Hello, Gorgeous Panda
Posted at 3:05 pm September 28, 2009 by Anastasia JonilionisOn September 24, for the first time, giant pandas Su Lin and Zhen Zhen were introduced at the howdy gate (a mesh fence separating the two exhibits that allows the two bears to meet across a barrier). At first there was a little skepticism on whether or not the two would actually interact or if Zhen Zhen would do her best to stay away from the door. At first I don’t really think the two noticed each other or that the door was available, but sure enough the two approached the door. San Diego Zoo researchers in the front were documenting behaviors as well as vocalizations to have on file and indeed to study from as well.
For those who were there that morning, it was an amazing experience. Zhen Zhen began on her back, submitting to Su Lin, something we were happy to see. Su Lin would put her nose up to the fence, and soon Zhen Zhen’s nose would meet there as well. Overall, it was a success, and there are plans to do this again. There was no aggression at all! The two had access to the gate until their mid-day feeding: Zhen Zhen went inside to have her enclosure cleaned, and Su Lin suddenly appeared at the gate looking for her new acquaintance.
Right away I know there will be questions as to if the Zoo’s Panda Team will introduce the girls into the same enclosure. This introduction is a form of enrichment for the girls, and it was the first time they had really gotten to see each other and talk to each other. As of right now, they will not be introduced into the same area. Su Lin is a reproductively mature female that definitely needs her space. As the older bear, and being so much larger than her sister, she would probably be dominant over Zhen Zhen. Naturally these bears are solitary and we don’t want to do anything that could take away from the work that our researchers are doing and the headway the San Diego Zoo has made with our giant panda program!
Remember this will only happen in the morning, so if you are interested in coming to see the sisters at the howdy gate in person, keep that in mind. For everyone that watches Panda Cam, keep an eye peeled. You may be seeing them again soon!
Anastasia Horning is a panda narrator at the San Diego Zoo.
Watch video of the sisters at the howdy gate…
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September 28th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
The girls looked like they were having a great time when I saw them on the panda cam at the howdy gate. ZZ seemed to really enjoy it and got so dirty rolling around. Thanks for sharing the experience with us.
September 28th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
oh how funny!
September 28th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Why did Zhen Zhen lay subservient so much of the time in front of her sister? Did she think Su Lin was her mommy?
If we do visit the zoo in the morning to catch another Howdy Gate visit for the girls, is it always the same time? It looked like 9 in the am.
Thank you so much!
Moderator’s note: We can’t predict any days, but yes, first thing in the mornings.
September 28th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
This was such a joyous occasion for the girls! It was such a thrill to see some of it live the other day. Thank you so much for posting the videos for those who missed it and those (like myself) who just can’t get enough. Truly a momentous panda-casion!!
September 28th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I was one of the lucky ones that was watching when the two sisters met at the gate and it was absolutely magical. Honestly I’ve never seen two bears so happy to see each other outside of when Bai and Gao met at the howdy gate every two years to make another cub..lol!
Seriously it was just wonderful, ZZ was so excited, running back and forth as if she couldn’t believe her eyes and even Su after a few stunned minutes looked happy to see another panda. I watched all three of the videos taken over and over, my favorite was the two girls standing nose to nose and paw to paw at the gate….
This might seem like a dumb question but as to the scent marking, is there anything in their scent that would be familiar to a panda family? I mean, is that anything that Bai might pass on that would make siblings recognizable or familiar to each other or are all panda scents unique?
I cant’ wait to see them interact again! Thank you again for allowing us the privelage of watching their interaction on the camera.
September 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
HaHa!! Our precious lil ZZ is just a bundle of pure love. It is so kind of you to give us more info on the sisters playtime Anastasia, thank you : ) I was fortunate enough to have just turned on the Pandacam when playtime started. It was truly heartwarming to watch them both laying on their backs, touching noses
ZZ would run away from the fence, stop and turn around as if she was waiting for her friend to follow her. And when her friend didn’t follow, she would just head right back to the gate. They seem to be so intelligent. Watching their interaction brought a few questions to mind.
