Yun Zi starts his day even earlier than his keepers!
The alarm generally goes off at “oh-dark-hundred” in the morning, for most keepers at the San Diego Zoo begin their work day at 6 a.m. Upon arrival at work, one changes into a uniform and shoes that are used only on Zoo grounds. The Red Book, a daily diary recording relevant information, will be checked: the keeper is looking to see what extra tasks are occurring that day, such as a tour or work by Horticulture staff in an exhibit, or if something unusual occurred during their day off that they need to know about. Phone messages are checked for additional instructions or general information that the staff needs to know. Two different calendars are checked: one gives the time and location when panda observers will be collecting data; the other tells whether or not a panda hearing study is happening that day. These calendars help dictate when certain animals are fed.
All animals at the Zoo are to be checked by 7 a.m. each day. The panda keeper checks each of the pandas and also the deer that are housed in several different exhibits to be certain that the animals and exhibits are fine for the day.
The pandas are hungry in the morning: providing breakfast is a priority. The two that spend their days in what we call the classroom exhibits stay overnight in a large series of rooms, some covered, some open-air. For each classroom, the keeper delivers the food (bamboo and a small portion of biscuits, apples, carrots, and yams), flushes the drinker, fills the pool, puts out one or more enrichment items, and checks the area for anything that needs attention. Then, each panda is given access to their classroom for the day. Currently, Gao Gao, our panda sire, lives in one classroom while Zhen Zhen, one of his daughters, lives in the other.
Yun Zi regards the keepers as play objects.
One then moves down to the main viewing exhibits. In these areas, the bedrooms are relatively small, and the animal has access to both the exhibit and the bedroom. This means cleaning the exhibits of feces and leftover bamboo from the previous evening, then doing the tasks as listed for the classroom exhibits. Su Lin and Bai Yun move into their respective bedrooms while their exhibits are serviced. If Yun Zi, Bai Yun’s cub, remains up in one of the trees, we are able to clean the exhibit while he is present; however, he sometimes comes down from the tree and regards the keeper as a play object. This does not aid the clean-up effort, and he’s too big and strong for us to allow his attentions. So, when this happens, he is picked up and placed in a tunnel, to which Bai Yun is then given access. As he approaches 50 pounds (22 kilograms) in weight, there’s a lot to carry, and he sometimes reaches out to snag the door with his claws, thereby making the process more difficult, but these occasions do allow an opportunity to get a weight on him.
Check back soon for Part 2 of a Panda Keeper’s Day!
Karen Barnes is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read her previous post, All about Bamboo.
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July 16th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Thanks Karen,
Sounds like a busy but rewarding job. You sure look after your animals very well.
Really enjoy all the Panda posts.
Karin
July 16th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Karen…what a busy, busy day keepers have! I enjoyed hearing exactly what their normal day entails…one question,
do the keepers who work at SDZ go to school and intend to work in zoos when they graduate?
Thanks for keeping us in the loop!
Auntie Kat
Moderator’s note: These days, a lot of them do. We do have a fact sheet on what it takes to be a keeper, if you’d like more info.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:01 am
National Keepers week starts on Sunday. So my hats off to all the keepers world wide and the support staff that’s behind them. I’m sure all the animals if they could talk would send kudos to their keepers. Have a great week, you all deserve the recgniziton
.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:21 am
I could just see Yun Zi snagging the doorway to the tunnel…..He is getting so big! Can’t be easy on the back lugging him around!….. but must bring a chuckle out of the keepers just to see him resisting their choice to get him out of the way so that the work can be done. Thank you for all the work you do to keep these wonderful Panda’s healthy and happy.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Thanks so much for sharing this information with us. I have often wondered if the zoo keepers clean and tend to the area while Yun Zi is nearby. The part about the tunnel was very interesting and I can see its usefullness. You answered so many questions and the San Diego Zoo is so fortunate to have such an awesome team of keepers and staff.
Thanks Karen!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Moderator, thank you for your quick response! I would LOVE to be a keeper, but I think I may be older than what they look for… besides, instead of finishing up my chores, I’d probably hide in the bushes and when no one is looking, I’d play with the pandas! I just don’t know how you all resist…..hmmmm, maybe because you don’t want to lose your exciting, fullfilling jobs! Minor detail!
I am gonna check the fact sheet out, though….you never know!
Thanks and happy Friday to you all at SDZ!! You beautiful hoomans (borrowing from Lucille)!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Great article!! When I first saw the title, I thought, “Cool!! A day to celebrate the SDZ Panda Keepers! How fitting it’s in Aug, the mo of many SDZ panda birthdays! Hope it’s when we’re there for the B & W Overnight!”
Although a day honoring SDZ Panda Keepers seems well-deserved to me, it is also really great to know about “a day in the life of…” We really do appreciate all you do for these beautiful bears. To see them is to know they are very well cared for. It’s also good to know even as young as Yunior the pandas like to “help.”
Looking forward to the sequal of “Panda Keepers Day”
I still think we could put something together for say, Sat, Aug 21st or Sun, Aug 22nd. We pandaholics are really adept at quickly planning celebrations. Think about it!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Karen–what a great post! I can just see Yunnie reaching out his paw to hang on to the doorway when being “escorted” into the tunnel and I love the lower picture–Yun Zi surveying his yard. Can’t wait for part 2…
July 16th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Thanks Karen. I often wondered what time your day begins. I can see Yun Zi patiently waiting for someone to play with. Ha Ha. Do you ever have to chase him to pick him up? I can hardly wait for Part II.
