The New Normal?
Posted at 3:44 pm April 27, 2009 by Ellie Rosenbaum
Bai Yun
Bai may remain in “her” exhibit until and unless she shows signs of pregnancy. Like Su Lin, estrus is soooo over, so they are both back to the normal eat-and-sleep thing. It’s the calm before the storm; long-time panda fans will recall how busy things can get as we move Bai Yun into seclusion, await a birth, and begin to move animals around. It can be many weeks or even months before Bai Yun shows any signs of pregnancy, pseudo or real, but be assured that she’ll be carefully monitored.
The final phase of chiller installation is underway, so it shouldn’t be long now. What noise there is back there is diminished by the increase in traffic up and down Panda Canyon as final touches are put on our newest exhibit, Elephant Odyssey. It’s located up above the back of the panda area, so lots of trucks are moving through the canyon to get there. As you would expect, Bai is pretty much oblivious to disruption; Su Lin is reacting a little, but still managed to get her “beauty sleep” this morning. It’s only for a few more weeks, and we’re all anxious to meet and greet the new residents as they are moved in up there and see the finished product. Can the pandas hear their new Asian elephant neighbors? It’s an interesting question: with their acute hearing, they probably can, but will soon come to accept those sounds, like those of their other neighbors, as part of their normal auditory environment.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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April 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I tried to remember, and then tried to find… failing both times. Can someone refresh my memory as to the renegotiated Panda agreement from the end of 2008 – what does it mean it terms of when Su Lin will be returning to China? I’m thinking, since she’s had an estrus, she’ll probably be heading out late 2009 to give her a chance to acclimate before breeding season in the early spring of 2010! Wow! Amazing to think that our ‘little’ girl is so rapidly approaching that point! I’ll just chose to look forward to hearing about HER first set of twins (or singleton) joining Hua Mei’s babies and (hopefully) Mei Sheng’s offspring! That should keep the tears at bay….. for a bit.
From Public Relations: The extended cooperative agreement spans five years, allowing the adult giant pandas (Bai Yun and Gao Gao) to stay in San Diego. Young pandas born in San Diego will remain at the Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station until they are four years old. An important aspect of this new loan agreement is the dedication of most of the annual $500,000 fee to the rebuilding of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
April 27th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
By the way, thanks for another great Bai picture – boy does she look relaxed and happy (dare I say, satisfied?)!
April 27th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Ellie, thanks for another great update. Moderator thanks for republishing the agreement terms for us to recall. Since Su Lin will be 4 years old in August, her trip to China late in 2009 or early in 2010 is still a possibility. I wish I could get there to see her before she leaves, but will have to get a job first. I had hoped to get ot see Mei Sheng before left, but that didn’t work out either. Maybe I will be blessed with a fantastic job with sufficient salary to allow me to travel to China and see Hua Mei, Mei Sheng and Su Lin. What a dream come true that would be.
I enjoy watching the reposing pandas. Su Lin looks quite at home in the top of the tree house. One wouldn’t know that she has just returned there after several months of being in “the back.” It is obvious that it is a familiar and comfortable place to her and she just fits right back in as it is “home.”
April 27th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Can the keepers tell any sign of recognition of familiarity of “Bai’s” yard by her offspring when they go out there for the first time as an independent adolescent panda after months of being in the classroom area? Su Lin has been there many times in the past two years so it is more familiar to her to be in the tree house yard. But, ZZ was only in that area for the two-three weeks of her weaning. I am curious to see how she reacts when she is released into the area she “grew up in” when Bai is rotated to the back.
April 27th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Thank you for the updated info on the Panda agreement. That does coincide with my thoughts then. Su Lin will be 4 in August (sniff, sniff), and that would work with timing for her to go to China in the fall/winter and have time to acclimate before….
April 27th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Ellie, Can Su Lin see her Mother from her exhibit? Are they next door to each other? I am just curious, and wonder if they would still know each other, especially if they called out, would they recognise the sound. I know ZZ is going in there next, so again, it will be interesting to see if there is any reaction.
April 27th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
So, Su Lin had her very first period! I bet that was fun to watch while she was experiencing her first estrus for the first time in her life! Su will have many more of those in her life, and hopefully she will have the success her mom has had in giving birth to baby panda cubs whether it’s here in the states or over in China.
I’m glad that the fee is going towards the rebuilding of the Wolong Panda Center. That money will really help with the buying of building materials, equipement, food, bamboo, and other supplies that they will need for the new place. That fee along with PI’s various sales campaigns to raise money for Wolong, the Chinese should have that new center ready for pandas by the time October, 2009 comes around, which is their goal for opening.
Good thing that the boo cooler is almost done! With Elephant Odyssey almost finished, I know that all of you will be very glad that all of that construction noise will be out of there very soon! The sound of elephants and animals will be alot more pleasant to listen to after everything is done!
That’s it from me! Going to bed, now!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
April 27th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Su Lin has had an estrus?! Time flies.
April 28th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Who would Su Lin mate with?
April 28th, 2009 at 4:24 am
I am also amazed at how fast time flies… It seems like just yesterday I was there watching Su as a cub, way high in the trees, delighting the crowds. The other day as I was cleaning stuff out, I ran across some pics of her at about one year old. You could “bearly” see her walking up in the trees. She was so small and adorable! I remember the tears and boxes of Kleenex as I watched her be weaned.
Now we are talking about estrus and she is a beautiful adult! Ready to go into the panda world on her next adventure… more tears, pass the Kleenex!! But, they are not all sad tears. It’s a feeling of being proud that she has grown up to be such a phenomenal giant panda. They can’t stay cubs forever, and that is good… it’s progress, it’s growth, it’s destiny.
OK, pep talk over. Thanks for the update and keeping us connected!
Love, Joy
April 28th, 2009 at 5:19 am
All panda fans should also click on Atlanta Zoo Panda cam. It is back on now, and Xi Lan was hilarious yesterday. He and Lun Lun were playing with a large toy car…Xi would climb inside and Lun would squeeze in, pull him out and chase and wrestle with him everywhere! This happened around noon EST.
April 28th, 2009 at 7:39 am
I love the updates. Thank you for keeping us informed. The pandas are (OBVIOUSLY) so important to us.
From the last post, I remember the fall that Tai took as a cub. I watched the video of it this morning (thank you to whomever it was it mentioned it); it made me cringe all over again. The cubs do seem to be made of rubber.
April 28th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Morning….i just can’t let thoughts of ZZ go, darn! Well, she is my 1st baby, after all. Will she ever get a room mate? Or, at least see another panda? I am fearful, she is much more sociable than the others, she wants panda stimulation! Please?
April 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Conversation with Su Lin #8
Tourist: Hello, Su Lin.
Su Lin: Hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: So here you are back in familiar surroundings.
S: Yup, I really like the smells.
T: Oh, that’s right.
S: I get to meet Mama again this way.
T: And did she say anything?
S: She said her hormones got to her.
T: Oh, yeah…
S: And that got to me, too.
T: Yeah, you were into your dances, too.
S: Yeah, my favorite polynesian dances.
T: To scatter your scents, I see…
S: No, you don’t see, you smell…
T: Oops. Pardon me, you’re right.
S: But I guess your sense of smell is somewhat limited…
T: Uh huh.
S: Now don’t you wish you were a San Diego Zoo panda?
T: Huh?
S: It’s the best life anyone can have, thanks to all our supporters!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Thank you for the latest update. Another panda beauty comes of age.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I haven’t gotten to see Su a lot on panda cam (bad timing on my part over the past year or so) but as she’s eating today, I can see glimmers of proud papa Gao Gao in her as she makes scrunchy bamboo faces.
Does Su Lin have favorite scents and favorite treats? Is she a sweet potato girl?
April 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I see Su Lin has decided to fill in for Gao Gao as the official greeter today, and Miss ZZ has spent lots of time exploring her classroom space. I don’t know if she ever played with the ball hanging from the branch, but she certainly circled it a lot.
I definitely agree with Su (as reported by P Wong)–in my next life, I want to be a panda at the San Diego Zoo!
April 28th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Oh Su Lin…they grow up so fast.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Thanks, P. Wong, you’ve done it again. Great conversation with Su Lin.
