Decorating Diva, Version 4.0
Posted at 8:52 am June 19, 2009 by Ellie RosenbaumI had planned to write a simple, uneventful post—how the panda kids have settled into their exhibits, how Bai Yun continues to quietly thrive behind the scenes, how ultrasound procedures have begun (more to re-acclimate Bai Yun to the routine rather than to find anything at this early date)—but shame on me. It really is bad to underestimate the antics of Su Lin, as I was reminded the other morning.
While she has had her first, mild estrus, Su Lin is still a young and often playful panda. (Remember Bai Yun’s energetic romping when she first arrived at about five years of age?) As she and her father have been trading places over the last month or so, their routines have been pretty mellow and, well, routine: enter new area, explore, scent mark, eat, and sleep, with not a lot of variation on the theme. But Su Lin is Su Lin, after all, and it can take very little to rile her up, as happened the other day.
Gardeners from our Horticulture Department were up on the hillside behind the exhibits pruning out some of the bamboo—a happy sound for pandas and one which attracted the attention of both the sleepy Su Lin and her snoozing sister, Zhen Zhen, next door. They each began to exhibit the anticipatory behavior that generally accompanies the sound of bamboo being handled in the back, cruising around the exhibits and peeking and peering behind to catch a glimpse of some keeper activity.
It must have been something in the air—the weather perhaps, the joy of a possible early lunch—but Su Lin suddenly shifted into one of her moods, vocalizing, romping and rolling, attacking the bamboo in the exhibit as she raced around, all of the things that people come “all the way from (fill in the blank) to see.” The panda viewing area was too crowded, so there was plenty of room for all comers to enter and enjoy the fun. It didn’t end there, however—what fun is being in a mood if you can’t tear around the elm tree? So up she went exploring those front limbs further and further out until, yes, panda fans, she was partially hanging uncomfortably close to the Plexiglas barrier. This can be most entertaining for the guests, but does not make the staff—especially the panda narrator—very happy. Fortunately for me, one of Su Lin’s very favorite keeper friends happened to be in the area after an absence of several months, and the sound of her voice at the rear of the exhibit had Su scrambling over herself to get out of the tree and visit her “buddy.” Whew!
As we’ve pointed out in the past, the pandas grow, the trees grow, and as Su Lin finds her way to old familiar spaces, we’re often forced to modify the exhibit, so yet again will the poor Chinese elm in the right-hand enclosure be pruned and the area redecorated to accommodate the lively, lovely, intelligent Su Lin. See if you can spot the difference in the tree over the next day or so and look for an increase in sunshine in that normally shadier area.
Me? I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next time, and we can be sure, with Su Lin, that’s there’s bound to be a next time. It does make a delightful change from routine and keeps things ever interesting.
Ellie Rosenbaum is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
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June 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Dear Ellie:
Thank you for the wild antic update! Oh how I wish that I had been there! Both sisters awake at the same time? Good Grief! What’s Panda Canyon coming to
Those beautiful bears are napping nearly every time I visit….timing is everything… 
June 19th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I just love Su Lin, she’s so much fun!!! Thanks for the story of her antics, what a Hoot! (or should I say for a panda, “bleat”) I imagine if she were a human, she’d be up on the latest fashion trends and running around trying to get on HGTV for a free room makeover.
Thanks Ellie for another “NOT uneventful” post!
Joy
June 19th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Ahhh, I wish I had seen her! I did see a gentleman with a branch cutter this morning, and now I know why. I just love that panda! She’s a girl after my own heart. Silliness is a great thing.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
That was lovely Ellie. Your post reminded me how, at the Panda and Polar Bear Breakfast last year, we had just sat down to breakfast when Su Lin climbed the tree right outside the window. I’m sure she knew there were lots of people just waiting to take her picture and make the appropriate ‘ooh’ and ‘aaah’ noises. How much more pruning can that poor tree take?!