Thanks again.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Great posting Karen. Have a question though: Are all the panda staff female? If so why? I’m the right sex but live too far away for you to call if you ever need to use a sick day.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Last month when I visited the exhibit the keepers came in around lunch time. Bai Ynm was soooo ready for her lunch and it was so cute as she went to the back fence as though telepathically communicating to the people getting her lunch ready. Yun Zi was in his little spot in the tree and the keepers fanned some leaves to him as he was totally content with that. There seemed to be a great relationship between the keepers and Yun Zi. It was GREAT! It has been wonderful watching the little guy grow. Watching Doxie’s videos are good, too.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Hi! Just saw little Yuni on the big rock all curled up napping! Could barely see him because of the sun angle except for his big black shoulders showing thru! I was on the cam at around 2:30pm EDT today. Did you all hear about DC and National Zoo feeling a 3.6 earthquake today? That had to be the weirdest feeling for them! Got on the NZ pandacams, and Mei Xiang was at the door probably wanting to go outside, Tian Tian on the other cam snoozing by the platform.
Gonna go and check the other pandacams, so will be back later on.
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
July 16th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Can’t wait for part 2…
My question is – Are the same keepers assigned to the same Pandas everyday or is there a rotation?
July 16th, 2010 at 11:54 am
50 pounds . . . . that’s alotta Yunior!
July 16th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
PLEASE SPRINT-NOT JOG OR WALK TO RITA PETITA’S FLIKR PAGE FOR FABULOUS NEW PHOTOS OF ZHEN ZHEN.
She wants to learn surfing too, and is practicing in her pool on a blue ring tube. Yun Zi is certainly influencing the other Pandas. What would we do without our Rita???Here is the link in case you do not have it handy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
July 16th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Just think–Yun Zi was the tiny baby who at one time you carried in your hands from the den to his examinations, and now he’s “too big and strong”, and “reaches out to snag the door” if he doesn’t want to leave the exhibit. That must be an amazing experience, to watch these little ones gradually grow until they’re bigger than we are. Still, it must also make you proud…
July 16th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
WEEGEE BE SURE TO CHECK BACK on the earlier blogs to get some answers to questions there….for example I just answered a bit about telling our bears apart……I keep an eye on all 3 blogs listed at sny time…it makes sure we know the answers to some of the questions we ask.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
MORE NEWS ON THE “SHANGHAI 10″ PANDAS. feeds (dot) feedburner (dot) com/PandasLiveOn Repair link by removing spaces and (dot) and replace with a period.
There is a nice close-up of Su Lin right now on the Panda Cam…..thank you camera operator/
July 16th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
I volunteer to keep that little ball of fur busy while they are cleaning up
July 16th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
#10 Lee
Currently, the panda care staff is all female, but this is not intentional, as we’ve had male panda keepers in the past.
July 16th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Thank you for the update on a Panda Keeper’s Day. Cannot wait for part 2. I sure wish I can play with Yun Zi.
50 pounds. You have to be pretty strong to carry Yun Zi back to the tunnel. How old does Yun Zi have to be before he has to be inside the tunnel before you clean his exhibit?
Moderator’s note: One! Know you know why.
July 16th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
It is 15:34 hrs on the SDZ panda cam and it’s dark, and I’m looking at an empty hammock.
Oh where, oh where has that Yun Zi gone,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his dotted tail and his furry paws,
Oh where, oh where can he be?
(with apologies to the original songwriter).
July 16th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Thanks Debbie. I just wondered as I had only seen women lately. There may have been a good reason for it but I couldn’t think of any other than women are more patient (in my opinion).
July 16th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Weegee: Thanks for the info on Keeper Tom. I’ve seen him before in a few videos. He is one of the night keepers right? One of the other bloggers knew the woman was the vet. I think it was her that gave LP her enema after she ate LH’s panda cake… Poor LP… I would love to know Thai so I can figure out what the keepers say on the Daily HiLights… They are always so animated and smiling so you know they are telling a funny story about LP.
How to tell the Pandas apart? Some of the others are really good at it.. I have to rely on the cameras…. Except for Gao. I’m like Grammmie.. I know Bai and Yun Zi by the exhibit they are in. Bai definitely has a more matronly look about her though. I don’t think I would be able to tell Su Lin and Zhen apart.
Yunior is usually asleep too when I check on him. If it weren’t for DoxieMom’s video’s and RitaPetita’s pictures, I wouldn’t get to see much. So when you see links to DM and RP, be sure to click on them. If you want to see Yunior as a baby, check those out on SDZ’s video’s… they are really good and there are even some with Zhennie as a baby…
Does your zoo have a blog like this where the keepers will post interesting information about the pandas?
July 16th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Sounds like a busy, early, but oh so wonderful day! To just be near the pandas…heavenly! Thank you all SDZ keepers for the work you do for all our beloved animals!!
July 16th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I found a video from 2008 in which Zhen Zhen The Frisky decided that playing with a Keeper was most exciting
I think watching it will give you all a pretty good idea about why when pandas become a year old, it’s time to take them off exhibit prior to doing housekeeping 
Some lucky visitor captured the fun 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk_Q6Hce6ZM
July 16th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I’m glad Bobbie Wood found that video of ZZ and the keeper for illustration.
July 16th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Thank you, Karen for the post. Panda Keepers have a busy day with the pandas, I kinda want to be a Panda Keeper when I am older, so it was nice for me to hear about their duties and such. I love the 2 pictures of Yun Zi, he looks very clean in the first photo, and is very big! Fifty pounds :-O I can’t wait for Part Two!