Thanks, Meerkats for the closeup of ZZ in the classroom area this afternoon. She is very much awake and exploring an enrichment item. She is a beautiful panda just like SL and Bai Yun. Unfortunately I did not get to see Hua Mei, but from what I have read she is a beautiful female panda too. Bai produces very good looking offspring.
April 28th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Update from Wolong Panda Club website: the last 6 pandas from Wolong were transferred to Bifengxia. All were born in 2007 and were kept in temporary shelters near Wolong after the earthquake due to their young age & lack of facilities elsewhere. Each had a keeper assigned to them and their weights increased from 45lbs to 130-154lbs over the last year. Now that they are more robust, they have been transferred to new enclosures built at Bifengxia since the earthquake.
April 28th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Kat W #13 I’ve felt exactly the same way about ZZ. She was my first baby too. I have yet to see her really playing the way she used to, but I’m getting the impression that she’s settling down. I’m sure she’ll continue to adjust and start having as much fun by herself as Su Lin does. No doubt she will meet Su Lin at the howdy gate, maybe even soon, but that doesn’t allow them to wrestle and play together.
However, Su Lin is nearly twice the size of ZZ, so that might be dangerous. Also, if Su Lin goes back to China later this year or early next year, that’s even worse for ZZ. She’d have to go through yet another separation.
While it’s been my completely unrealistic fantasy that we might somehow get to keep ZZ–I’d so like to see her raise her own cubs–nevertheless, she might be happier in China eventually. In China she would be with bears her own age. For example, the last word we had of Mei Sheng in China, he was having a ball in his big new enclosure with all the tall trees.
And the whole goal of this program, after all, is to make more pandas and save the species. Our cubs have extremely important genetic material. We have to trust that they’ll be happy there.
(Although I know I’ll cry for weeks when we say goodbye to our spunky little ZZ. She is just exceptional. Well, we’ve got more than two years before that happens.)
But at least we get to keep Bai and Gao! And no doubt in the future, we’ll have more bears here to love.
April 29th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Thanks for the Update!!! Gosh! I went to Kansas City for 6 days and missed all the Panda excitement!
Titled Go Baby Go and posted on 4/28. It’s hilarious! Enjoy!!!
For all: LCNessie was at the Atlanta Zoo on Monday and has posted a video of Xi Lan playing with the yellow car
April 29th, 2009 at 8:17 am
#14 P Wong thanks for the cute conversations. It’s hard to believe Miss Su Lin is now an adult panda for sure she is a beautiful one. I was watching Lun Lun this morning doing her walking to help lose those last few pounds of baby weight. LOL I know we all hope that Bai and Mei are putting on baby weight to add to the panda population.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:20 am
lcnessie15 has posted a 9+minute video of the X-Man and Mommy Monster with the “new wheels” on youtube. Total cuteness.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Fonsia #21–I totally agree with you. ZZ is my first cub too. Maybe we could keep her and start a new family…
Today’s award for Pandas in Funny Positions goes to Bai Yun sprawled on her rock.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hi Fonsia…thanks for the ZZ support! You are more logical than I am, nonetheless, your words help. I have a son, i don’t know why I am so emotional over her! I sat at my computer and chronicled her life with snapshots, since she was a few inches as a wee thing. Oh well. You are right, she is here for bigger things. Maybe I shouldn’t watch anymore, I feel for the animals too much. But it was an amazing experience. AMAZING.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:17 am
chucklieboy001 has also posted quite a few videos about Xi Lan on YouTube, several with the yellow car. My favorite “Xi Lan Yellow Car Adventures Zoo Atlanta Part 2” is the longest and funniest. It confirmed my opinion that it might be a bad idea to learn to drive with your mother around but so much fun…
April 29th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I hope that Su Lin does not go to China. I think she has the sweetest personality and the thought of her going to China really upsets me. I wished you all would quit talking about her going to China.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
It’s 3:00 San Diego time, and ZZ is sitting there eating. But I can’t figure out what she’s sitting on?
April 29th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Kat W #26, Oh please don’t stop watching! Trust me, I’m just as agonized over ZZ as you are. I want her to play and romp!
She will, though. I imagine that once she’s put out on one of the front exhibits she’ll perk up. She always liked to play to an audience.
Maybe somebody can answer this: I know ZZ is precocious, but she was SO far ahead of Xi Lan at this stage of her development (and earlier), that I’m just scratching my head. At five months, she seemed to be right about where XI Lan seems to be now, at eight months. That’s a huge discrepancy. We know ZZ was ahead; could Xi Lan be a bit behind–or is that just the way with male vs. female cubs?
He’s sure fun to watch though!
April 29th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Watching Zhen Zhen eating her bamboo this afternoon — I noted, in addition to how adorable she is, that she’s a 2 fisted eater like her daddy. I’m sure all of the bears do — but she especially resembled him this afternoon — all round and cute with both fists full of bamboo. She is getting bigger — but she still has that cute “cubbieness”.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I can’t wait until next week when Zhen will take her first turn as the SDZ panda greeter. It will be fun to watch her on her own in the main viewing area.
#30 Fonsia…I wonder if Xi Lan’s precarious first few weeks has anything to do with any of the differences you notice? He might be playing catch up. For a while, I know his weight lagged comparatively behind Mei Lan’s but he started closing the gap after about 4 months. (I think it was 4 months but I might be off by a bit.) He’s such a sweetheart, isn’t he? Yesterday he was running a few laps around the hammock structure while Lun mostly stayed under the hammock, swatting at him as he ran by. His little legs were moving so fast. Lun eventually started running around after him. It was so sweet that I was crying while I was laughing at how funny they were. I don’t know why I am so fond of all of the pandas but they definitely have wrapped their furry paws around my heart and won’t let go. I am a willing captive to their panda wiles.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
To: Kat #26, Judy in Texas #26, Frances in NY #25 and all the rest of us who are Mothers, Grammas, Aunts, Friends of the ‘family: Remember, or look forward to the moments you will experience when your own children go off to that first day of school, and then when they go/went off to that ‘interesting-period’ when they reached junior high, when they go/went to that challenging (hmmmm) period when they approached high school, and then!!! that miracle of miracle….the time they go/went to college!!!! Blessings are: They do grow up and they do have a ‘mission-in-life’ and as mothers, grammas, friends, we have contributed to the success 9f the mission
Stay with our beautiful Pandas…and all other animals…human ones included… 
Bless the laughter, tears, and the utter incomprehensiblity( otherwise expressed as “You want, did, WHAT???) of raising a child 
furrry or not 
All parents are here for a reason and always learning 
April 29th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
omg – LCNessie’s video of Lun, XiLan & the yellow car brought back memories of Lun & Lani (the car was Lani’s 1st BD present that “Mommy Monster” hogged then and I see she is still doing it):)
April 29th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
#30 -Fonsia -I’ve found that comparing panda cub developement does not work. Yes, some cubs did some things earlier than others but then others came out of nowhere
Tai was the first cub I watched (almost 24 hours a day) & then along came SuLin – so we all started to compare – which cub weighed the most on a given week which cub crawled & then walked first, which cub eyes opened first, which cub climbed a tree & which cub has a mommy that will allow her cubbie some freedom – much depends on Mommy – as a 4 time mom Bai is more relaxed while MeiXiang & Lun were still learning how to be a panda mom
April 30th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I just saw the latest ZA update. They also describe Xi Lan running around the structure and found it hilarious. Hopefully someone will post it on youtube so anyone that missed it can see it.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:41 am
#30 Fonsia…I forgot to ask in my other post: How is Xi Lan so far behind where ZZ was at 8 months? I was just starting to watch panda cams sporadically when ZZ was 8 months old so I don’t really know what the differences are.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:10 am
Margaret…I think I found the answer to our question from last week re: whether a female panda has a pseudopregnancy after estrus even if she is not mated or inseminated. I read that a female who ovulates but does not conceive for whatever reason experiences a pseudopregnancy. What started out as a far-out question in my brain wasn’t so far-out after all, I guess. I’m still glad I wasn’t the only one who was wondering though.
April 30th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Nessie’s video of Xi Lan and his little yellow car was priceless! Look for it on youtube. Hilarious and 100% cuteness!
April 30th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Hi Everybody! Since there are NO pandas going back to China right now I vote that we don’t keep talking about it. I’m not immune to this at all it’s just that I come to this site to feel good and I personally am going through something similar. I’m a single mother and my only child, Holly, is moving out at the end of May. She’s ready to take on the world but of course it still hurts terribly. She will only be 20 minutes away but…… The cat and I will be fine. so please, pleasant thoughts now.