June 19th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Su Lin is a NUT!! I’m glad that you trimmed that Chinese elm back on that branch! You can’t afford to have a panda get hurt falling off of that tree. We all know that Su Lin is a crazy daredevil in trees as it is anyway! I hope that ZZ does not get that crazy as her sister is when climbing trees! Looked in on the AZ pandacam and saw Xi Lan napping on the log structure, and he is at 42.5 pounds now. Looks like all of the pandas are staying where the A/C is in DC, Memphis, and Atlanta with the temps up in the 90s in the last few days. DC and Memphis had some rain this week, but the heat will be making a comeback in those 2 cities. San Diego is lucky to have that nice moderately cool marine air come in every few days to keep the temps in check! All of the SDZ pandas are loving that! Here in Florida, we have mid to high 90s with the heat index in the 100 degree range! Had some amount of rain in the last couple of days but not enough to cut these temps down any. Should have better chances of rain and temps down to normal range next week. Stay cool, everybody!!
Well, gonna go for now. Will check back later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 19th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
it sounds as though su lin was having the time of her life! it must have been very funny and intertaining to watch! on has to wonder what brings on these little free-for-alls! anyway, it makes for an eventful day for all who were there to witness this unusual burst of energy and rollicking all over the place! wish I could have been there!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Great news to share with bear lovers. Keesha (13) from SDZ and Bala(wat) (3) are now on exhibit together at Akron Zoo. Akron Zoo sent me a note in answer to my inquiry about how the introductions were coming along. They went on exhibit together for the first time this week. They have a picture of them on exhibit together and separate photos at the bottom of the page so you can tell them apart. They have gotten recommendation from SSP to breed them, so hopefully SDZ and NZP will have “grand” cubs in the future that live in Akron Ohio. Go to akron zoo’s website for more info.
Glad to know that animals from both coasts of US can meet and breed at a facility in the middle of the country and share their gene pools.
Moderator’s note: Thank you for letting us know how sloth bear Keesah is doing. We will forward this note to her former keepers!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Somehow, I don’t think the problem was Su hurting herself, but rather being loose. She’s a wild, wild woman now!
June 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Good night dear pandas (”night, night; love you”). To all the keepers and to all my fellow panda addicts, have a great week end. We’ll work next week on our addiction…………………………NOT!
June 19th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
#8 Mary – I love your description of Su as a ‘wild, wild woman’! How very apt! Ellie, thank you for Decorating Diva 4.0 – gotta love that girl (Su)! And, thank you for the huge smile!
June 19th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I watched Su rolling around in the dirt, running around the exhibit, & climbing “her” tree. I had to leave the room, though–she was going soooo far out on that limb, & the limb was bending down further, & further, and further. I was sure she would break it–she wasn’t just sitting on it, she was bouncing around, standing on it to grab a higher limb………..Tried to record it, but haven’t checked yet how it turned out, as I have company. She & Tai will give me a heart attack one day with their antics!
June 19th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Su Lin certainly lives up to her name except for one thing: she’s a big bit of something very cute! I just love her to pieces.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Good news for those who want a full-screen version of the SDZ pandacam (if you have a Mac). Today there was a new automatic download of Safari (the Mac browser system–fits well with the Zoo theme). Previously on Safari, you could make the type size bigger by hitting the apple and the “+” key on the number pad (or by using the pulldown menu). In the older version, only the type size changed. However, in the new version, it makes the entire screen larger.
I just tried this with the pandacam. Yes! You can make it as large as you want! If you want to keep the whole cam showing on the page, you can get it to about three-quarters of the screen. Of course, as with the full-screen options on the other cams, the larger you make the picture the more grainy it gets. But it’s very nice. This also works with the time-lapse cam, which helps enormously.
Go wild Maccies! (as wild as Su Lin!)
June 19th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Hi Ellie – Thanks for Version 4.0 of our Darling Diva. Our sweet Su Lin is a very intelligent panda. She waits for the trees and bamboo to grow around her exhibit and then takes advantage of the situation. I guess “redecorating” her exhibit will become routine as the keepers try to keep ahead of Su Lin. I always enjoy her playful behavior and am looking forward to seeing how she finds new ways to keep everyone on their toes.