Do they “know” that they are sisters? Can they determine that from scents? Would they still recognize Bai Yun? Oh yeah, and is ZZ still humming?
September 28th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
what a wonderful treat to see!!!! are we sure they’re solitary animals? ha ha
September 28th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
“Zhen Zhen began on her back, submitting to Su Lin, something we were happy to see.”
I am quite puzzled by that remark; I didn’t know that there was a known protocol which has to be respected. When I was watching the videos last week, I was wondering if Zhen Zhen lying on her back was an invite to play, for a moment I thought it might be submission but thought ZZ too independent for that…
September 28th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
They both looked like they were waiting for some momma love licks like Bai Yun used to give them. With the love they were showing and giving, both sisters will make great momma’s themselves because of Bai Yuns great maternal attention.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I’m so happy the gorgeous Yun-Gao sisters got to meet and got along so well! They are so adorable!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I never expected that. The girls look so happy together. I hope they get some cam time in the mornings. Can’t wait for Part II!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Oh they are so funny!!! Zz was rolling around!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Thank you for posting this; I missed it on the cam (I think I was five minutes too late logging on) and then had to read other posters chatting about it, and I got greener and greener with jealousy – so a chance to see what I missed is very welcome. Don’t the sisters look adorable together? I do understand why you don’t want to put them in the same enclosure, even though my heart is screaming for them to get the chance to play together … I think it’s sometimes too easy for us to forget these incredible animals aren’t human (especially when you see Bai Yun looking after Cubbie with the tenderness of any human mother) and that they need different things. I guess we’re lucky SDZ has keepers main of sterner stuff than all us addicts out here all over the world watching in on the girls and the rest of the panda family there!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I have a million questions, but you would have to be inside Su Lin’s and ZZ’s heads to answer. One would be do you think that ZZ knew that wasn’t he mom. Another would be was Su Lin thinking this little bear is goofy. Su Lin looked like she was doing a lot of sniffing to get ZZ scent which she would be familiar with because of the moving around the enclosures they way they do. Maybe they were each having an Ah Ha moment, like your the one that smells lie that.
Whatever they were thinking I was on cloud nine.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
THANKS FOR SHARING, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN WATCHING THE GIRLS, SU LIN SNIFFING AND ZHEN ZHEN ROLLING AND BEING HER HAPPY SELF. I HOPE SOME DAY THEY CAN BE PUT TOGETHER FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, TO SEE HOW THEY DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
It was wonderful to watch the introduction of the girls. They couldn’t have been cuter!! Can’t wait to see it again. I sometimes wonder what my dogs think when they see themselves in the mirror. At times, it seemed like ZZ was saying “oh my gosh! there is someone just like me (only bigger)!!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I really think ZZ thought that was Mom and it made me very sad in a way. Just think she remembered her Mom after all this time.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Those two are so funny! ZZ rolls around,while Su just sits. They are great sisters!
September 28th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
What a beautiful experience. Thank you so much.
I would like to ask a question that I can’t find the answer to.
Can the bears be dangerous when the staff go into the cages. I see that they have very long heavy claws. Do they like the staff or do you stay away from them. TIA
Moderator’s note: The post Some Questions Answered (from 2005) addresses that very question.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
OMG!! They were sooo happy, like two orphans who had finally found one another. Do you think they were or are lonely and that’s why they seemed so excited? Zhen Zhen definitely needs a playmate. Would you consider allowing them together occasionally? Or perhaps ZZ w/the baby when he gets older since they’re closer in age? She could teach him all the ropes. This was very sweet, and I look forward to more, however, it made me think they’re lonely which makes me sad.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I happened to check in Thursday morning to watch the chubby cubby and had the wonderful privilege of watching the sisters get acquainted! What a treat!
September 28th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
I’m curious about the doubts that ZZ would act submissively–because she is so “independent”? Why wouldn’t she be submissive to a larger panda?