Thanks, Lee
April 30th, 2009 at 10:02 am
BTW…right now Mei Xiang is messing with her nest again.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Bobbie #33, thank you for those lovely words.
Xi Lan and the yellow car is absolutely hilarious. I shall go and look for the other version now.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:44 am
#41 JudyK…Mei was licking her paw quite a bit earlier in the day, too. Everytime I hear her grunting, I start to wonder “Could the time be nearing?” but I think it’s wishful thinking on my part. She is very restless right now though and looks like she is trying to “adjust” the metal bars in her den. I’d like to think she’s redecorating for a new arrival.
April 30th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
#43 Melissa – I think you’re right.
I was lucky enough to watch Xi Lan’s birth last September and remember what Lun Lun sounded like, so everytime I hear Mei Xiang grunt I can’t help but think – “Is this it”? :p
April 30th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
SDZ – Thank you for the close ups of pretty girl ZZ this afternoon.
#43 Melissa, Mei has not acted like herself at all today. If she is not sound asleep, she is restless! I wish NZ would update. This is so frustrating NZ not updating the Pregnancy Watch updates sine mid-march and there has not been a panda update since the 22nd. And so we wait with them…..hopefully, we will know something soon one way or another
April 30th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
#30 Fonsia I don’t understand why you think Xi Lan is farther behind in his development, he is a year younger than Zhen Zhen. I have watch 4 panda cubs grow and all have different personalities but Xi Lan is doing great from his age he has no fears and is much more out going than is sister was at his age.
Zhen has always been very independent and so is Xi Lan.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Melissa #37 It just seems that The X-Man at eight months is about where ZZ was at five months, when she was all over the trees! At eight months she also looked a lot larger. Of course, there’s a different environment in Atlanta with far fewer climbing opportunities, so that might account for it, and Bai is so much more experienced at the “mom” stuff. but Maureen #35 said she’s learned that you just can’t compare panda cubs. (Thanks, Maureen–you folks have been at this longer than I have!)
Still, if the little guy takes a bit longer to grow up, that’s fine with me! They grow up far too fast as it is.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Beautiful ZZ is resting on the water fountain! Precious
April 30th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Look at precious Zhen leaning against her water drinker! She looks like she’s been given a time out. The little one didn’t get into trouble, did she?
Too sweet.
#44 JudyK…I keep telling myself it can’t quite be time for Mei Xiang to give birth because they haven’t started the 24-hour birth watch yet. Then I start to worry that Mei is going to be unpredictable and do things off the charts and give birth when no one is around. Irrational thoughts, yes?
These panda beauties can prove to be quite unpredictable when it comes to estrus and pregnancy though. They keep everyone on their toes. I know everyone at NZ is on top of things so I just have to be patient. It’s fun to watch Mei get all of her special treats since she doesn’t feel like eating much bamboo. Since it’s relatively quiet on her end of the building, I can hear the soft “thwack” with each bite she delicately takes from a carrot, etc.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Elizabeth: NZ has updated the pregnancy watch on the main page instead of under the link. They updated it on the 22nd and also the week before, both ultra sounds showed nothing. I’m sure they are probably busy and that they do take the time to update the blog weekly is something I appreciate.
As for Xi Lan, he is not behind in development nor was his weight under Mei Lan’s. If you look at the comparison chart, they compared his weight at different stages not at the same age. Example: at 20 weeks for one and 25 for another. He is doing just fine. Male pandas are different and do tend to be more dependant on their mothers. Given that they spend a solitary life in comparison to mothers than have cubs for company, perhaps they overcompensate for that fact. Lun is also a very protective mother and comparing ZZ to him is unfair. ZZ has a much different environment – you can see that just on the cams. ZZ has many trees to climb and a more natural setting in comparison to Xi.
Seriously I do appreciate we are allowed to post what we want here but I don’t like to see criticisms of the other zoo’s. Each zoo has different ways of doing things and alot of that is dependant on how much funding is available to them – I think they are all A-1 and they deserve our respect and admiration.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Ah, Lee #40, I’m sorry you’re having separation anxiety. That can’t be easy. But imagine if you had lived with your mom until now. Just kidding but you get my drift. You’re right, we should all have pleasant thoughts right now; no pandas “scheduled” to go anywhere; maybe a cubbie on the way, lots of silliness from our teen pandas, a couple of wonderful, sweet, daring cubs, and beautiful adults (one who looks like Shrek). And we have our cats!
April 30th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
#50 kathy…Xi Lan’s weight was slightly under Mei Lan’s for the first few months. I only mentioned it in my post because I couldn’t figure out any noticeable differences between the cubs. When ZA was doing updates daily and still had all or most of Mei Lan’s cub updates on the site, I would compare them because I wanted to reassure myself that Xi was doing fine after having a difficult time at the beginning. He eventually caught up to Mei Lan’s numbers though. Xi Lan at 8 months weighs 33 pounds. ZZ at 8.5 months weighed 31, so no differences there. I think you’re right that the cubs have different opportunities to grow based on what trees they have to climb, etc. and the moms also have different ways of doing things. Maybe Lun discourages climbing more so Xi doesn’t climb as high yet, etc. Plus all cubs are different, just like people. I wasn’t criticizing so I hope it didn’t come across that way.
April 30th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
#50 Kathy – I was not criticizing as well and I am sorry you interpret that from my post. I understand NZ is doing the best they can for Mei and providing her a safe environment to rest and possibly have a cub. I appreciate all that NZ does as well and I am also a NZ panda conservation donator. I just hope for an update that is all.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
#50 Kathy: I wasn’t criticizing either, as Melissa #52 says (and I can’t see how anyone could find our comments critical). I just noticed a difference, asked why, and received a good answer.
Both cubs are different; both are precious and wonderful.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Wouldn’t you just know it! I’ll be at NZ in a week, and they’ve closed Panda House! I wanted to see Mei in her cozy little nest. Guess I’ll have to get there early mornings to see Tai and Tian. At about 99 days, maybe Mei will have the baby between now and next Friday, and we can see her on panda cam. I am so going to relish watching my Tai Shan, as he may soon be at the other side of the world.
Bobbie Wood – 33- and Maureen – 35 – You are both wise ladies. Logic rules your thinking, right? And I agree that watching these black and white beauties grow up and leave ‘home’, is hard, especially for us moms and grannies, who have either been through it all, or will soon experience it. Such is life! We all must enjoy what we have while we have it, as it may leave us before we are ready. Of course, I’m speaking of our wonderful pandas, but it also applies to all of our lives. Man, how did I get so deep in thought??
Thank you SDZ for the wonderful job you do and have done with these wonderfully beautiful creatures.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Someone mentioned how cute ZZ was eating her bamboo with both “fists.” I finally got a good view of Mei Lan yesterday afternoon. It was funny to see her move herself into the corner behind a pile of bamboo. At first I couldn’t see her at all, it reminded me of when she and ZL were still in the back dens with Lun and they would get hidden under piles of bamboo. I was concerned for Mei Lan then because she was still learning to walk steadily and she had this huge maze of bamboo to go through to reach her milk machine.
She looks so much bigger than the last time I saw her, but still much smaller than her parents who are both very large pandas. She is a beautiful young lady and very calm yesterday. She seems to take after her dad in her craziness.
I love to watch the pandas at different stages in their development and see the varying levels of independence in each one and how quickly they learn to be independent. I recall someone writing a couple of years ago about the stronger attachment that seems to be present between male cubs and their mothers, or more specifically the dependence of male cubs on their mothers. Perhaps what someone wrote earlier today that males live a totally solitary life, except for breeding season, where as females share much of their lives with cubs, is the difference. Or maybe males need longer time to learn lessons from their mothers to make them stronger and more independent when they finally are totally on their own. Mei Sheng even at the age of 4 when he left for China still depended on the attention of his keepers (surrogate mothers). I haven’t read much about Tai Shan’s dependence on attention from his keepers, but he still goes to the viewing areas in his yards and watches and communicates with both his mother and his father. He seems to like to know that other pandas are closeby.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Maybe zoo visitors can advise us about the panda exhibits – from what I can tell from the panda cams the NZ (& their multi-million $$ Fugi exhibit) seems to have the best panda areas – there seem to be many trees ready for climbing along with many dead limbs that are great for playing on & Tai’s favorite grate to sleep on.