Margaret #7 – Thanks for the good news regarding the sloth bears, Keesha and Bala. Evidently the introductions went well since they are now sharing the same exhibit. Also, since they now have the go ahead to breed, let’s hope they will soon be blessed with a cub or two.
June 20th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Oh how I wish I could have been there to see that precious Su Lin doing her thing. She was my first cub to see born and raised, so she is a little special to me. Wonder if little ZZ will start doing all this stuff as she gets older. You said their Mother did it when she first arrived, maybe it’s in the genes, Ellie. Thanks, so much for telling us all about it. Anxiously awaiting to see if the Ultrsounds eventually will let us know if our Bai is going to be a Mommy again!!
Thanks again, all you wonderful keepers.
June 20th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
NEWSFLASH!!! Just read some great news from the MSNBC website about red pandas, the little cousin to the giant pandas. On June 11, 2009, a female red panda named Shan Tou gave birth to a RARE SET OF TRIPLETS at a zoo in Fargo, North Dakota. They said that it has been 10 years since a momma red panda has given birth to a set of red panda triplets at a zoo in the Western Hemisphere. There are 2 boys and a girl, no names yet, and they are only about 10 days old. This is great news since these pandas are endangered in China due to habitat encroachment and other reasons. Gonna try to google Fargo, North Dakota zoo to get more info about these cute pandas. There is one picture with this article on the MSNBC website showing Shan Tou and one of her babies.
Just thought I would share this with all of you. This is exciting, you all!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 20th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Gotta make a correction on the 3 red panda babies that were born at Red River Zoo in Fargo, North Dakota. They were 2 GIRLS and one BOY, not the other way around when I mentioned this in my last comments. Had a brain squeeze because I was soooo excited about this! Just googled the zoo’s website, got on it, and there was no mention about this rare red panda birth on their website. So, I’ll keep checking it out! Just saw ZZ on the pandacam with her back towards the cam eating her dinner.
Gonna leave but will be back later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 20th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Ellie – thank you, thank you – sorry I missed the fun. Whew, what does a panda narrator do if they see a panda ready to “literally fall” out of their exhibit.
Do all the panda recognize their keeper voices & obey – I still can see Tai high in a tree until midnight ignoring a keeper’s pleas to come down.:) The panda sisters can keep you on your toes. What fun
June 20th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Wow! What a trip Su Lin must have been on. Must be some excellent bamboo she’s been eating. Or maybe it’s those homemade leaf eater biscuits that keep her zipping. Some days are just worth getting up for, right? Thanks, Ellie, for a very descriptive narrative of a day-in-the-life of a healthy Giant Panda (named Su Lin). I’ll bet part of her romp gets posted on you tube or pandasliveon. BTW, Ellie, you’re a great narrator.
June 20th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
What has happened to Su Lin today? I have not seen her at all! I just love to watch her, she is so playful. I also am worried about Zhen Zhen. She seems so calm, not like she use to be. It must have really been a trauma for her when she was weaned. I will never forget when she was trying to climb the walls in her classroom.
June 21st, 2009 at 10:03 am
I would love for Su-Lin to meet Tai Shan. He always seems so lonely on the panda cam. She would definintley bring some spark in his life. Is this posiible?
June 21st, 2009 at 1:18 pm
HAPPY FATHERS DAY GAO GAO!!! I love you so much for all you’ve done for your species. Thank you so much for Mei Sheng, Su Lin, and Zhen Zhen and all the other babies we haven’t seen yet. You are a super studmuffin and we all thank you for your skill and personality. I’m sure your wife, Bai Yun, would say the same thing. You are a special panda Gao Gao. Happy Fathers day.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:01 am
Here’s a tibit about bears. The zoo in North Dakota which I believe is the Red River Zoo just had triplets born to their red panda which is on the endangered list. congratulations to all.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:08 am
I hope everyone had a nice weekend and also had a good day with their fathers, all who are lucky enough to still have them. I was just reading an update from the AZ they were telling about adding Tabasco as a new enrichment for Lun Lun and Xi Lan. Xi Lan decide to taste it and then do a scent mark on it. Then Lun Lun smell Xi Lan and she decide she like the Tabasco smell on him, picked him up and used him to anoint herself this thought made me laugh wish I would have seen it.