I also wonder if scents from their parents might remain around the howdy gate from the time of their mating? Gao Gao was so diligent and attentive and spent a lot of time in the area where Su Lin hung out.
It was great to see them together, and to see them separately earlier today, and to see Bai Yun out in the sun room. And speaking of Bai Yun–there she is, scooping mini-Gao up for another trip outside the den!
September 28th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Thank you for sharing! For those of us who can’t get to San Diego any time soon….this is a treat! I love watching via the webcam! Can’t wait for Part II! Great Job!
September 28th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
this is so cute the video and good way for the two to see each other.
September 28th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Oh I love it!! Thanks for sharing this…I can’t access streaming video at work so really appreciate you guys capturing these precious moments.
I’m so glad the girls got along…they looked like they loved each other’s company!! I love these little beauties.
#8 Danielle – I think the keepers were glad because in the animal world there usually is a ‘hierarchy’ rule for each species. It’s what ensures order in a group or in an encounter, and safety for the younger animal. That’s just my limited knowledge; the keepernannies (and pannas) are the experts!!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Is it possible that ZZ may be thinking Su Lin, is Bai Yun? She seems overly excited, I know, being the age she is, she is still considered a youngster, and still somewhat playfull, yes ? Is is possible Su shares some the same scent as their mom ? Cant wait for Part II.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
It seems that the pandas in China are raised together and socialize in large groups. What is the reason they do that and “we” don’t? I know we can’t put human traits on animals, but they seemed so happy with each other. But I guess they’d start fighting like all sisters do eventually! I bet ZZ misses her mom and found Su Lin to be a reminder of that experience. I wonder what the girls would think if they knew about the pudgy baby boy taking up mom’s time these days. Loved the video – thanks.
Moderator’s note: A previous post, Pandas Play Solitaire, explains our panda care philosophy.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Now I see Bai was just redecorating–and she brought some really big pieces of bamboo to corral her little guy with. Now, a meal, a snuggle, and–what else–a bath!
September 28th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I am SO GLAD to see you doing this!!! How exciting–for us and for the sisters. i want to know what vocalizations were heard–and what they mean–while the sisters interacted. can someone tell me? thanks. patricia
September 28th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
“Naturally these bears are solitary and we don’t want to do anything that could take away from the work that our researchers are doing and the headway the San Diego Zoo has made with our giant panda program!”
I heard that at one of the centers in Sichuan they were keeping 16 older panda cubs in one large enclosure (I’ve seen photos of these cubs mobbing robust playground gear, taken before the earthquake wrecked the playground). Are Su Lin and Zhen Zhen the single-”bedroom” control group to be compared to the 16-sharing-a-”room” experimental group?
September 28th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
At last – the news about the “girls” morning at the Howdy Gate”
The sisters really seemed to enjoy their time together 
I know you all say pandas are solitary animals but these 2 gals seemed to want to play with each other – & that’s why you all work at the zoo & we all have our so called “wonderful panda ideas!!! “)
Will be waiting to hear about any vocalazations & how the staff figures out what they mean. Seems like each SD panda is different somehow & so the studies continue as we all oohhhh & ahhh about our latest “plumpness” Anyone that has seen Bai “mauling” this cub – she seems to know this guy is a going to be a big one & she’ll have her “Paws” full & must teach him how to defend himself
September 28th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Thanks for posting the video. I was doing something silly, cleaning house. They are all so beautiful! Fun to watch the way they interact.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
What a great enrichment for our girls. And how entertaining for us. I’d love to hear the vocalizations. (I’ll have to watch the attached video – I watched it on youtube before — perhaps it’s on this video.)
I love the care you give these precious animals and I admire and commend the research! I also love the post on the last exam and the comparison of all the cubs. Thank you.
And Chubby Cubby is just that – man, he looks huge tonight!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
BTW, I love all the titles for the updates. Very cleaver.
(How many people are like me at night, and sit with their laptops right next to them all evening watching the cam? How do you spell ADDICT?)