Lee in Vancouver- It seems like the Panda Staff are all women, I have never seen a panda post by a man. Maybe, the majority of them are female, but I don’t know why they wouldn’t allow men for the job. Hmm..
Moderator’s note: We have had men panda keepers, but none of them ever wrote a blog post. Hmm…
July 16th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
#15-Thank you, Grammie, for the website. Rita is sure an amazing photographer, she captures our babies just perfect! After looking over her photographs, I just can’t help but smile and feel better! Amazing!
Keep up the charming work, both of you!
Thanks!
July 16th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
p.s. Maybe the SDZ should invest in a little red flyer wagon to cart Little Cloud around in…I bet he would love that!
I will buy it for him, if you think that would be a good idea and approve… hurry though, as we all know he’s one little guy growing by leaps and bounds!
Auntie Kat
July 16th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
#19 L J You are just too kind.
#20 THANKS TO RITA PETITA Here is a photo of Brad the Keeper with Miss Z Z. Well acually I got tired of looking and tried a search and got a page and a half of photos for all to choose from. He is not a Panda Keeper now….but ZZ was determined to remove his shoe one day. Just click on any photo to enlarge it for a better look. Third row down, photos 1 and 2 from left are the shoe stealing ones….but all of the photos are great.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=keeper+Brad+and+panda&ni=20&ei=utf-8&y=Search&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=1&fb=1
#22 PANDAFAN-NORTH No apologies—I love it.
#26 BOBBIE WOOD Yeah for having the video to go with it.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
For those that have seen Tai Shan & his keeper. Brian check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GdjQKCKhfQ&NR=1
July 16th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I heard a short preview of a news story on t-v about some zoo needing panda keepers…but I missed the rest of the story. I don’t think it was SDZ.
I couldn’t stay for rest of story. Sorry
July 16th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Thank you for the info. I was at the zoo the last week of June, I really enjoyed it. Everyone was very
helpful and areas were all very clean. Got to see ZZ having fun in and out of the tree and with her toys.
San Diego is a great place. Lot of interesting things to see and also see the show.
lu
Moderator’s note: Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit, Lu!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
wow, karen…….SDZ panda keepers ‘re quite handful, u guys have to take care of both pandas and deers!!!! Chiangmai Zoo panda keepers usually take responsibility for pandas only. after a panda channel’s on aired, they now have to look after all panda fans also….LOL…
Karen, about yams that u feed d pandas, u feed them raw or cooked.
CmZ feeds pandas with, many kinds of bamboos, apples, carrots, and bamboo cookies. CC loves all red apples (once the keeper gave him green apple, he sniffed and threw it away), he hates carrots but doesn’t mind to eat. Opposite to LH, LH loves carrots and everything. She’s the most easy going one, compares to CC and LP. LP’s just another duplication of CC.
I left a question at #33, previous blog about LH’s long sleep , could u please tell me whether bai does the same thing sometime?
Grammmie and Dianna-Ohio – Thanx for answer my question. Actually it’s hard for us to see the details of each panda due to the limited of the cam, that’s why i’d love to hear from the insider who has a better opportunity to be close to this lovely creature.
Grammmie – when u mentioned about Gao Gao has webbing between two toes on his left foot, i wonder if he could be a good swimmer…..
#24 Dianne-ohio – all CmZ keepers will take turn to do 3 ships starting from 8am – 4pm, 4pm – midnight, and midnight – 8am. (there are 7 keepers taking care of 3 pandas.)
In the daily highlight, most of the time u’d find 2 guys taking turn to tell a story. The older with lighter skin complexion is Mr. Prasertsak ( nickname – Tor ) and the younger with darker skin complexion is Mr. Anuwong (nickname – Tae). Mr. Tor is a head of Thailand Panda research team, he has the most authority to the pandas and his staffs, yet he does every duties like the other keepers. (Personally, i think LP trusts and respects him the most.) Tae is a head of the keepers, he’s the most affectionate one and LP loves and trusts him like a big brother.
What they talked in the highlight were about things they’d done from the beginning to the end of each day. Like in Karen blog today.
@Pandafan – north and everyone – I’ve a clip of 10 pandas @ theExpo 2010, please check it out;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li1T2aBx_as
hope u enjoy it.
Panda a day, bring u d happiness always.
Moderator’s note: Our pandas are offered raw yams as part of their diet.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
24@Dianna…if you get the Google Chrome browser it will translate the web pages for you. It’s free too.
SDZ…I would never get my work done there cuz chasing Yunior would be just too much fun. Thanks to how well you take care of our favorite bears. I wish I lived closer just to be able to come see them. Maybe one day I’ll book a flight from VA and just come visit. Watching Yunior through the past few months has been my therapy. I lost my mom in Oct and dad in June. They were older and lived full lives, but I still needed Panda therapy to kept me smiling. What you guys do for us is more than just provide wonderful care and great information for the bears. At 44, I’m now like a kid when I talk about my bears and show their pictures to everyone. My friends think I’m a little crazy, but I can talk to other like minded on here and always be accepted. May our joint craziness help to save these wonderful bears.
Moderator’s note: I glad you’ve found some comfort with panda “therapy,” julie.
July 17th, 2010 at 12:32 am
Thanks for the great update. It seems like Yunior isn’t so little any more……….but he is still a cutie pie. Sometimes when he is curled up, he looks like a cup cake!
July 17th, 2010 at 6:55 am
Moderator – The male elephant keepers do a great job writing blog posts so a male panda keeper COULD as well.
How many panda keepers are there?