I see pandasliveon has some pictures from Chiang Mai Zoo of their male Chuang Chuang (Clever) and Lin Hui (Beautiful Forest). Maybe I’m over reacting but I get so nervous watching their webcam of Lin Hui and her cub because they seem to touch them way to much. I afraid Lin will become upset and hurt them or her cub or they will pass something on to her and cub because they don’t use gloves when they handle them. They do hand food and water to her which is ok but the petting and picking up the cub all the time seems unnecessary. I know in China they handle the cubs much more than our zoos, but they use gloves and protected clothing. It’s just my thoughts and maybe I just worry to much about those beautiful bears. I know if I had a chance to be with a panda I’ve want to touch them but hopefully I would be very carefull about it. Enough about this just had to get it off my chest.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:15 am
Hey Gang,
I am back from my visit to the SDZ oh my gosh ZZ is so big now, I saw her last year in April, but shes a roly poly panda soo cute. I got to see my beloved Gao Gao and he is so cute he smiles when he eats its amazing. I cried when I saw him it was just very special to me to see him. I saw all but Bai Yun but I got to talking to one of the keepers and she is doing well. I am hoping for another August arrival for our girl.
Guess what I even met Lisa Byrant which you all know her from all the panda videos and shes like a celebrity…lol a panda celebrity. Plus my husband did not take a pic of the us, not to happy about that but she was really busy with a child visitor who didnt believe she was a famous panda keeper..lol but I told him she was he was surprised…kids……lol I have alot of pics of the gang. I also so the sun bear twins they were cute too and the elephant odyssey it was a great time at the SD zoo, can’t wait to go back in December. I hope you all get to go one of these days its just a great zoo, so much to see. Plus lots of new babies…koalas
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:18 am
Good morning everyone. I have been honoured that “pandasliveon” has printed some postcards that I brought home from Thailand last year.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 am
What a wonderful description of Su Lin on a tear. Thank you, Ellie. I have personally observed her in that mode and there is nothing more entertaining. In addition to her playfulness, she is also a great beauty.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
You’re right, Fonsia #13, and the same thing works with Firefox–apple and + or the “Zoom” pulldown under “View” (not the one under “Window”).
I think Miss ZZ will certainly follow in the family tradition of romping when she gets to be Su Lin’s age. I think I saw her running up and down a couple of times on her tree over the weekend–moving pretty fast at that. The cam was stationary on the tree and zoom! –there she was, oops gone, zoom, there she is going up the other branch out of range again. Maybe the ducks were nearby?
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Lyn, #25, new baby koalas? Good for you! Glad you had a wonderful time, and got to meet Ms. Byrant.
Did Gao have a special Father’s Day?
Question…………..I can’t seem to connect with Chiang Mai zoo. It says “Ready” but nothing ever happens. I’ve tried “play”, “refresh”, logging off and nothing works. Any ideas? I had no problems the first of last week; just the end of last week and today. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Linda #28 one had a baby koala with her it just the first time I saw one with a baby. Last time they were all single..we got her on video. Gao Gao was switched out already with Su Lin plus I came back on the 15th. Well I guess you live in CAL so you can go all the time lucky duck…
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:58 am
Hi, you all! Hope everyone enjoyed Father’s Day with their dads and granddads over the weekend. I’m sure that Gao, Tian, and Yang had a good Father’s Day, too! I have an interesting question about a panda’s mouth full of teeth. I know that baby pandas start getting in their baby teeth at around a couple of months old. So, I’m wondering when the baby pandas start to shed the baby teeth for the adult teeth? I just watched Xi Lan the Xman on the AZ pandacam, and he was eating a small biscuit that he found. He picked it up in his mouth, climbed from the hammock to the top of the log structure, settled into his favorite sitting spot, and then started to eat the biscuit. Yes, folks; the Xman is starting to eat some solid food! The keepers have been noticing him eating biscuits as well as some fruits that they give out for Lun. Apparently, Xi has developed a taste for the food and has started to eat them up. He’s also starting to eat a little bit of bamboo but it’s been mostly the leaves and very thin stalks, the bamboo parts that are the easiest for him to try to chew on. So, that’s why I am wondering when baby pandas start to get their adult teeth in when they are starting to eat solid foods. Xi hasn’t totally forgotten about his milk from momma, tho! He’s always finding ways to get to her when he wants some milk, and usually Lun obliges!
