlanta this coming Saturday to see my pandas. I have wanted to do this since Mei Lan was born but always chickened out. I’m not a seasoned traveller!!
I told myself that I was going to go to Atlanta when Lun Lun’s second pregnancy was confirmed.
So, I’m going, and can hardly wait to see the four Atlanta pandas that I have watched for so long.
Perhaps this is the first visit of many across the U.S. to see all the pandas that I watch daily. Who knows, perhaps a trip to China?!
April 13th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Joan #88
I am glad you are taking the trip to Atlanta, and proud of you for not chickening out this time! I hope I can say the same about my trip to DC.
I hope you have a great experience and a safe trip with wonderful weather!
Enjoy those special bears for all us pandaholics!
April 13th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Viola #85, I really hope you can overcome your fear of flying and get to the SDZ. It’s amazing. It’s so amazing that every time I think of the fantastic time I had there (and I think about it a lot), I find myself in tears wishing I was there. I still feel that way 9 months after I visited, so it must be serious! Either that, or I’m soft in the head.
Elisa #79, have a great time when you go to Japan. Get lots of pictures of the pandas and let us know how they are doing.
I watched Yang Yang and the Weeble the other day. I see what you all mean by him being goofy! What a great bear, and what about those somersaults!
April 13th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Linda A. #81: nzp’s cam 1 is slow when there is heavy viewing traffic. If you keep clicking on the ‘play’ button, it will eventually come on. I am glad there are so many Tai lovers out there. He has been a comedian since he was born, giving Mei Xiang fits from time to time. And he is the consummate climber, at times giving the keepers fits, by staying in the tops of trees when it is past time to go inside. Spring is his fave funtime season, when the mornings are still cool, and the grass is soft enough to have fun rolling in it Have you seen him stopping to smell the wild flowers? Reminds me of Ferdinand the Bull!
He even nibbles on some of them. But the snow is his fave to frolic in, no holds barred style. He is just so enjoyable to watch playing. Mei and Tian were great to frolic in their younger, innocent days, bts (before Tai Shan!!), but I’ve only seen them playing together on the youtube vids.
Viola #66: Welcome to the wonderful world of Panda, from coast to coast! They all are alike, yet they are all so very different. Something different to love about every one of them.
P Wong: welcome back! We have missed you. As always your Gao/Mr. Tourist conversations are right on. Your current is one of the funniest, and so appropriate for today. Thank you for making us all smile.
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter.
April 13th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Hi Linda, Margaret and Viola,
We have a lot feelings in commom, don’t we?
I love this blog and it will be amazing if one day, we will have a great opportunity to meet all of us, pandaholics in person.