ZA has their “day rooms” but from what we can see on their panda cam – the outdoor exhibit has a small climbing structure, a moat that XiLan seems to enjoy – if there are any “tall panda trees ” to climb I haven’t seen them.
We were fortunate to see SuLin high in her tree when she was a baby – but the rest of the panda’s area seemed small to us (unless there were areas we didn’t see)
April 30th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Mother’s Day is coming up, and if you’re looking for a gift for your mom, check out the May Animal Care Wish List! They’ve spruced up the site, adding pictures and new features. There are lots of items available, including 7 items under $10. Shop early for the best selection! Over the years, I’ve also treated my mom to a VIP tour of the Zoo, a VIP tour of the Wild Animal Park, a Photo Caravan Safari, and a tour of the Veterinary Medical Center. The tours are a nice way to spend time with your mom, and if she’s getting up in years, they’re great because they don’t involve a lot of walking. And if anyone asks you what you’d like for Mother’s Day, how about a membership to the Zoological Society of San Diego, or Adopting a Zoo Animal, or Adopting a Zoo Baby? All these things…and more…can be found on the Zoo or WAP websites. Happy Mother’s Day!
Moderator’s note: Great ideas, Lizzie! Here are the links:
May Animal Care Wish List: https://secure3.convio.net/sdzoo/site/Ecommerce?store_id=1221
VIP tours: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/calendar/vip_special_tours.html
Photo Caravan Safari: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/calendar/wap_photo_caravan.html
Veterinary Medical Center: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/calendar/wap_vet_center_tour.html
And for more ideas, including Mother’s Day brunches at both facilities: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/calendar/calendar_highlights.html
May 1st, 2009 at 5:09 am
To clarify, I wasn’t comparing Xi’s weight with Mei Lan’s by the charts that are posted which compare them at different ages. I compared their weights by comparing the updates when they were the same number of days old. When I was making the comparisons, Mei Lan’s daily updates were still on the site. For example:
Mei Lan’s weight at 19 days: 671.6 grams
Xi Lan’s weight at 19 days per September 18 update: 544 grams
Mei Lan weighed 25% more than Xi Lan. These differences continued for the first few months and is an understandable difference given Xi Lan’s difficulties the first few days of his life, as I previously mentioned.
We have to be careful when we “correct” people here, maybe make sure that the person is actually factually wrong before something is said.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:14 am
Ever since Xi Lan was born I have kept track of his weight in an Excel file and have compared it to Mei Lan weight at the same age, they were born 7 calendar days apart so from the dates it is not hard, 6-Sep-06 and 30-Aug-08. And it is true that Xi Lan was behind in weight, but for the last two weights that I found for Mei Lan, 16-Feb-07, when she was 164 days old and weight 9,534g and 20-Apr-07, when she was 226 days old and weight 14,300g, those weights are exactly on the curve for Xi Lan, from the curves, he probably caught up with his sister between day 100 and day 150. What I noticed from his last weight, 29-Apr-09 at day 242 when his weight was 15,200g, it was the first time for a long time that he had a plateau, his previous weight on 20-Apr-09 at 233 days was 15,000g. But it could be due to trying to weight a very wiggling cub. I will see when his next weight is posted.
The updates for Mei Lan are still on the AZ website, at the bottom of the “Panda cub updates” you can find “Best of Mei Lan”
Mei Lan, year 1
(September 06-September 07)
Mei Lan, year 2
(September 07-September 08)
Unfortunately there are not many records of Mei Lan’s weight, I found one weight in the legend of a picture.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:18 am
Lots of goodies for birds on the May Wish List. I couldn’t resist the parrots and bought them some swings, coconut halves and kabobs (?) – same language, but haven’t got a clue! Is it something like fruit on a skewer (kebabs over here)!
I went for the parrots because today my daughter has just completed a two day, 10 hour textiles exam and her final piece (the rest is coursework) is a cushion shaped like the red parrot that lives in the Children’s Nursery, the one with very long tail feathers (one of which we have, but don’t tell anyone). She has shown me a photo of it and it looks magnificent; it’s covered with bugle beads, sequins, feathers and hours worth of machine stitching to make the feathers on the neck and head. This, and her final piece of coursework was based on the birds from the San Diego Zoo. I am so proud of her. In September she’s off to college, although she will travel by tube to London every day – she’s not ready to leave just yet!
Sorry for going off topic, but seeing the parrots on the Wish List, I just had to buy something for them from myself and my daughter. Now, I wonder if I can get her to make a Panda cushion for me….
And talking of Pandas – Su Lin is looking so beautiful today, posing like the superstar that she is. She looks so content and peaceful.
Moderator’s note: Thank you for supporting our feathered friends, Susan!
May 1st, 2009 at 10:49 am
Mei Xiang cracks me up with the positions she lays in while chopping on her boo. LOL!!!
I am appreciative of every single zoo that houses Panda’s and am grateful that we have them here in the states. Thanks to the many zoo staff members who are taking care of our “babies”.,, all of us are adoptive grandma’s ya know!
May 1st, 2009 at 10:50 am
Also, it looks like Su Lin is on C2, she’s been playing all morning.
May 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am
Not sure if this is appropriate on here, but I’ll give this a shot. Just peeked in Mei Xiang over at NZ, and she is demonstrating some behavior which to me looks like a birth might be imminent. Hope this isn’t wishful thinking. She is in her nesting area and is very agitated, tearing at the nesting material, and seems very uncomfortable.
You guys might want to check it out…
May 1st, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Maureen #57 – Although I have been observing our pandas for a shorter time than most of you (I mistakenly thought NZ was the only website, early on), and I am relatively limited in my travels, I have tried to compare online the differences of the four sites that I log on to. I think they are all different, in that some have more limited space than others. Memphis looks tiny, compared to SDZ or NZ; Atlanta looks somwhat larger. And NZ and SDZ are undoubtedly larger than the rest. However, I think SDZ’s yards are more compact, to make room for more pandas, than the yards at NZ, who have always had not more than three bears. So their yards look larger. When I return from NZ, I will give a full report on their facilities, sans the indoor viewing rooms, which are now closed. I can hardly wait to see Tai Shan. (And MX has been behaving really weird today, i.e., contorted sleeping positions, chewing/pulling on the kong toy, throwing shredded boo around… hmmm…..maybe time is getting short?)
I’ve been watching Su Lin for a while. I can see what earlier comments have memtioned about her being restless
and motoring a lot. She wore me out in just a few minutes.
May 1st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
#50 Kathy – RIGHT ON!! Thank you for posting your dislike of criticism of other zoos. I too find those sort of blogs not only distasteful, but extremely unkind. A few updates ago, one blogger (who shall remain nameless, but she knows who she is) took it upon herself to opine that other United States zoos that have the good fortune of housing Giant Pandas “don’t know what they’re doing”. Shame on her!! Each of the zoos mentioned deserves an outright apology. All of our keepers and veterinarians that work with our beloved pandas are to be commended for their constant vigilance and work to provide healthful and enriched care of these wonderful animals. I enjoy daily visits to all four panda sites in the US and am very grateful to SDZ for allowing all of us to comment regarding all pandas. Good luck and love to Bai and Mei X – you go girls!
May 1st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Mei Lan is at it again. This afternoon she is sitting “under” a tent of bamboo in the corner of the day room. When she just moved, the whole pile moved too. She is completely hidden under the pile. It looked really funny to see the whole thing move, and no panda in sight.
I have a question for keepers. Do pandas instinctively know how to strip the culm from the stalks? Or, do cubs learn that from their mothers? I know that they only do this behavior at certain seasons, which appears to be spring. I was just watching Tai Shan and he seems to have mastered it well. I don’t recall seeing him around Mei Xiang when she would be doing it. Since the cubs are only around their mothers in the spring of the year when they are about Xi Lan’s age (7-9 months old) and they are not stripping culm yet, how do they know how to do it? I have been watching ZZ eating on her own for several months and don’t remember ever seeing her strip the culm. So, does she do it, and how/when did she learn?