Checked the NZ pandacams, and all of the pandas are napping. Checked the SDZ cams a couple of times, too. Just watched Cam 28 and I think that was Su Lin’s cam; saw ZZ earlier.
Anyway, hopefully someone will give us a dental lesson on panda teeth!
See you later!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:59 am
#28 Linda Go to pandasliveondotcom go down the left hand colum to Chiangmai zoo cam click on it and it will bring up the webcam and then you can add it to your favorite. But true there are times when you can’t get the webcam to come on and it just says its ready but nothing there. If I’m right this usually happens during the day which would be night time there, so at night our time and day theirs the cam is working most of the time. Hope this helps you out.
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I was just watching the Xman he is getting so big setting in the middle of hammack having a treat. It look like he almost filled it up and then I came to the SDZ site and there was Miss ZZ up in the tree our babies are getting so big and turning into mini adults.
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
That cutie-poo-tootie is just sitting there munching away, looking very happy (12:30 Pacific). And we were all afraid that ZZ wouldn’t adapt. Just like we don’t think our kids will be happy moving out!
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
ZZ just did a disappearing act on me. I saw her on Daniel’s cam and switched to SDZ cam and she disappeared from her perch on the corner of the cave. She had been quite content munching away on her lunch. Guess it must have been time for cleaning the yard so she was called inside?
One of the pandas at NZP has been napping most of the time indoors, I am guessing it is Tian from what they wrote about him being lethargic. And another has been eating up a storm, Mei Xiang making up for lost time, or Tai Shan building up his strength for the coming winter breeding season? In the evening there is usually at least one napping panda and two pandas eating. It appears to be Tai and Mei. Sometimes Tian will be eating or wandering around the indoor or outdoor exhibit. In person at the zoo he has always been busy with something, or eating. To see him so lethargic is a new perspective for me.
Haven’t seen Bai lately as she also disappears from the camera when I check in. Gao seems to be enjoying a leisurely summer. Does he get more lethargic and eat less during the summer heat like Tian?
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I have 2 questions for the pandaholics at large…1) why is the top of panda’s tails (near the base of the spine) red/pink? 2) I always see NZ pandas with fruitsicles (esp. delicious I’m sure in this hot weather!) but never see SDZ or AZ pandas get them. Thanks guys!
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
For those anxious about Chiang Mei zoo’s handling of the new cub and mother. As I recall they reported that Chinese were sending experts to Thailand immediately to care for the mother and cub. My guess is that it is the experienced Chinese helper who is “training” the mother to allow them to handle their cub. That would require lots of food distraction, and tactile sensation such as petting/rubbing the cub. Remember that the Chiang Mei zoo staff did not know that Lin Hui was pregnant and were not expecting a cub. That likely means they did not have time to “train” her behaviors necessary for examining and caring for a newborn cub. So now we are witnessing the training going on real time to let them care for the cub the way they need to. Thankfully SDZ and other US zoos train their females constantly, even when they are not pregnant, so that they will be ready whenever necessary to provide expert care immediately.
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Thanks, Pam T #32, for the info on the cam. I actually have tried just going to my favorites (I did a google search right after the baby was born) and through pandasliveon. So it must be my timing. But thank you.
Lyn, #30, I do live in CA but in Sacramento. And as I shared in a post last October while in the South Pacific, I would have much rather have been at the Zoo than Bora Bora. UNFORTUNATELY, the man who lives with me, wants to go as far away from CA as we can get once every year. In fact, confession time here, I’ve never been to San Diego. If I had my way, we’d spend the money on going to SDZ every weekend! With side trips to ZA, MZ and NZ. Then to China……………….oh, (heavy sigh), I dare to dream.