September 28th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
What a lovely video! They really were excited to meet each other and so curious about one another. I am amazed at how they (especially one) were on their backs, showing their tummies and being submissive and calm with each other. In the animal world doesn’t that mean peace, submission and trust? It is amazing that that particular gesture was one of the first made and just shows how natural instincts hold firm, whether in the wild or in a zoo!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Seeing them interact like this was just adorable!!!!!!!!! Love those Pandas!!!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
What would happen if Su Lin and Zhennie got together minus the Howdy Gate? What if they are being denied a real family moment? No one can really see what happens in the wild, can they? Maybe, with supervision, they would be okay (just for a few minutes)…wouldn’t that be a good study too? Doesn’t China allow this? Just curious……..Not to disrespect SDZ.
Thank you…
September 28th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
What a delightful show of sisterly love! We can’t wait to see more of their interaction w/each other. The Pandas should have their own REALITY SHOW.
September 28th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
It was wonderful to see the sister enjoying each other at the Howdy Date. I just happen to get on the webcam as they were meeting it just made me want to cry to see how happy they were to be together.
Did they make any sounds?
Moderator’s note: Another post about the first meeting will be up Tuesday morning. Stay tuned!
September 28th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
#5 kathy, Canada
We don’t know if they can tell they are siblings through scent, but this is certainly a possibility.
#8 Danielle, NY
Zhen Zhen’s “submissive” posture was certainly an invite to play, and it was also likely an indication of submission. This would be expected, to some extent, because of their age difference and indicated that any aggression between the two was unlikely.
September 28th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Absolutely amazing!!!
September 28th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
greetings from the east coast. it was so great to see su lin and zhenie at the howdy gate. i know they are solitary creatures but both pandas seemed like they were having a good time. i just got back from spending the day in D.C., Of course we went to the air and space museum[ my grandson loves to go there] but mostly our trip was to see mei.tian ,and tai.. i felt really sad ,knowing that tai shan will be leaving next year, but i know that he needs to go home. my chinese adopted grand daughter, who is almost 3, said zhenie ,when she saw the pandas. she and i watch sdz panda cam most of the time .thank you ,all the staff who care for the pandas , and all the zoo family. i have only been on panda cams for about 2yrs but i am a pandaholic for sure.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Thanks, San Diego Zoo, for sharing all of this with us. It is amazing, heartwarming, soothing and wonderful to watch these beautiful pandas.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Thank you for that video!! It was so awesome to see the sisters interact! I am also very curious about the vocalizations and the bears’ reactions to them.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Linda #34–I have panda cam on all the time, no matter what else I’m doing. Luckily, I have a small apartment, so the computer is in the living room with the TV and whatever I’m working on. I, too, am a panda addict.
September 28th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Thank you for allowing us to see the sisters. What a joyous moment for all!
September 28th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Another question….what comes first, their hearing or when their little bitty ears stand up?
September 28th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
# 30 Mark,
In Sichuan, only cubs between 6 months old and 2 years old are kept in one large enclosure (aka. the panda kintergarden). The 16 pandas you saw together were roughly the same age. Once they are older than 2 years old, they get separated and have their own spaces.
ZZ is a two-year-old while Su Lin is four and is much bigger in size. Even in China, they usually don’t put two pandas with that much age and size difference together.
In fact, there is one panda in Sichuan whose name is Ching-Ching and was born in the winter. She is the only captive panda born in the winter and therefore she’s 6 months younger than those born in the past summer/fall and 6 months older than those to be born in the coming summer/fall. As a result, she didn’t go to the panda kintergarden to play with her peers, but instead she spent her entire childhood with her keepers.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Fascinating but so sad – they seemed so much to want to roll around, paw each other, play hide and find, and the gate just kept it all to minimal touch. It did not seem natural to keep them apart. They did lots of smelling, though and probably sounds but the clip did not include that. I hope the blog tomorrow will give lots of details.