May 1st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Looking at C2 just now, I could swear I was looking at Gao Gao on the top of the tree house. But the legend says it is Su Lin, and that is who is supposed to be there. I never realized she looked so much like her father. All I can see is the right side of her head and from that vantage she looks very much like Gao. Her fur is the same texture as his which I have observed before to be slightly different than Bai’s. Mei and Tian have slightly different fur when you get up really close to them too. We were blessed to be about 15 feet away from them wrestling in 2007 and we got a really good look at their fur up close. They look so white from the cam but in reality their fur is more of a yellowish beige because of all the debris from soil, twigs, grass, etc that get in the close mat. It is incredibly thick which is why they do so well in the mountains of China, but suffer in the humidity and heat of the East Coast. SD has a dry heat so it is not as much of a challenge for them.
May 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Thanks Meerkats for making the rounds. On my third check in I got to see Miss ZZ up close on top of the climbing structure. She sure is a beauty/cutie. She is calmly resting and posing for the camera. A postcard moment for sure.
May 1st, 2009 at 2:39 pm
hHi there….I saw on another site, just cruising for panda news one day, that there is a zoo in China (?) where people could pay to hold the younger panda’s….that would be a very good way to raise money for the pandas at SDZ! I would pay ALOT to hold ZZ! ….love you, ZZ! (I’m obessed, okay?)
May 1st, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Susan (UK) #61: When we go to the SDZ, we always go to the Children’s Zoo and ‘talk’ to the Red Parrot
The work of art your daughter has created sounds simply Gorgeous!!!!
I have been known to describe my thinking as ’survival’ when it comes to parenting. I believe that one of the reasons I love watching the pandas and other animals is because I learn something new every day 
Margaret #68: Yep it’s Sweet Su on the top of the climbing structure. Southern Calif. is supposed to receive that stuff called ‘rain’ and today, it’s overcast and slightly humid. Perhaps Su Lin is enjoying the weather change
Dianne in Texas #55: Logic???
Have a great weekend, everyone!
May 1st, 2009 at 3:03 pm
For all of you wanting an update on Mei Xiang at NZ….it’s there, hot off the press. Just got it a minute ago in my email. The update gives the latest on Mei, but the most entertaining was Tai Shan’s physical exam today. You have to read it to believe it, and I won’t repeat it because it is “slightly” graphic.
But that’s my boy, always giving us a chuckle, whether he knows it or not. The picture also shows his size, compared to the keepers and vets, as he is lying on “the table”. He’s a big boy!
Have a great weekend, to the SDZ keepers, moderators, vets, and all of you here in print.
May 1st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Hope all of you enjoyed the first day of May. To me here in Florida, this is our first month of summer BEFORE the first day of summer in June! We’re solidly back in the heat and humidity from now until October with the rainy season and hurricane season due to start around the first week of June. YUK!!! A/C for me!!
For all of you that are interested in panda weights, AZ reported Xi Lan’s weight of 33.44 pounds! He also turned 8 MONTHS OLD yesterday, April 30! Can you believe he is that oldand weighs that much?? How time flies! He’s been busy playing in his mom’s boo and even tries to steal a piece of biscuit or fruit from her. He’s been spotted licking a piece of banana, too! He’s growing up, pandafans!
Haven’t been able to check the other pandacams today because I had alot of things to do. Diane in Texas (my home state!), thanks for the heads up about the new update on Mei Xiang. Hope there is a new update on the NZ Pregnancy Watch page, too!
Mother’s Day is a couple of weeks off! Hope all of the zoos have great plans for all of the animal mothers that have had babies this year and in past years. All of the momma pandas will probably have special treats for Mother’s Day! It will be fun to watch them on their special day!
Well, gonna go for now. Will check back in later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
PS: Have you all been taking any precautions due to this H1N1 type A swine flu outbreak? I have read that California has some confirmed cases of this virus in some of the counties there, and I hope that San Diego is not one of them. Hope you all are very careful and diligent with your procedures at SDZ and WAP. Just found out that Florida has 2 confirmed cases of the swine flu with a few suspected cases being tested here. Have a good weekend, everybody!
Moderator’s note: Yes, we have taken precautions.
May 1st, 2009 at 8:51 pm
#72 – Dianne – the photo & news about our Tai was welcome & what is Mei up to – the wait continues.
My, my, so many are getting testy here. Yes, we all love our pandas & am sure each has their own favorite
(I admit Tai is my favorite). I think a lot has to do with the panda cams – we must admit the NZ has the best coverage & while the SDZ also has 24 hour coverage a lot of their cams are too dark & impossible to view.
So have a SUGGESTION – let’s use the week-end to take a deep breath, love our panda favorites, be grateful that we have 4 zoos with panda cams – & what , now Tai & SuLin are panda teenagers & we have Lani & ZZ who are what – preteens(??) And now we have XiLan to watch. Let’s be grateful we have the panda cams – take a deep breath & get over our petty differences.
May 1st, 2009 at 9:35 pm
# 39 Judy K -
I watched the video and enjoyed so much!
Thank you!
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Just wondering–the pandas I’ve watched on cam all often sleep on their backs, arms & legs everywhere, even in the air, defying gravity! I’m wondering if pandas in the wild have been observed sleeping on their backs, as this seems to be an extremely vulnerable position. Any info?
Also, the ZA panda update of April 20 states “Xi Lan’s weight is 15.0 kg. In comparison, Mei Lan weighed 14.3 kg on April 20th, 2007 when she was his age.” Whatever the effects of his rocky start, they seem to all be behind him now! Each panda baby I’ve watched seems to have his/her own unique personality, & it’s so much fun watching them develop!
Thanks as always for a great blog.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:04 am
ellie–do you take the photos that accompany your blogs? they’re really cute. thanks!:)
Moderator’s note: Our panda photos are supplied by the Zoo’s photographer, Ken Bohn.
May 2nd, 2009 at 10:13 am
OK everyone! This is it!! The NZ has announced that they have detected a decline in Mei’s urinary hormones and so have begun doing the 24 hr watch!! I so hope that Mei has a successful pregnancy this year. All the watching and waiting of last year that resulted in no cub was so heartbreaking. Good luck, Mei Xiang! We are all hoping you will give us another beautiful little cub to watch and ooh and ahh over!
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
NZ update -MeiXiang is now under a 24 watch.
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Photo of Tai Shan is a bit deceiving from the angle it was taken. Although he is a big boy and almost full grown, his size in comparison to humans in not as large as it appears. Both of his parents are large bears so he is likely to be as well.
Glad to get the update on Mei Xiang. I have been checking in on her several times a day lately but haven’t caught up with her yet. The boys are sure tuckered out at the end of the day and ready for a long snooze in the AC in their indoor rooms.
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Moderator, any chance you can get an update from someone in a couple of weeks on the two sloth bears that have been sent to Akron Zoo? Keesha (female) from SDZ, and Balawat (male) from NZP. Thanks to your sleuthing we know that Keesha arrived safely. Balawat was left NZP on April 29. Presumably he also arrived safely. I am guessing that they will wait a week or two to begin their direct introductions. That is what I would like to get an update on in the future. I am curious to see how he does with a younger female more his age. The latest update states that he was getting frustrated being with Khali (his buddy but a non-breeding female) since his mother was starting to come into estrus again. It implied that they needed to get him away from the estrus scent of his mother for his own mental health. By matching him up with an AZA selected female he has the opportunity to start a new chapter in his life, and in hers, and hopefully start a family of their own.
Moderator’s note: Staff at the Akron Zoological Park say Keesha is doing very well in her new home in Akron. She has been interacting with the keepers, eating well, and shifting on and off exhibit well.
Keesha has already been a huge hit with our guests and staff. She has been very social at the viewing window with the guests. Keesha has found the spot where she can sniff between the glass and the concrete wall. This was always a very interactive spot between the zoo’s guests and their sun bears, and Keesha has picked up on it.
May 2nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I was just rewatching a video on Youtube called “Mei Sheng returns to his ancestral homeland” by KJpandas. Although it will bring back tears to the eyes of his fans, I recommend it to new cam watchers because there are many scenes of Mei Sheng and Su Lin at the Howdy Gate in the months before he left for China. It is a good idea of what might happen in coming months between Su Lin and Zhen Zhen. Mei Sheng loved to put on a show for his younger sister. I have a hunch it may be Zhen Zhen who puts on a show for Su Lin since ZZ seems to be more like Mei than Su Lin.