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Whew! I was really lucky this time. I caught a quick glimpse of Ms White Cloud herself, peacefully napping on her climbing structure with a big smile on her face (1:55 PM PDT). Got to send myself a postcard, and when I returned to cam there was Miss ZZ up against the fence. Perfect timing to catch both beautiful girls quite content on their own in their own rapturous world.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
This may be a stupid question but..if the pandas ARE in captivity, and not in the wild and never will be, why can’t they share, at least 2 pandas to an enclosure? Am I the only one who thinks ZZ would really enjoy some companionship? Maybe I’m not as savvy as all of you panda family members/lovers, I just can’t help but wonder. Everyone comments that she is content, but, what else can she do? She’s kind of…stuck. oh, she looks content sitting, eating, watching, but as far as she knows, there are NO other pandas. I think animals like other animals around. This is my last inquiry on the pandas at the SDZ. I wish someone would enlighten me. I will watch ZZ and the rest of the fuzzies, but I don’t belong commenting on the blog, no one that feels the same to interact with. Thank you everyone for all your wonderful questions and answers and sharing. I’m so happy there are so many wonderful humans loving our furry brothers and sisters…
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Chari, I think I read a year or two ago something on SDZ blogs by Suzanne? or in the ZA or NZP keeper blogs about teeth. I don’t remember exactly where or when I read it, but it was very interesting.
Got lucky again an caught Su Lin wandering through her yard by the tree house. Maybe on my late night check in I will see Gao Gao. We are so blessed to be able to watch all 4 of these magnificent animals throughout our day, 24 x 7 with no censoring of what we are viewing.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
kat W #40–I’m sure you’re not the only one who thinks ZZ might have fun with other pandas, and many of us can’t wait to see her interact with Su Lin at the howdy gate whenever the keepers decide the time is right–but the way she is being raised is consistent with the way her siblings have been raised and is probably the way SDZ has agreed to raise Bai Yun and Gao Gao’s offspring. They are on loan from China and the decisions SDZ makes about the pandas’ care are probably made in concert with the Chinese. (Someone from SDZ, please correct me if I’m wrong.)
Some other zoos allow their male and female pandas to be together at times other than mating season, and the Berlin zoo has allowed Fu Long to stay with his mother for as long as she will allow. All of the pandas are watched closely by the keepers in their various zoos and by the Chinese scientists at the breeding centers, and their various actions and reactions to conditions are taken into account for the future.
Margaret #37–thanks for explaining what’s going on in Thailand. I hadn’t realized they didn’t know that Lin Hui was pregnant!
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
#21 = Dani – I think all of would love to see Tai & SuLin together – but unfortunately they are related – Bai’s father was wild born PanPan who became a wonderful breeder before the Chinese may have realized they needed to get a better handle on their gene pool.
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:15 am
Hi Kat W i think like you, as well i dont blog anymore, this is the first for a long time, i asked qestions about mei sheng when he left for China nobody responded,so i just read all the blogs now, didnt want to step on peoples toes, im sad for you,if you feel you wont blog again, there are so many questions about theese beautiful animals in all the zoos, unless i get a miricle i will never see them. but take in all the information, from keepers, an all the bloggers,best wishes to you kat, and all the rest of you. and of course most of all to are beloved pandas.
June 23rd, 2009 at 7:45 am
I was able to get on the Chiang Mai Zoo website this morning!!!!!!!
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 am
kat W # 40 – subadult pandas, like ZZ, can be gregarious in the wild and will come together to play from time to time. Adults are generally solitary, so none of the other three pandas in residence would necessarily tolerate her presence. For enrichment, though, the howdy door may be open to allow ZZ and Su Lin to meet in a protected contact environment later this summer.