That man in the red hat stood right in the way of the camera – no one seemed to care. Guess the camera operator had plenty else to do. Maybe he was the camera operator!
Moderator’s note: That man in the red hat is our own Dr. Don Lindburg, who used to head up the Zoo’s Panda Team. He is now retired, but still comes to check on the pandas. It is always good to see him!
September 28th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
What a delightful outcome to this enrichment program. Apparently no one expected this happy and immediate a response from the two sisters.
Clearly, they must each carry a part of Bai Yun’s scent, and they each recognize their relationship from that scent. It was instantaneous and totally different from what would be expected if two unrelated Pandas met for the first time.
It must have been like meeting their mother again after a long separation, and they displayed the same kind of playful behavior that they engaged in with her…. Remember??
This was a very fun and inspirational clip. Thank you very much for showing it to us. But, now I’m wondering if it would be possible to hear their vocalizations when they meet.
Jim Pommier
Santa Ana, CA
September 29th, 2009 at 1:21 am
What a wonderful video watching Su Lin & ZZ play, it was so adorable and interesting to watch how they interacted with each other. Thank you for sharing this event with all of us. They have grown up to be beautiful girls.
September 29th, 2009 at 1:47 am
To those who noted that in China pandas play together, I’m guessing that in China they have many cubs the same age who are raised together. Therefore they can be together in the same enclosure for many years.
Here we only have one cub at a time, so there will always be a two-year age difference and the pandas, except for scent, are strangers to each other when they meet at the howdy gate. As much as I’m sure ZZ wants to play, it would be irresponsible to put them together. Who could know if things might get out of hand? Su Lin must be twice ZZ’s size and isn’t a cub anymore.
It breaks my heart that ZZ can’t have a fun wrestling match with her sister, but my heart certainly would break if ZZ were hurt. So I have mixed feelings about the howdy gate experience. I’m sure it’s a positive for the bears and it’s wonderful for us to watch, but it’s an unfulfillable temptation for “my” beloved Zhennie. Sigh.
September 29th, 2009 at 2:02 am
What a treat to be able to see the two girls interact this way! Thanks for posting the video. I first saw it on YouTube last night, and now it’s here, too. They sure did seem to be having a high old time!
Anastasia, I’m really impressed with your blog, what I’ve encountered so far, and commend you for the great job you are doing — along with all the others on the Panda Team. I’m also enjoying all the comments from others, all around the world, who are such avid followers of our Panda Family. It’s a great tribute to SDZ to have so many watchers, with so many great comments and questions. It makes me proud to be in San Diego and a Zoo member, even though I don’t come in as often as I should! Maybe I’ll make it there soon!
September 29th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Thanks for the scoop on the panda sisters. I only got to see a few snippets that day, including one of the nose-to-nose moments. They looked curious and Su Lin looked a tiny bit perplexed at times (“Who is this little whippersnapper?”) so I’m glad to see the rest of their interaction. They’re such good girls! Zhen is very spirited and independent but she is also smart, so she somehow understands ‘panda protocol.’
It’s thought that the ranges of females in the wild don’t overlap much so this must be a rare glimpse of interactions between an adult female and a sub-adult female, albeit in a controlled environment. I hope a lot is learned from their vocalizations when they’re analyzed someday. So exciting!
September 29th, 2009 at 2:41 am
I forgot to say thank you for the great comparison chart, so…thank you! Love the picture of Hua Mei! Which panda is that at the bottom of the chart?
Moderator’s note: Hua Mei.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:51 am
The enrichment was certainly a success, for both pandas as well as for the people!
Thanks for sharing!
Joy
September 29th, 2009 at 7:25 am
I don’t really think they’d have problems in the same pen but that would only work if ZZ remained submissive. Obviously in the wild they may be solitary but they must come across each other occasionally. I can’t imagine that the females are as quick to fight as a male might be.