Moderator’s note: Of course they could
Our keepers are great and tomorrow is the start of National Zoo Keeper Week. Visit us or your local zoo and show your support for the wonderful job they do! As far as numbers, let’s just say we have what we need to take splendid care of our bamboo bears.
July 17th, 2010 at 8:01 am
I think Zhen Zhen’s wild streak is all in the family
Here is a link which features Mei Sheng showing off for his fans 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jic7QuO9brI
July 17th, 2010 at 8:30 am
And…here is Su Lin at the same age Yun Zi is now. Look how much younger the tree is
http://www.youtube.com/user/cutesmallfuzzy#p/u/38/LaQDl0QUUIM
July 17th, 2010 at 8:44 am
I enjoy hearing what goes on behind the scenes. We appreciate all the work done at the zoo and wild animal park. Your part in animal conservation make the world a better place.
Rita pepita, great pictures!
July 17th, 2010 at 8:49 am
#26 Bobbie Wood — Thank you for posting the video of Zhen & the keeper — it’s a “keeper.”
July 17th, 2010 at 11:38 am
Thanks for the great post Karen. I so wish I was a Keeper. Pandas and/or Polar Bears would be lovely but I don’t mind – as long as I am near animals I am happy.
July 17th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Thanks Karin for a ‘day in the life’ look at your job. We get short glimpses of the keepers at work on the panda cam from time to time…
What you do to care for our pandas and all the animals is amazing. A true labor of love.
Fifty pounds!! I will remember that when I lug a large sack of mulch into the garden…. and the sack doesn’t have teeth or claws!!
July 17th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
#36, Julie – yes, panda terapy is quite effective. Warning: it quickly becomes addictive!
Keeper question: do pandas have a good sense of color? In other words, are they more attracted to a red ball than a green one, or vice versa?
Thanks to you all for making our panda addictions possible!
Moderator’s note: Zoo Atlanta did a study on panda color vision and found they can see several shades of green, as well as other colors.
July 17th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
#35 WEEGEE The Zoo wonders about his swimming ability too…..their pools here are quite shallow so he has not been observed swimming. Maybe we should let him try out the Polar Bear Plunge—-ooops—-no good—he is not fond of cold. They do not know why the one pair of toes are webbed together, nor why he passed it on to his 4 cubs…..the same two toes, same foot. A good way to study the Pandas close up would be to go to Rita Petita’s Flikr page, she has been photographing our Pandas for 11 years…almost every weekend….if you start looking for shapes of noses, the shadows on top of noses, cheeks, ears, eye patch shapes and sizes, etc. you may be able to get some ideas about differences between the bigger pandas, and how much they look alike during their first year. Every photo is dated and has the Pandas name on it I believe. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
I just watched the video from the link you posted….thank you so much—it is a fun must see for everybody. MC IN SHANGHAI visited the “Shanghai 10″ often—and sent us his own videos, and lots of other links. He is not able to write, right now, but reads the blog and comments often. Your Video is completely different from the ones he sent. I do not know if he is close enough to take his family to the wild animal park where they now reside.
All of you who wondered about CK can ask anything you want now—I always knew one day we would get you guys someone in Tailand to help you out.
#39, 40 BOBBIE WOOD Thank you—great watching.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thanks, Karen, for this fascinating peek into the day of a panda keeper (a dream for many of us!), and for taking such good care of the pandas and other animals. It made my day picturing a rambunctuous Yunior coming down to play with the fun keepers and then grasping onto the door in a desperate attempt to stay! Hee Hee – what a cutie pie trouble-maker
I saw him interacting with one of the keepers this morning – he stayed in his little hammock, though. I couldn’t believe how big he looked next to the keeper – time has flown by so quickly since we were first trying to get a glimpse of him from beneath Bai Yun’s protective paw. I am just so happy that he continues to grow and thrive thanks to the wonderful environment and all the love and care he gets!
July 17th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
#39 Bobbie Wood — what a treat the Mei Sheng video is — I particularly enjoyed his pushing the rocks over the edge. He will always be my favorite.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
WEEGEE I JUST REVIEWED SOME OF THE LAST COMMENTS ON THE LAST TWO BLOGS, and found that I had not watched the video links you sent us. My bad. I got distracted and then forgot I had planned to watch them all at once when I had a quiet few minutes. They are all wonderful. Loved the “Crowning of the Queen”, but surely the diary was the best—–now if we could just understand what she was saying as she narrated her experiences. We would not want to hurry you—-you need time to acclimate yourself to our blog, but then-when you have time, you could let us know what she says.
#41 DANIELLE, NY Thanks for Bao Bao information.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Hey everybody, I just wanted to say that I will not be commenting this week because I will be out of town and will have no access to a computer. When I come home, I will surely get back onto the blogs and hopefully there will be a new post and a post on PandasLiveOn and new pictures on Flickr from Rita. I will probably comment tomorrow morning before I leave.
Peace, Love and Pandas CIAO!!!!
July 17th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
LOL…………………I can just visualize YunZi being carried and then whamo!, his arms and legs spread out and no entry into the tunnel…LOL………..what a little goof………..Love those pandas♥♥♥
July 17th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
GREAT POST KAREN
July 17th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
weegee thanks, have been watching lp and family for a long time. she is one wild panda.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:25 am
@Lee from Vancouver – Panda snow dome is about 580m2. Yet I haven’t heard any news about letting the pandas in. The new indoor exhibit is just next to the old one and every exhibits include the back yard (out door exhibit) are located in the same area.
@Jeslyn – Sandiego – Glad that u love them. Let me know if i could be any help.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:02 am
Karen, love your updates on the care of the zoo animals.