I have a curiousity question. If Su Lin is put in quarters near Mei Sheng, as Hua Mei has been, and she has tall tree like he does from recent photos, I wonder if they will again have an opportunity for treetop conversations. I wonder if they will recognize and remember each other. Another great opportunity for the memory research project. It is an exciting thought for me. I wonder if he has ever had treetop conversations with any of his neighbors. From what I have read about him in China, he is the master climber, which is why they give him a yard with tall trees to keep him happy. I have not seen or read about any other pandas at Wolong or Bifengxia, male or female (not even Hua Mei) who were as fond of trees as he is. Hua Mei has spent much of her time in China caring for her twins or being pregnant, so she hasn’t had as much opportunity as he has to climb trees and “enjoy life.” Since Su Lin also loves to be high in the trees, she is more likely to be found up in one if she has an opportunity when she is in China to climb trees.
It is an interesting future to ponder.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
For a great educational video taken from pieces of a Nationa Geographic program on Wild Pandas, check out “Wild Giant panda” on You Tube. It helps one to understand some of the differences and similarities of raising newborn tiny panda cubs in the wild versus in captivity. It makes me appreciate even more the awesome job that Bai Yun has done with 4 cubs already, and hopefully another one or two this summer.
It is amazing that the mother was so trusting of humans that she allowed them to get photographs inside her den, and as the cub grew older to actually hold it. One fact that they were researching that surprised me is that panda cubs seem to be so “fragile” in captivity, but thrive in the wild. It explains why the cubs need to climb and explore to learn about the world around them in order for them to survive on their own in the wild as adults.
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
The NZ has started its 24 watch. Mei Xiang is spending alot of time in her den and her hormones are starting to decline. Keep your fingers crossed for a cub.
May 4th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Happy Monday to everyone
Since I was a tad under the weather yesterday, I put my lap top on the coffee table to watch the pandas yesterday. I was especially interested in Mei Xiang. I have never seen a panda sleep like she did yesterday. I only saw her in her den a couple of times. Mostly out in the day room. And she slept in positions that I didn’t think were panda possible. Here’s hoping that she has a great outcome!
I also had the opportunity to watch all the videos of the X-Man and the car. What a hoot! If you have the time, you’ll certainly enjoy Mommy Monster and son.
ZZ certainly looked relaxed eating her boo yesterday. She looks like she is her own girl now. She looked like she needed a cell phone to call her peeps.
May 4th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Little ZZ is going to fall off the branch she’s sleeping on, if she doesn’t wake up! Looks like a little ragdoll the way she contorts herself! Wake up, wake up, ZZ!
May 4th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Been watching Mei-Xiang all day… Poor thing looks so uncomfortable and restless… hopefully she’ll have a cub to raise….
May 4th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
May 4th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Anybody watching Mei Xiang around 2:30 Pacfici time? I have my sound up (and can hear the birds chirping) and it sounds like Mei is coughing? Or barking? Did anyone else hear her? I thought at first that it was some noise from workers or something. But I started watching her body, and it seemed like it was her almost doing a coughing?
May 4th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Kat W #86 Intrepid Miss ZZ isn’t going to fall off the branch! ZZ is super-climber-tree-panda! She’s an acrobat, worthy of Cirque du Soleil! (Su Lin’s pretty good at that too. And Mei Sheng, cleraly. Must be in the genes.)
And I’m with you. I’m insane about that little girl. She’s the wallpaper on my computer. BTW, I’ve got a fantastic shot of her on my flickr page: go to flickr (dot) com (slash) photos (slash) mwyatt129. Click on my Pandas set, and feel free to steal anything you want.
Now I’ve got to watch the NZ Cam. This could be exciting!
May 4th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Meerkats, Thank you, thank you, thank you for the fabulous clear closeups of Zhen Zhen this afternoon. She looks like a princess on her throne munching away with both paws full of bamboo. She must be one hungry girl intent on her supper.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
When I look at ZZ eating so contentedly it is hard to fathom that she has only been eating bamboo for 8 months. If she started eating for sure at 13 months, as ZA posted today, and she is now 21 months, that is only 8 months to have become a pro. It is amazing the natural instincts that wild animals have in order to survive. She is one picture of pure dedication to her supper. Must have gotten the concentration bamboo munching genes from Gao.
May 4th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
#89 – Linda A/NorCal: I watched and heard Mei Xiang this morning. It kind of disturbed me, as it didn’t sound normal. But then, I didn’t see her before she had Tai Shan, so I don’t know if that is normal vocalizing. Before she started coughing (or barking), she looked as though something had startled her. Maybe they were cleaning the dayroom, and she didn’t want to be disturbed. She finally settled down and went to sleep on the floor. Anyone else have any ideas?
After watching her settle down, I then tuned in to ZA and the ‘Clown Prince”. I was laughing out loud at the play match between Xi Lan and Mama Lun. And Margaret, he didn’t seem fragile at all, as he fell off the hammock and logs several times, then ran to climb right back up. Lun pulled him down to the ground once, (hard hit!) and then kind of fell on him, playing of course. I thought he acted rather stunned after that, and almost quit playing. But he was ok after a few minutes.
I so love to read the interesting comments from all of you, about a wide variety of subjects and pandas. I learn a lot, just from this site, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to read what you all have to say. Thank you. And Thank You!, SDZ.
May 4th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Hi! Wrote this at around 12:30am EDT tonite (Tuesday morning), but I was finally able to get on the SDZ website right now to check on pandacams and updates. Thanks to a couple of the pandafans for giving me a heads up about NZ panda keepers and volunteers putting Mei Xiang on 24/7 pregnancy watch. According to the May 2nd update, her progesterine levels have started to go down, so everyone there are keeping their fingers crossed for a cub from Mei. Just checked the pandacams, and she was sound asleep on the rock structure. Can someone do me a favor, please? Try to find out which NZ pandacam on the panda page they are focusing on Mei Xiang. They have usually had her on cam one, but I want to know for sure. Some of you mentioned that she’s been pretty restless over the weekend, cradling her kong toy and other things. I also checked the 2009 Pregnancy Watch page for any new updates since March 14, and there are none at this time. It’s been over a month since they have written anything on that page with new charts. Mei Xiang’s days since AI—107 days as of May 4, 2009.
Thanks, Moderator, for letting me know that you all are taking extra precautions because of this H1N1 swine flu outbreak. Florida now has 5 confirmed cases, one of them in my county, Pinellas. The state health department is waiting on results on a few more suspected cases in some of the Florida counties. Hopefully, California has not had any more confirmed cases of this virus, and I’m glad that you all are continuing your work with the animals and keeping both SDZ and WAP open for the public along with the extra precautions that everyone has to go thru now. Great job, you guys!
Well, gonna go and get to bed. Will check back later and also get on the pandacams tomorrow, especially Mei Xiang’s pandacam!
Chari Mercier
St. Petersburg, FL
May 5th, 2009 at 10:04 am
If I already asked this and it was answered, please forgive the duplication.
Does Bai Yun build a nest with shredded bamboo, and does she cradle objects prior to the birth of her cubs. If she cradles objects, what objects does she cradle? I don’t recall her being engaged in either ritual, although I do recall her shredding bamboo in her den after the birth of her cubs when she had ventured out to eat and dragged bamboo into the den with her.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Chari, yesterday, they had cams 1 & 2 on Mei. So I always check both.
Man, Bai is beautiful!
May 5th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Has shoot season hit SDZ yet? While reading the update about Xi Lan chewing on his first “shoot” I thought about Zhen Zhen and realized this would be her first shoot season too. I haven’t noticed any shoots at SDZ, NZ, or MZ, or maybe I don’t recognize them. I did observe that there is a beige colored shorter pieces. I thought is was more dried out stalks, but maybe it is actually shoots? The NZP has a display at the Panda exhibit showing how bamboo can actually grow 3 feet in one day. That explains the proliferation of shoots in the spring, and why they don’t very long. The extra nutritional boost must coincide with the normal pregnancy stage of female pandas as in Bai Yun only this year.
Although Ya Ya is not pregnant, her body will be happy to get the extra nutrition. Since her pseudopregnancy already ended, she is back to her normal eating pattern.