Still it is better not to change things. The Chinese put their cubs all together it seems but they do that right off and they have so many. It was so sweet to watch ZZ and Su Lin and one could see just how big Su Lin really is now. They seemed to take turns presenting their backs to be sniffed? Do you think that they have any way of knowing that they are related? I’m sure that ZZ knows that Su Lin isn’t her mother but you wonder just what they do think.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:31 am
It was such a great thing to see last week, I could not keep my eyes off the screen.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:36 am
I was thrilled when I watched the girls interact with each other, and wondered if they would ever be allowed in the same area. I lived in Mexico City for a year back in 1999 and having gone to the Zoo in Mexico, I was in awe of their exhibit of Pandas there. That was my first experience seeing live Panda bears. There had a wonderful play area with jungle gyms for them to climb and lots of space. They had two (2) pands out in the yard playing, so I thought that was normal. I hope our ZZ and Su Lin can meet in person. I think they would do find, both having come from such an incredible mother (Bai Yun) with such a beautiful disposition……..looking forward to more antics from these precious girls!!! Thanks for this amazing opportunity to view them. Good luck with you research – go forward!!!!!!!!!!
September 29th, 2009 at 8:05 am
#40 Panda Team, Thank you for your response. I may not have phrased well my previous posting, #8. I wrote what went through my mind when I was watching the videos in comparison to your blog. Since the pandas are solitary animals and not kept together besides couples, mothers with cubs, or groups of young pandas of about the same ages in Chinese nurseries, I was wondering why you “expect” or were “happy” about a certain behavior. Have there been observations of behaviors of pandas of different ages upon encounters in the wild, besides mating or fights between males during mating season? What do we know about female-female encounters?
As for ZZ being too independent, it is more in reference to her behavior as a cub, when she seemed not to listen to the orders from her mother whenever it did suit her. She would have been born in the NZ, I can imagine that there would have been many nights when we would have seen on the pandacam desperate keepers with a flashlight trying to get her down from her tree. But even if she is grown up now, I can’t really picture her as being submissive, but that might just be me…
September 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
You mentioned Su Lin is a reproductively mature female… are there any plans of barrowing one of the other zoos boys… to come for a visit? I think it would be interesting to see what her reaction would be this soon in life. Do Panda’s mate for life? Or is it just our pair that is lucky?
September 29th, 2009 at 8:25 am
OH my mental picture.. two years from now… chubby cubby.. with his sisters.. and he is DOUBLE THEIR SIZE… at the howdy gate… They are bears… we need to remember that. If they TOTALLY wanted too.. couldn’t they just “move” the gate? We are not talking tiny little girls here… Panda’s are not wimps in the wild are they? I know they seem passive but.. THEY ARE bears.. do they have any traits of a different kind of bear?
September 29th, 2009 at 8:42 am
#30 Mark
Since the inception of the panda program, our goal has been to provide the most naturalistic experience possible for the bears at the San Diego Zoo. That said, we felt that allowing Su Lin and Zhen Zhen to “play” may be a great enrichment for them both. We can make informal comparisons between the Zoo’s pandas and those at Wolong, but that is about it.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Morning in Panda Canyon
I switched on my pc, and who do I see?
The princess Su Lin, up in her tree!!
She was pensive and staring,
‘Til she started moving,
Looking around as if to say,
“Should I climb up or go down,
Or just stay where I am,
Up here in my beautiful tree!!”
I was pleasantly surprised to see Su Lin on the cam early this morning – I was half expecting to see the great mama bear and her chubby cub; hence, the inspired verse.
For those of us who dearly wish to see Su Lin and Zhennie brought together without the barrier “just like they do in China”, if you look at the videos from Bifengxia and Chengdu, you will note that all the bears that are together in one location (cubs or adults) are roughly the same age. I have, so far, not seen bears of different ages brought together in one enclosure. Also, these bears have grown up together since birth and they are used to seeing, and interacting, with each other. Still, it was wonderful to see the two sisters having their “chat” and looking very playful, indeed.