Each panda has had it’s own unique personality and keeps us entertained. Especially enjoyed the videos on Zen Zen. She is such an active gym like gal! Thank you bloggers.
Waiting for part 2!
Thank You!!!!
July 18th, 2010 at 6:29 am
Thank you for giving us this information. A busy day for the wonderful people at the SDZ. I’d love to see Yun Zi coming down from the tree and trying to play with his keeper. That would have been a great video. He’s growing so fast. A lovely, lovely family.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:34 am
THE FIRST THREE PICTURES ON RITA PETITA’S PAGES ARE ABOUT MOMMA BAI Correcting Yunior’s behavior. He was a BBBAAADDD boy. I love the picture where he is on his back and both front feetsies up by his head as if in surrender.
We are all hoping that this weekend’s “floatopia” does not get Z. Z. in trouble. For those not familiar with the concept–no alcohol on the beaches, so gather everybody on anything that floats until you make a big island off shore just a bit and have a few drinks. As usual not everybody stops at just a few, and we hope Zhen Zhen is just having sodas, and only stays about five minutes, or decides to just stay at the zoo. She was getting set to go in her pool this week—the photos do not lie.
So enjoy the day, and if you get to the zoo let YZ know we still love him, and ZZ that her pool is the place to be. We do not think there will be other Pandas at Floatopia-and she might be led astray…here is the link to Rita’s great photo pages. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
July 18th, 2010 at 6:37 am
Thank you, Karen, for a wonderful and most interesting post. I was quite amazed to learn that panda keepers have to attend to so many tasks. It looks like a very versatile job which makes it even more interesting. We pandaholics all envy you for being so close to all the pandas. I can just imagine Yuni trying to “attack” you keepers imagining you guys being another lovely toy to play with. By the way, Yun Zi is so adorable. I just love the photo of him sitting in the tree checking out the area below. Thank you for taking such good care of “our” pandas, your devotion is much appreciated.
#26,39,40 Bobbie Wood and Grammmie, #31, thank you for pointing out all the lovely videos of the different pandas. Mind you, I guess, as far as climbing a tree and other objects is concerned they are all champions! #36 Julie, I could not agree more, to watch the panda cam and read the blogs and posts does provide a lot of comfort. I hope that the loss of your parents no matter how old they were will ease your pain when looking at “our” gorgeous pandas. The panda cam etc. did help me also a lot when I experienced a loss if that nature.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:40 am
Weegee: Sometimes the Panda Team is too busy to answer our questions right away, so don’t think they are ignoring you about the question on Bai and the sleeping. Every once in a while they will post responses to alot of our questions… From what I’ve read on this blog and the other zoo’s… the bears will sleep more in the summer and eat less…
Some of the bloggers can tell the difference in the bears by their eye patches. I haven’t been able to do that. I think SuLin looks more like Bai and Zhen looks more like Gao…. If you see a panda leaping around in the trees and playing with her enrichments, then that will be Zhennie…
Thanks for the continuing lessons on your keepers. We were calling Mr. P “HK” for head keeper and Tae “CK or SCK” for cute keeper or sweet cute keeper…
I enjoy watching the keepers work with LP. When LP doesn’t want to learn anymore, she gets up and does a dance or oozes off her platform or she acts goofy. I really liked the video of LH with the tire on her head. She’s one of my favorites and she’s such a good mom…
Do you know if your keepers are going to start weaning LP and LH in preparation for another cub?
July 18th, 2010 at 6:52 am
TO SEE THIS YEAR’S FIRST WOLONG’S PANDA BIRTH GO TO THIS LINK. feeds (dot) feedburner dot) com/PandasLiveOn To repair the link remove all spaces and (dot) and relace with a period. Click on each photo to see where it leads.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:59 am
Julie’s comment about losing her parents and that the SDZ pandas provide panda therapy really hit home! My mom passed this January and my dad the year before so the pandas are my therapy. Amazing how they make you feel so good inside.
Saturday, I finally got to see the panda keepers with Yun Zi. It was so much fun to watch that big baby panda in his hammock being hand delivered bamboo!
Thanks to you all, Pat
July 18th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Great camera work this morning. Yun Zi laying in his hammock and munching away on bamboo using his back foot to balance it. Too cute for words and a wonderful way to start the day with a big smile on my face! Thank you camera person for the great shot and I finally got to see the size of his back feet—-all I can say is WOW.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:57 am
Just like trying to put a cat in a carrier. They latch onto anything they can in order to stay out. Very busy day and you didn’t add the day when the heat is already there even at 6 a.m. Rewarding work but certainly a lot to get in and it is amazing that all the animals have to be checked in just an hour. I mean you do this every sngle day so some of it is routine but still it is a lot to get done.
I see Yunior is still working on the bamboo. He sees mama eating it but right now he probably wonders why she eats it at all. I doubt it tastes that great to him and milk is much more appealing but all babies are like that. Great photos of him on the Panda Cam this morning.
July 18th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I was just on PandasLiveOn and read their 2 most recent posts. Happy birthday to Le Le, who is now 12 today! He’s such a big boy now! His Partner Ya Ya’s birthday is coming up to on the third which is the same birthday as Ms. Zhennie! Also, a panda was born in Wolong! His name is Zhu Yun, and I was wondering what that means? I will try and find out today. I am very glad the panda bear is healthy and I hope he stays that way! There are also some really cute pictures of Bai and Yunior, theres just 2 but they are just adorable! Those two are so cute together!!