Mei Xiang is spending most of her day and night sleeping and eating very little this week. I haven’t heard her vocalizing much, but recall from last year that she goes through some active periods with a lot of restless movement, licking of paws, cradling, and makes quite a bit of noise even when no cub is going to be born. She does a great job of keeping everyone guessing until the birth or lack thereof. I wonder what the noise is for? To ward of predators, keep other females away from her den, cramping from potential birth? The coughing is also an interesting development. Maybe it is caused by the lack of activity and is her lungs way of clearing? Unlike other animals’ fetuses (e.g. humans) which can press on the lungs, panda fetus’s are so tiny they wouldn’t press on anything. The waiting sure gets long in these final days.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:51 am
What a treat this morning. Su Lin (my wallpaper) is playing like the silly girl she is; Mei Xiang is in her den shredding boo, and Mei Lan is chowing down on her boo. Mei Lan, to me, has just such a unique face. She is darling. Each of the pandas are special in their own way; how lucky are we?
May 5th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I noticed Zhen playing with her red feeder ball on the climbing structure. I remember that Lisa took Mei Sheng’s favorite hanging toy with them when he went to Wolong. I imagine that it was a comfort to him to have familiar toys to play with. What is Su Lin’s favorite toy(s)?
I went back to updates from 2007 to get a better picture of the later stages of Bai Yun’s pregnancies. “Is She or Isn’t She? Posted July 12, 2007 by Suzanne Hall (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/is-she-or-isn%E2%80%99t-she/) and Reading the Signs (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/reading-the-signs/).They help answer several of the questions I asked above. Also four days before her birth, Zhen Zhen was detected as a fetus. “Baby on Board,” posted July 31, 2007 (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/baby-on-board/). According to the July 31 posting, the most telling sign of an impending birth is genital licking. I haven’t seen or heard about this in Mei Xiang, so perhaps she is more than a week away from a birth. She has been licking her paws, but that is a long way away from where the action is!
“Panda Playtime,” Posted July 24, 2007 (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/panda-playtime/) is about Mei Sheng and Su Lin’s first time at the introduction door and their initial interaction. This is what may occur between Su Lin and Zhen Zhen when Bai is moved to the classroom area.
It seems that Bai’s eating starts slowing down 27 to 31 days prior to a birth. The July 12, 2007 update said estimates showed a birth around the second week of August. But, Zhen was born August 3, 2007, the day after Su Lin’s second birthday, so she fooled everyone. She has always been a precocious cub, ahead of her expected schedule.
May 5th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I just checked on Mei and she has her head up against the wall and looks very uncomfortable. Keep all those pseudo thumbs crossed, we may just have a little one soon. YIPPPEEEE!!!!!!
May 5th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I’m thinking that Su Lin is going to sleep all afternoon after the workout she has had this morning. Every time I check in (which is often) she has been doing acrobatics up in the tree trying to get her treat toy or walking all over the yard. Also she spent time sitting in the pool. I saw this twice already. Would it be hot in SD today or maybe her hormones are still acting up. Whatever the reason it is so cute to see her splash with her hands or feet and just have such a contented look on her face.
May 5th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
What did Su Lin eat this morning????? She is still cracking me up!
May 5th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Sorry to post again. But what a great morning. Just peeked at the X-Man; he almost fell off the structure because Mommy Monster disturbed him while he was napping, and he was so sleepy he was like melting on the logs. Geez, so much cuteness this morning.
May 5th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Lee #101 – do you remember when Su Lin was little and Bai Yun decided that it was time to introduce her to the pool/water?!! Su couldn’t get out of the water and up the trees fast enough! Bai kept dragging her down and into the water… finally, when Bai was napping (I think) Su explored the water on her own and decided it was ok… as long as it was her idea! Now she’s loving it! Just like a kid… as long as it’s THEIR idea all is good!
May 5th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Moderator, #99, many many thanks for going back and putting in the links for the previous posts I referred to. I think it will be helpful for new bloggers to learn more about the pregnancy process for Bai Yun. It is also a happy refresher for those of us who were anxiously waiting in July 2007 for the impending birth of a cub, who turned out to be our wonderful Zhen Zhen. It is so hard to believe that is already 2 years ago. How time flies when you are watching the growth and maturation of such lovely animals as the pandas in all 4 US zoos, and in China too when we can get updates and photos.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I LOVE Su Lin. She is really feeling good today!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Hi #94 Chari…been reading your comments for a long time but have never actually said “Hi” before. About which camera Mei is on. I usually see her on Camera 1, but they have been switching about lately and it’s hard to tell sometimes who’s on first…what’s on second! So, I have started to watch the website that has all the panda cams on it. I then can tell, usually, who is where on the cams. I don’t know the actual link, but if you search for the website with all the Panda Cams on it, I’m sure you will find it.
May 5th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
According to the website “Pandas Live On”, the Walt Disney’s new movie “Trail of the Panda” about a lost panda cub and his 10 year old rescuer opens this Friday in China. There are several pictures and three videos on the website. I have been looking for the opening date in the US without success. Does anyone know if it will be shown in the US?
May 6th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I’ve been kind of busy the passed few days so I haven’t been able to check the blogs. Someone was asking about the size of the different zoos yards. Yes SDZ and NZ have bigger yards and the pandas at the SDZ spend most of their time outdoors. I was at the AZ and they are probably have the smallest yard and areas for the pandas but it’s still give them everything they need. All the zoos are very loving and caring to all the pandas and I’m sure they are like part of their family and it’s so hard for them to let them go back to China. It’s I’m sure like your child leaving home to start a new life in a different part of the world.
I was watching the Xman yesterday swinging around with one of his enrichment and having a ball. I see today the hammock is gone from the dayroom. I hope the X man didn’t broke it. lol
May 6th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Suzanne #104 – Thanks for reminding me of that. Yes, I do remember Bai dragging Su Lin into the pool. At first I thought it was mean of her but then realized that it was an important learning lesson for Su Lin. I never saw the “first” time in the water for either Hua Mei or Mei Sheng so I didn’t know if this was normal for babies to dislike water. But in the long run all of the pandas seem to like water in some form.
Last September when I was a SDZ Gao Gao was sleeping in front of his ‘mister’ and when he did eventually get up, there were water droplets on his fur. He didn’t shake them off so I think he was using them to keep cool when he went to eat.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Margaret — thank you for the links regarding Bai Yun’s past pregnancies — I was just starting to wonder when we might get some indications on whether or not she is expecting a cub — and now I know that it’s still way too early to tell. So, now I just need to be patient and see what happens in the next couple of months. All the bears seem to be loving the weather lately — not too hot, not too cold — just right for playing in the sunshine, sleeping and of course lots of eating. Life is good!
May 6th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I can’t even imagine how the panda lovers from Vienna must feel; I just read on “Pandas Live On” that Fu Long will be leaving the Vienna Zoo as it is part of their contract with China that the cubs must be returned to China when they are two years old…
May 6th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
The Atlanta Zoo now needs our help to keep their pandas cool this summer they want to purchase an ice machine. I think we can help them out just like we did the SDZ with their bamboo cooler. If you go to pandasliveon website and look for the story about Keeping them Cool you can find out how to help them out. Also on that website the first story is about how Fu Long well be leaving the Venna Zoo this year as he was only to stay there 2 years. He is so cute with his little white back paw I’m sure everyone there well really miss him.
Still hoping Mei Xieng will have a little brother or sister for Tai Shan and us also. There are some very cute pictures of Su Lin on Flickr what a darling.
P.S. I’m sure some where on the AZ website there is also something about the for help with the ice machine also you will get a key chain with Xi Lan and Mei Lan picture on it.
May 6th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
No wonder Vienna Zoo was not separating Fu Long from his mother until “she was ready.” In reality they were waiting for nature to take its course knowing that he would be leaving when he turned two anyway.
Don’t be surprised if Mei Lan is leaving this year too. Their contract with Chengdu says she is to leave when she is three. ZA doesn’t have as much room as NZP and SDZ and it will be tight with 4 independent pandas. I read early this year that she will likely be leaving in late 2009 or early 2010.
Tai Shan is sure making up for lost time from his fasting for his physical on May 1. Every time I have seen him awake indoors he is eating up a storm. Tonight he is two fisted like ZZ when she is on a feeding frenzy. In one paw he has stalk with leaves, in the other he has a short piece of thick stalk.
May 6th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Danielle #122, I read that too! Fu Long doesn’t have a date to leave yet, but apparently it’s coming.