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:10 am
Since you all know I was able to see Lin Hui and her cub this morning, perhaps someone can tell me why Lin Hui seems to be panting (hard). Is this normal? I have been a panda cam viewer since Tai was born, and I don’t seem to remember any of the moms panting that hard. Perhaps it’s just the up close view, and I never noticed before; perhaps all moms do that? Lin seems to be a very loving, attentive mom. And that baby is darling.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 am
Maureen #18 – I had an experience with a panda obeying a command.
A few weeks before Mei Sheng was sent back to China, I stopped at the San Diego Zoo to visit him and say my teary goodbye. While watching Mei Sheng, he began to climb up the large tree, the one above the cave. I watched as Mei Sheng climbed way out towards the end of the flimsy branch. I started to fear that the branch would not accommodate his his weight. I went over to the narrator and told her that Mei Sheng is searching for a “way out”.
The narrator agreed that the branch was too flimsy and could not support his weight.
The narrator began to softly call out to Mei Sheng to come down, all the way down. Mei Sheng was almost all the way down when he decided to sit on a sturdier branch, which was lower to the ground. He then decided to entertain the visitors. Mei Sheng would hang upside down and swing back and forth causing laughter from everyone in the viewing area. I must say I was truly amazed at how obedient Mei Sheng is. In this case, Mei Sheng did obey when he was told to get down.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:26 am
#40 Kat W: In the wild pandas are naturally loners, unless a female has a cub, or is looking for a male to mate. In fact, when another panda “invades” their little territory, it is usually driven out, ESPECIALLY during mating season. So don’t think of them as being lonely, merely doing what comes naturally. The pandas who have been living in zoos will never be introduced to the wild, as they do not know how to hunt for food, and would never survive. Zoo pandas are valuable for their genes. It is my belief that China’s pandas are handled by humans entirely too much to ever be able to survive in the wild, and I wish they would change their tactics, if they ever plan to teach them to survive on their own.
#35 Margaret: I think Tian spends a lot of time, sleeping, in the far corner of his yard. There is a misted ‘cave’, which helps to keep him cool. And yes, adult male pandas spend lots of time during warmer months sleeping away, as their appetites have calmed down a bit, I suppose to deal with the heat. It is Mei who is usually sleeping in the panda house rooms. She apparently does not like the heat of the outdoors. She is usually at the keepers gate before noon, waiting to be let in. Sometimes Tai will see her through their adjoining ‘window’, and will try to communicate with her, but Mei doesn’t seem to be interested. She just wants to go inside. It’s kinda sad, because Tai will sit up and put his front paws on the screen, and you can hear him bleating to her. Growing up is hard, even for pandas.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Linda, #47 — I can’t say exactly why Lin Hui was panting, but they all pant when they are uncomfortably warm. At this time of year, the pandas at NZP go out early in the morning and don’t stay long before they want inside where it is air-conditioned. They are visibly panting hard. We don’t know much about Lin Hui’s habitat, but Thialand is a tropical country, so perhaps that is also the case with her.
We’ve all read that they didn’t know Lin Hui was pregnant — but didn’t I read that she was artificially inseminated? If so, wouldn’t they suspect she might be, and take measure of her hormones, etc?
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Rose #48…wonderful story about our Sheng…I miss him so…
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
To Kat # 40 & Marian – please, please don’t give up on the blogs – keep commenting & asking – & yes some have stepped on toes – but all have gone all to love “our pandas”
That’s why I love this blog – so often when I tune in to the cam I miss the action so rely on zoo visitors & fellow bloggers to keep me posted on what they’ve seen on all the cams & you tube.
#48 Rose – thanks for sharing your “fun memory” I can just “see” Mei in my mind swinging on the branch. He was a good panda
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I get very sad watching the Chiangmai Zoo web cam. She seems to be in a room with nothing but 3 walls and bars on the 4th side. She has no place to lean against except a straight wall. It seems to be clean, but that’s all you can say for it. Has anyone seen anything different?
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 pm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MEI SHENG BIRTHDAY VIDEO !!!!!!!
I know a while back i said i would get around to posting a video I took on you tube of mei’s 4th and last birthday at SDZ, well i finally got it up there.