Anyway, so I will be out of town and won’t be commenting this week. I just wanted to let you know. Ok, bye!
Peace, Love and Pandas CIAO!
Annie Panda
P.S.
Also, on thursday it is Mei Xiang’s birthday, so I would like to say Happy Birthday to her now! When I went to D.C. in June I remember seeing the pandas, walking around, eating, going into the water. I don’t know if it was Tian Tian or Mei that I saw, I think it might have been Tian Tian…
July 18th, 2010 at 11:58 am
DoxieMom: Yunnie is playing with his tire and Momma Bai is playing too… Hope you can get this on video..
2:57 EST
July 18th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Its 12:00 and I am watching the panda cam. Rita better be getting some pictures of this cause Bai and Yunnie are just so cute together! They’re rolling around and playing and theres a little toy for Yunior and it absolutely adorable! Ok, I have to go now, Bye!
July 18th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I’ve been watching pandas here, Atlanta, DC and Thailand for the past 9 months. This is my first time posting. I’ve learned so much by watching all the sites and love all the info from everyone! I was excited to see Weegee’s entry as I do not know anyone who speaks Thai and have had to guess what is being said. I have improved my observation skills.
Weegee are the pandas cool enough when they are out on exhibit? They seem to be panting very heavily. The NZ in Washington gives their pandas an ice treat of fruit juice, water and pieces of fruit every day. They seem to really enjoy them. Do you think this may be something they may give LP, LH and CC? Here is a link to the bears loving this treat.
Pandas Keep Cool With Icy Treats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2UeceC1OOk
I was also wondering what many of the fans write in their letters to the head keeper. His name is Tor – right?
Some of the letters are pages long and Tor uses different tones of voices. Are these stories?
Finally, why does LP receive extra milk in the bowl? What is in it? Is this because LH can not supply enough milk for the fast growing LP?
Thanks for your help Weegee!
July 18th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
GREAT WORK ON THE WEB CAM THIS AFTERNOON. Every time I thought they were done playing for a time they would start up again. Yun Zi was even caught climbing up the tree to take advatage of the mister. Whomever was working the web cam “thank you”.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I definitely know what i want to do in my next life now.
July 18th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Oh Karen, you hit a home run in information again!!Bated breath for part two. How in the world do you ever get it all done?? But you have a lively life and a loving one. I am sure the bears all love you too. 50 pounds! WOW! I still go back to his medical days when he is so little and we delight in his every move or wave bye bye.(Thanks for that kathy!.)
Too cute from such a little guy!I thinkl the world must read every blog, and so keep up too! I remember a video where Zhen Zhen was “helping” a keeper. He picked her up and carried her off too. She wanted his pants leg -climb it, chew on it, or “just because.” Wonderful video of miscihief girl. Keep the blogs coming. My Doctor gets on your panda cam and watches and reads and sees all. He loves it!Told me that last week when I was there. My daughter and I tell all and everywhere about SDZ and the wonderful work you do. She and John have been members since before Bai Yun got pregnant with the first one. They love it and walk it all!
July 18th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
To: ALL ZOO KEEPERS ALL OVER THE NATION/WORLD: We LOVE You and we have the ultimate respect for your dedication in caring for your subjects (AKA: Stars, Animals, endangered or not)! Our debt to you all is beyond measure!
Diana # 65 and Panda Annie # 66 and DOXIMOM!!!: I was able to watch a portion and hoped that DoxiMom would find the fun!!!
Grammmie: You are so very great about placing Rita’s links on this blog!! Her photos are fantasic and I find them a great way to start my mornings
Annie # 45: Thank you for asking about Pandas seeing in color! Moderator: Thank you for responding!
Susan (UK) # 43: Me too
July 18th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
#50 ANNIE PANDA Have a good week—we will look forward to hearing from you when you get back.
#58 RUTH FROM AUSTRIA I think lots of u s felt like Panda Keepers lead a glamorous life, but the blog tells it like it really is, not all playing with the Pandas, but rewarding just the same.
#61 PAT Many of us decided this year, who no longer have their parents, to let Bai be our mother and Gao our father on Mother’s and Father’s Days. It helped me.
#62 LAUREN Yes those are quite the FEETSIES aren’t they????
#67 LESLIE Welcome to the blog—hope you stay a good long time. You bring great questions to the forefront, and give good information. How long have you been watching the Tailand Pandas and the San Diego Pandas?? If you want to see some of the older videos of Bai Yun and Yun Zi I bet lots of us know where they are. When it comes to Photos you cannot go wrong with Rita Petita’s Flikr Pages….she has been visiting weekly for 11 years so you can see photos of almost any of our lovely Pandas, even the ones that have gone to China to fufill their destiny and help to keep their species going. You might want to put the link in your favorites for quick viewing http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
Be sure to let us know if we can help with anything….Love Grammmie
July 18th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Hi eneryone, i found some MUST SEE videos about cute little panda cubs in Japanese animal TV show.