Armes Wien! Ich hoffe dass die Zukunft Ihnen mehr Pandajunge bald holt. (Poor Vienna! I hope the future brings you more baby pandas soon.) Note: I hope I got the grammar correct there. I’m far from fluent in German.
How lucky we are here that we get to keep our babies for four years.
On another note, Pandas Live On is also starting a donation drive to get an ice maker for Zoo Atlanta. They only have two air-conditioned rooms, and need the ice maker to make pools of ice for the outside bears during the summer. I used to live in Georgia. It gets hot and steamy for a good six months of the year. This seems like a worthy cause. Check out Pandas Live On for the donation information.
And on a lighter note, I got to see Su Lin splashing around in her pool today. She’s so funny, just like a toddler!
May 6th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Thanks for the tips about information on Trail of the Panda Movie on PandasLiveOn. She has the story behind the movie which is based on the history of the founder of Wolong rescuing a panda cub as a child that made him devote his life to pandas. The scenery is breathtaking, some of which will not be seen again as it was taken all over Wolong Panda Reserve prior to the devastation from the earthquake last year. It also shows what it would be like for panda cubs in the wild in that area. The film is intended to make an emotional connection between people and pandas, and for certain it will do that. I hope it comes to the US as there is nothing in existance anywhere close to this. It is a story but shot 100% naturally with live pandas from the reserve and with the real Sichuan scenery. Can’t get any more authentic than that without being in Wolong in person.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Has anyone else observed that Zhen seems to have her naps in the climbing structure in the back, whereas Su Lin seemed to prefer the tree tops. I haven’t seen much of Zhen in the tree tops in the back. Su Lin seems to prefer the top of the treehouse in the front instead of in the trees. Or, maybe the trees in the front aren’t as large and can’t support her almost full size weight? It is also interesting to see Zhen eating and increasingly larger amount of bamboo every day. The piles she is provide also seem to be increasing along with her intake. She is a quickly developing and fast growing young lady. She now has to eat a lot to get her nourishment since she no longer gets anything from mom. Water doesn’t fill up her tummy either. She is becoming quite a pro. Eating and sleeping doesn’t leave much time for playing.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Mei is sure one restless panda female tonight. She keeps moving position and bending over in a sitting position like she is looking down at her genitalia or the floor. She had a big scratch on the wall. All of this looks like a female having labor pains if it were put on a human scale. She was scratching around in the nest bedding she has made and then sat and looked down again. The camera is following her every move, so obviously the keepers are wondering what’s up too. Earlier today I thought she didn’t look like she was going to give birth anytime soon, if at all. Watching her now, I wonder. She occasionally looks up at the walls and bars around her as if to say “where am I?” I guess they go into such a stupor preparing for the final stages of (pseudo) pregnancy that they lose track of their surroundings. Now she is asleep (for a few minutes at least) on her side scrunched up in a corner. That is the same position I remember seeing her in around the time Tai Shan was born. All the females seem to like to get themselves back into a corner when giving birth. Must be more like being in a den in the wild with a small enclosure and tight walls.
It looks to me like she just can’t get comfortable. We’ll see by the AM what that means if anything. It is 11:08 PM, and Tai Shan was born at 3 AM, so it could be many hours if not days to go, if at all.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Hi, Widget! Read your statement about the NZ pandacams and which one Mei Xiang is being shown on. Tonite, I got on the NZ pandacam and watched Mei Xiang on both cams trying to get some rest in her den at around 11pm EDT. She was rolled up in a ball for awhile, then changed positions about 4 or 5 times. She looked really restless for awhile there, then she decided to get on the platform and finally went to sleep for the last 15-20 minutes that I watched her. That lasted about an hour of watching time. So, I got on the SDZ pandacam to see which panda I could see and write you all about Mei Xiang’s late nite restlessness. I did see Su Lin a little bit earlier tonite, and she was sitting on her large stump eating her boo.
I didn’t get a chance to see Xi Lan on the AZ pandacam today because I was at the hospital outpatient clinic getting a biopsy done in my neck to get samples of one of the nodules near my thyroid that could be affected with something. Will know between tomorrow and ten days from now what I’ve got going near my thyroid. Gonna be resting tomorrow and do alot of checking of all of the pandacams. Hopefully, Mei Xiang will be showing more signs of an impending pregnancy! She’s starting to give us fits again! I’ll also give the National Zoo a call about the latest updates on the 2009 Pregnancy Watch page; there’s still nothing yet since March 14.
Gonna go and get to bed. Will check back in later on. Oh yeah, prayers go out to all of the people and firefighters that have been affected by the wildfires in the Santa Barbara County, Cal. area. Hope that they stay safe!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
May 6th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Danielle #112 I read the same thing, about Fu Long. I thought he wasn’t weaned as yet. I might be wrong, but I thought I read that the Vienna Zoo was going to let nature take its’ course. I’m sorry, but I feel that taking cub Fu Long away from his mother and the only home he knows, at such a young age, is very inhumane! I can’t believe I have gotten so attached to pandas! Maybe I should quit watching our beautiful, sweet pandas, but I doubt I will.
May 6th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Danielle #112–I agree with you–that is too soon! Maybe he’ll get to stay longer until Wolong is rebuilt. Thank goodness Su Lin and Miss ZZ don’t have to go so soon. It’s so hard to not get attached to these precious creatures–I don’t know how the keepers do it.
May 7th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Lun Lun and Xi Lan are too cute napping together in the teepee structure this afternoon. They have been there quite a while. Lun of course has the choice spot at the top, and XL has to try to rest his short body across two limbs farther down. I am not sure how much rest he is getting because it looks kind of difficult to balance where he is, at least from the cam angle one can see of him.
They may be taking the hammock down to bring out a new climbing object like the ladder they had for Mei Lan. Since they are “recycling” her old toys it makes sense they would bring that out. It was good exercise, but did not provide the comfy napping place Lun enjoys. I don’t recall either Lun or Mei Lan using it much, so maybe they have revamped it into a new item ready for its debut. I know they try to change things up a bit for enrichment.
May 7th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Any chance of keeping Su Lin in San Diego and breeding her with Tai Shai from N.Z.. They will both be 4yrs old this year ? that would be awesome if they could stay in the U.S.I live in Richmond va, so frequent the N.Z. a lot.I cant believe that they havnt updated on Mei Xang recently. watched her last night and she was very restless. sure hope there is a cub soon
May 7th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Margaret & Chari, #118 & #119 -
Mei is so restless today, her bleating was extremely loud this morning and it looked like she had the hiccups, so in my mind I’m thinking “is this it”? lol This is just nature taking it’s course. I’m still hopeful that Mei Xiang is pregnant!
May 7th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Mei at least I think it was Mei was eating some fruitsicles or biscuits earlier today. Now she is in her den looking very uncomfortable…. tossing and turning… reminded me of my pregnancy.. of course my baby was 9lbs and I weigh 135….. but the hormones are probably similair
May 7th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Doreen, #123, Bai Yun and Tian Tian (Tai Shan’s father) are half-siblings. Pan Pan is father of both of them.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Fonsia #115: your German is great!
Danielle #112, Judy #120: Our “Happy Dragon” is still living with his Mummy! Find some pics and a video taken April 28, 2009 on my blog: pandanews(dot)wordpress(dot)com. The article is called “Wien: Große und Kleine Pandas” (written in German, means “Large and small pandas” aka “Giant and Lesser Pandas”).
Starting some months ago, every week local media publish articles on “Fu Long will soon be history” or something like that. Actually, the contract between Zoo Vienna and China has been well known since 2003 when Yang Yang & Long Hui moved to Vienna. Everybody here knows that giant panda cubs may stay at the zoo till the age of two. There are no details published on the current state of negotiations. IMHO, there will be enough time to be sad when the date of departure will be announced. Untill that we’ll enjoy two wonderful adult giant pandas and a cute cub at our Zoo here without singing the blues.
Margaret #126: Pan Pan is Fu Long’s Grand-grand-father, too. Zhen Zhen and Fu Long are cousins.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
May I ask why Su Lin was moved so quickly?! I really feel for her. She seems to love the trees and her enclosure in the viewing area. What is going on?
May 10th, 2009 at 1:08 am
we have a disscusion here wondering what colour / color is a panda,s tail , try google it you just get more confused, now we think its white but all my cuddley toys are differant some black some white i have not being on this site since following su lin s birth and have just rejuvenated my panda cam veiwing better than facebook