I know they wont let me post a link on here so i wont even try, but the keywords to search for on the video if you go to you tube are MEI SHENG BIRTHDAY PANDA SDZ .
You can also put those key words into GOOGLE and see it there. It’s just a home video, some clear shots and then some not so clear cuz i had to back up and let other people in to see our boy as well.
ENJOY IT ALL MY BROTHER AND SISTER PANDA JUNKIES. I know i’m not the only one that misses our lil pooper!!!
June 24th, 2009 at 5:58 am
Su Lin has such a great personality! She’s a smart and beautiful panda.
I was initially concerned that the keepers in Thailand were supposedly “surprised” by the cub’s birth, but reporters who aren’t intimately familiar with panda goings-on often put an inaccurate spin on the facts, not knowingly but perhaps due to a lack of familiarity. There may also be a language gap as things get translated from one language to another. I quickly realized that my initial reaction was unfounded, as I read an AP report that Lin Hui was trained for ultrasounds and one was administered two weeks before the cub’s birth on May 11. Lin Hui’s hormone levels were being assessed regularly. The cub’s birth was evidently not unexpected. Veterinarians were able to examine the cub within two days of its birth, as the cub is shown cradled in a gloved hand in a photo that accompanied the AP story. The keepers do touch their pandas a lot there but it just seems to be their way (and it’s definitely different!). It doesn’t appear that they’re trying to assimilate the pandas to human touch at the last minute, as they have obviously been training Lin Hui all along.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Linda #47 oh I can’t believe you live in CA and havent been to the zoo. gosh. You really have to go its really an experience to go. I was in aaaah the whole time seeing the animals react and everytime you go you see something new it is quite amazing. I really hope you get to go to the zoo. Well Xi lan was really cute this morning playing with his new pink ball, he was determined to get it up the structure.
Plus in China the reason you see alot of young pandas together is they take the pandas away from the mother at about 6 months and put them together so they can breed the mothers again. They are hand reared and they get used to each other. I just hope that if they introduce the sisters nothing bad happens. We don’t want a Gao Gao incident. Remember the Giant Panda is a solitary animal and does not interact with other pandas in the wild unless to mate. Plus SDZ is there to study and research the pandas to keep them from going extinct. I went on an endangered tour at Seaworld in SD and I got to feed the turtles they were so amazing to watch eat and got to touch a shark and I know cool. I am in my 40’s and I felt 5 all over again…lol
Oh and by the way has anyone donated to the Atlanta zoo yet?
June 24th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Tony #54 Thank You for the info. Just the mention of his name brings on the tears. We all miss him so.
Lyn# 56, I brought the adopt a panda package for $65.00 + $10.00 shipping. It was well worth it. Lyn we’re never told old to enjoy those moments, I remember how I felt when I held and fed a tiger baby in South Carolina and i’m a FEW years older than you and i’ll never forget that feeling.
June 24th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
#56 Lyn Vancouver, BC: I have donated to Zoo Atlanta’s Give So They Can Stay. I encourage everyone on this blog to do the same. What a sad day it would be if ZA had to crate up all their (and our) panda family and ship them off to China. It will be hard enough to see Mei Lan go, as well as Tai Shan.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Dear Marian #44-thank you for responding! I would love to send you some of the shots I have taken on my mac, of ZZ, I had them all the way back to when she was first born, but some idiot in our IT dept, helped corrupt my hard drive and I lost many beautiful pix of her. If you are interested i could email them to you. So many, I want to put a photo book together. You are right, I should be thankful, SDZ is just around the corner for me. You are quite a few miles away (UK?) I am thankful, if I visit the zoo this summer, and see ZZ, I will whisper “hello” to her for you. I am just a silly goose that gets too emotional about animals, it’s best to be more logical at this site, but that’s just not me. Thank you to Frances in NY too for responding and Ellie, and Diane in Tx and Maureen in MI. Thank you. It feels nice to have one’s concerns acknowledged. So much panda love……..ox
June 24th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Rose #48 – Thank you so much for sharing your great experience or farewell day with our Mei Sheng.
We miss so much our smart, cute boy.