The first one, The Japanese actress had to be with a twin cubs (eihin and meihin) in Wakayama Zoo. Look how cute they are;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kokRKnUE6CI
The next 5 clips are about the same actress had to be staying with 5 panda cubs; the first clip, u’ll see 16 cubs in a house. The Chinese keeper explained that normally 1 keeper’s responsible for 3 cubs, but Rebecca asks if she could have 5 and the keeper said yes. Then she named them each. The word PAN in panda in Japanese means bun, so all the cubs were named as different kinds of buns; jamjang, melonjang, currijang, anjang and rolljang…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQt76aSoHds&feature=related
Second clips, Rebecca and the 5 cubs got to know each other. In the clip, ฺำBecky found rolljang curled up alone in the corner. She tried to draw his attention. Then come the question about what rolljang would react to Becky. Check it out;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8yGoxzv_2M&feature=channel
Third clip amazed me the most, the previous year, another comedian spent his time with another cub and he name him majang. This clip has proved that panda has very good memory. Becky show a video of the guy to majang and please observe the amazing moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9VEoUMcMes&feature=channel
the last two show a developing of their relations; especially with anjang. Now i hope u all enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClX7a0Of-qU&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRaFSRRxBaU&feature=channel
panda a day, keep ur heart warm always.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Grammmie – #46 thanks for a link, i think it’s quite a challenge trying to tell them apart, it’s fun though. I heard that Chinese keepers remember their every cubs, amazing!!!! #49 – I’ll find some times to do so.
#53 Pam – The pleasure is mine.
#59 Dianna – Ohio – Believe me i understand them real well. I can’t thank them enough to keep up their wonderful work for us and for the pandas. LP will have her weaning process when she reaches 18 months old. The fact that they started offering LP milk formula because of the weaning process is approaching. They wanted LP to get familiar with the formula. The vet and panda team have been monitored LH’s hormone level consistently. The whole country expects the twins next time, which give them a load of pressure…LOL…
#67 Leslie – The temperatures inside the exhibits and the pandas’ bedroom are set at 19 – 23 ํC that should be at their most comfort. Fortunately we have such an active panda’s family. When they play, they play. But don’t worry, the vet and her team monitor them closely.
About the pandas treats, the keeper’d get them some ice once in a while, mostly on their birthday, and yes they enjoy it. Apples, carrots and cookies are daily offered to both CC and LH but only pieces of apple for LP. We don’t feed them yams and i’m not sure why. I guess it about the gas. Here a little story of CC that Keeper Ae (Mr. Wisith, a very big guy with a very powerful voice) wrote in his keeper’s diary; A very quiet afternoon, Ae and another keeper’re doing their usual cleaning routine for CC. Then they smelt a very stinky odor. Ae questioned who’s passing the gas, and another keeper said no it’s not him. At the time, there’re only 2 of them and CC. So CC was to be blamed……LOL…………
If any of u ever watch our panda channel, u may see Tor answering the letters from fans. Some letters asked him to sing funny songs. Some even wrote the scripts with the conversations between LP, LH, CC and the keepers and they asked Tor to read it in different tones of voices for each character. It’s hilarious and entertaining.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
I KNOW YOU DID NOT NEED HEAR FROM ME AGAIN TONIGHT—-But I just checked on Rita Petita’s Flikr page a few minutes ago, and felt morally bound to get you film at 11……I mean get you to take a look too, ASAP. Yunior was “given the gate”, “shown the door”, or is “Panda Non Grata” however you look at it. I get to love him at a distance—-some are not so lucky, apparently. Just do yourself a favor and go take a look—-you will understand…..Love Grammmie http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritapetita/
July 18th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
I was just wondering how hard it is to become a panda keeper, i would really want to be a panda keeper when i grow up ( i am 16) and i was just wondering if it is really tough to get into
Moderator’s note: Our Job Profiles section has some great info on being a keeper that may help you.
July 19th, 2010 at 2:37 am
#24 Dianne – Ohio, I’m sorry i missed one of your question. They have the web page and for those of u who may interest, please click to the link. They’re in Thai, but as Julie mentioned u may used google translator, even though it’s not that good.
pandainthailand (dot) net/index.php
July 19th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Thanks for the info, always wondered what a day in the life would be! You guys and girls are doing a fantastic job, keep it up!
July 19th, 2010 at 7:48 am
Wow, nothing like a fruitcicle on a hot day. Love when they close their eyes to really enjoy their treat.
July 19th, 2010 at 7:54 am
#54 Weegee. Thank you for your answer re the panda buildings. I can picture the original setup and will update my brain to include the new buildings.
July 19th, 2010 at 8:16 am
I also wonder why Chiangmai Zoo gives extra milk to Lin Ping recently, her weight surpasses all the baby pandas known to us at the same age, would the extra milk make her overweight ?
I had seen a photo somewhere years ago that a baby panda was hand fed with a bottle of milk, the titile of the photo was Hua Mei ! I have never read any information from SDZ that they fed Hua Mei any extra milk .
As far as I konw, the formula of milk proveided to baby pandas was prescribed by SDZ, Wolong Breeding Centre had been using this formula , is Chiangmai Zoo using the same formula ?
Moderator’s note: Hua Mei was never bottle-fed.
July 19th, 2010 at 8:55 am
I just wanted to say that you have the greatest job looking after these Beautiful pandas and your a lucky person to be able to even touch them… So thank you for that
July 19th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Just when I think that Zhennie is the prettiest, I see a picture of SuLin like the one Rita Petita has posted… Such a good picture….
Can’t wait to see/hear more of why Yunnie was taken off exhibit by one of his keepers… He must have been very bad…
Hope RP posts more pictures explaining soon!! 
July 19th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Lucilla-I feel that a new story must be percolating?
P Wong–surely Mr. Gao Gao has some comment about his plushy paws?
Yunnie looks so big hanging up on the branch today!
July 19th, 2010 at 10:31 am
I will be coming in September to see that little boy ( I guess not so little) he is reason we are coming again this year from Pennsylvania. Last year his was in has den. I also am looking forward to seeing the Koloa bears my pictures did not come out and Su Lin and Zhen Zhen were sleeping. This year we will time it for more around lunch. But I was wondering if the Red Panda is still at the zoo? Thank you for all the wonderfull post you can learn so much. Yun Zi is my first and till then I never knew much about Panda’s but after reading your post there is alot more to learn then you think. Thank you
Moderator’s note: We do have red pandas. Enjoy your trip to San Diego!