Thank you SDZ for giving us these moments that give us a break from the routines of our day.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:47 am
They keep pandas together in China. Heck, they even let tourists go in and put cubs for a fee! Maybe pandas are only solitary because there are so few pandas. It looked like they enjoy being together. Is there even a SMALL possibility that you will put them together in the future? They seemed so happy to be together and so sad to part. You might learn more if you put them together.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:51 am
I have been a panda watcher since Bai Yun and Shi Shi first got here. I think the San Diego Zoo team have done a magnificent job these last 12 years. Obviously they know what they are doing. Lets enjoy our pandas and leave the raising to the experts.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:10 am
WHAT AN EMOTIONAL VIDEO…PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL ALL ROLLED UP IN ONE….THEY LOVED IT, ESPECIALLY LITTLE Z Z…………..
September 29th, 2009 at 10:13 am
#65 ags: Pandas in China do play together but they are the same age/size. Panda cubs can play quite rough and 100 pound difference could be dangerous, she might inadvertently hurt her sister. So I understand the zoo’s decision. I’ve seen pandas play fighting on video and it can be quite scary, if Su got aggressive without meaning too, ZZ would be at a disadvantage in defending herself. Imagine someone outweighing you by 100 lbs and sitting on your leg..ouch!!
#61 Tina: Pandas don’t mate with one panda exclusively except in zoos where they are assigned a partner due to space limitations/restrictions. In the wild a female panda would mate with several males during estrus and vice versa. At Wolong reserve Mei Sheng mated with a female that had already mated with another panda – mimicking the wild and upping the chances that they conceive.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Totally Cool.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Thank you soooooo much for this video, they are so cute especially ZZ rolling around. Having just returned home from my vacation in SD( suffering severly with jet lag let alone returning to work) & camping out at Panda Canyon this has put a huge smile on my face. SD Zoo are very lucky to have Kay, Ellie & Anna who were so informative and funny with stories about all of the panda bears daily & please pass on my thanks to these staff. Looking forward to many more ‘Sister Act Videos’ to keep me going until my next visit in Sept 10.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Thanks for the video…I live in hawaii so I won’t be able to see it on pam cam…so thanks for showing to us…I think ZZ wanted to play..but yes you guys are right Su Lin is way bigger then her..I know SDZ policy is never to get them together..
maybe in the near future you would have TWO or more females so the babies can play together like in China? Can’t you guys buy a panda?
September 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Thanks so much for the video!!!!!!!!! What excitement for them and for us. I also would love to see them together on the same side of the fence, but I understand that it can’t be risked.
September 29th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Fantastic!! And what a treat to be able to see it on video. Thank you SDZ!
September 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Thank you SDZ, that was fabulous to see my Su-Lin with her little sister, my how she has grown, and zz too, they were so cute together. You can’t help but wonder if they know they are related.
September 29th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Thanks for letting me know who that cute panda is at the bottom of the comparison chart, moderator (comment #55). That picture of Hua Mei could double as a photo of young panda in the wild. Neat!
September 29th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’m another one who was surprised to see the girls together at the gate, and at first thought it might be Bai Yun and Zhen Zhen, then realized it couldn’t be, because SDZ would never do anything to distract Bai from Chubby Cubby. I’m so glad I got to see the meeting on Panda Cam, but especially glad you posted the video. Wonderful to watch. Thanks.
September 29th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Thanks, Ying, Fonsia, Peggy, and Panda Team for all your informative responses!
“Heck, they even let tourists go in and put cubs for a fee! ”
Please tell me they don’t do that at Beijing Zoo where Gu Gu lives. Three separate people on three separate occasions (in 2006, 2007, and 2009) have climbed into Gu Gu’s enclosure and got the result you’d expect from a bear defending himself and his territory from strangers.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Ok so they don’t know each other, but from research you know they may fight? The looked like they despreatly wanted to play and hug. Would they know their mother? would they also fight if they later saw each other? so interesting. those youtubes from China show alot of pandas together, they are just young?
Moderator’s note: Yes, they are young pandas that have grown up together.