July 19th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Conversation with Gao Gao #81
Tourist: Hello, Gao Gao.
Gao Gao: Oh, hello, Mr. Tourist.
T: Hey, that’s a real long printout.
G: Oh, it’s our product list.
T: Oh, your catalog business?
G: Yup.
T: Hmmm… Do I smell something?
G: Oh, it’s the ink.
T: Huh?
G: You see, each line item has a different smell.
T: A different smell?
G: That means you can order an item by the scent alone.
T: Mmmm, this one smells good.
G: Yeah, fresh pineapple chunks.
T: And the sweet and sour one?
G: Imitation Beijing Pork Chop.
T: What’s in it?
G: Bamboo flour and flavoring.
T: This smells like Cal-Mex enchilada.
G: Yeah, also made with bamboo flour and flavoring.
T: And this fishy one?
G: Imitation Surimi.
T: Contains bamboo flour?
G: No, reconstituted bamboo grub powder.
T: What’s in this spicy tofu?
G: Soy bean mash and Sichuan hot pepper sauce.
T: Makes sense. Now what’s this sticky greasy smell?
G: Oh, it’s Gao Gao Obsession.
T: For cooking?
G: No, it’s wall lacquer.
(In Bifengxia)
Fu Long: Wow, this stuff spreads really well.
Mei Sheng: Yeah, vintage Gao Gao Obsession 2003. It was a very good year.
Fu Long: Don’t forget to reach higher over there.
Tai Shan: Yup, I’ll see to that. Can’t wait to show the ladies around.
Fu Long: And if you run out of that, you can have some Long Hui Essence 2007.
Tai Shan: Thanks. That’ll be great.
Mei Sheng: Hey, here’s your reeking Tarzan 2010.
Tai Shan: Yippee!
(In Bai Yun’s yard)
Yun Zi: Wake up, Mama.
Bai Yun: Why?
Y: Your face is hot.
B: Huh? You’ve been chewing on my face?
Y: Why is your face hot, Mama?
B: I was blushing.
Y: Is that good?
B: It’ll get better next year.
Y: Huh?
B: Looking forward to a new formulation.
Y: What formulation?
B: Gao Gao Obsession 2011.
July 19th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
REMEMBER WHEN SEEING SOME VIDEOS FROM FOREIGN LANDS ON YOU TUBE if they stop and start several times that if you run it for the second time right after the first time it should play correctly. Also laughter sounds the same in any language-so even if we do not have a translation we can still enjoy them.
#76 BRITTANY Nice to see you, you have been gone for a while.
#81 LIUPAN While Hau Mei was never bottlel fed the formula used for other pandas here and in China was developed by the San Diego Zoo, and has been very successful. The formual is one of the reasons that so many twins are both raised to maturity.
#84 FRANCES IN NYC Ask and you will recieve……..And P WONG knows how to keep us all happy, thank you for the stories.
July 19th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Wow…. I go away for 2 days and there are so many posts to catch up on…
Karen, thank you for the great blog. I can see that your job is a lot of hard work, as well as rewarding.
Weegee, I am a huge LP fan as well. She has been a joy to watch ever since I discovered the Thai panda cam last Fall. I especially like to watch her interact with “CK” *Tae*. I also love LH and CC. I do think LP takes after CC in all ways. LH is a great mommie and I sure hope she has more cubbies. Thanks for letting us know what they are saying and everything else that you’ve told us about the Thai panda family. Also thank you for all the videos. I am going through the Rebecca ones right now. What a wonderful opportunity for her. How long did she stay with the 5 pandas?
# 83 Dianna – Ohio: Zhennie IS the prettiest, in my eyes.
Rita’s pictures of Bai and Yunior being “scolded” are too precious. He needs to learn though and I have no doibe mama Bai is doing a great job at teaching her youngster everything he needs to know.
Have a great panda day!
July 19th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
P Wong – very clever!!!
July 19th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I too love the pics of Yun Zi being “scolded” by mama Bai and the one of the keeper putting him inside. He’s like an ornery little boy being reprimanded!
July 19th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Grammie, Brittany is not me i am Britney, sorry you mistaken me for someone else.
July 19th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Oh, no! Yunny comes undunny! Great picture departure- fully weighted sack of 50 lbs. of “potatoes”, head properly down in a solemn, self-absorbed moment of reflection- while attempting to ponder the unraveling train of events, your hand mistakenly grabs the tunnel instead of your head. Broadway is waiting for you…
July 19th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Yun Zi regards the keepers as play objects…that is too darn cute…enrichment item ideed…..
July 19th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
P. Wong – you are simply too much.
July 20th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Britney #91–it’s good to see you back!
July 20th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
It’s nice to be back on the blog too. You will now know me as Panda Girl.
July 21st, 2010 at 4:02 am
#91 BRITNEY—I am the sorrry one….ususally I can keep people straighter in my mind—-you have been gone too haven’t you?
BRITTANY—sorry I mixed you 2 up and I am glad you are back, if you guys checked in more often we could avoid my dumb mistakes some.
July 21st, 2010 at 11:54 am
Grammmie, It is ok, yes i have been off this blog for a few months. But it is good to be back.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
is it fun to have a panda, i alwys wake up in the morning just to see my dog twinkie im always happy when i see him