Pandas Live on

The Wolong Journey, Chapter Four

Lun Lun keeps Zoo Atlanta busy

My goodness, trying to keep up with all of the current news with giant pandas has been a full-time job lately.  I am continuing my coverage of the Wen Chuan earthquake that has totally disrupted operation for the good people at the China Conservation and Research Center at Wolong.  Am working on Chapter 4 of the Wolong Journey and should have that out by the end of the week.

Of course, we just celebrated Le Le of Memphis and Mei Xiang of the National Zoo birthdays and at the same time you got an update on Mei's possible pregnancy.  Mei is not the only U.S. panda who may be expecting this year. 

Beautiful Lun Lun of Zoo Atlanta is also going through regular sonograms and urine analysis to track her progesterone levels for any signs of a pregnancy.  The photo of Lun Lun was just taken this last weekend by local Atlanta resident bob2cleo of flickr.  And thanks to them, we will have the latest photos and news of Lun's on-going condition.  The second photo is Lun with her little cub from two years ago, Mei Lan.  Lun's partner who's sperm was used in the artificial insemination is Yang Yang, that's him atop the boulder looking over his territory. 

Zoo Atlanta also keeps a regular blog going on all of the pandas called Lun Lun and cub updates. They are presently making preparations for the possible birth of a cub and having extra items on hand, such as incubators, formula bottles, blankets and much, much more.  The zoo says "We hope we will not have to use these items, as the best option is for Lun Lun to raise her offspring and we think she will - but it never hurts to be prepared"  Kate Roca, Carnivore Keeper II

Here is the most recent photo of Lun's darling cub Mei Lan.  She will be two years old on September 6, 2008.  They also have a 'live' web cam  page and have just reinstalled the camera in Lun's den area in the event she does have a cub you will be able to observe her. 

Dear Mei Xiang

This birthday wish comes a few days late and I apologize dear Mei.  Although I did get a chance to post this on flickr, before I could finish my post here, I lost my internet connection.  So please forgive me. 

So, now with a new modem, we are back in the saddle and it gave me a chance to put together a current video of Mei.  I have been watching the National Zoo live webcam to observe Mei while she is experiencing a possible pregnancy or pseudo pregnancy.

Mei was artificially inseminated in the end of March, with Tian Tian's sperm.  Tian Tian is her partner that also resides at the National Zoo.  Although Mei and Tian were given the opportunity to mate naturally, their efforts were unsuccessful and thus the AI.  Here is a photo take by RoxandaBear posted on flickr of Tian and Mei getting together in March of this year.

 

Here is a compilation of several days webcam captures, showing Mei who has access to her usual indoor area where she will go to eat and rest, but as you will see she frequently enters a smaller room off to the side which she has dedicated as her den area.  It is in this small space, similar in size to a hollowed-out tree or cave that a female would choose to have her cub in the wild.

The Wolong Journey, Chapter Three

Waiting on Le Le the party animal

Happy 10th Birthday, Le Le

Le Le the male giant panda at the Memphis Zoo turned 10 years old today Friday, July 18, 2008. 

Le Le's photo was taken by local Memphis resident kuku4pandas.  You can see more photos of Le Le and his partner Ya Ya at their flickr site.

The background is one I pulled off the internet, so no this is not what it looks like at the Memphis zoo, in case you were wondering.  They do have a beautiful chinese themed exhibit there. 

Le Le is quite the outdoorsman though, and as Kuku shows us here finds his pool a great place to chill out during the dog days of summer in Memphis.

Come watch Mei Xiang now!

If you have never had the chance to see a 'live' panda cub being born, you may get to see one very soon.  Dear Mei Xiang, of the National Zoo, is very close to possibly giving birth to a panda cub or twins even. Why do I say possibly?  You see, giant pandas experience a pseudo pregnancy. They experience all the signs and symptoms of being pregnant, but do not conceive.  This is exactly what happened last year.

Reading over the National Zoo link that I gave you above is a little hard to understand.  The zoo's veterinarians talks about her hormone levels, urinary progestin concentrations, and other scientific mumbo jumbo, but these very methods enable them to try and predict when a panda is most likely to give birth.  They regularly collect urine specimens and do sonograms to obtain this information.  They compare this years to the previous years data to better understand, in this instance, how Mei is coming along.  Here is a video interview, Fox News did last year while covering Mei's possible pregnancy.

Best part of all of this is you can watch Mei yourself on the National Zoo webcam, which is now monitoring her movements on a constant basis.  One thing you will see is Mei spends most of her time in a small area, that is just off from her regular enclosure. It is referred to as her den area.  Pandas will give birth in hollowed-out trees or caves.  Areas that are small and protected, to insure they can keep their cub warm and safe from the elements and predators. So, even though Mei has access to a much larger area to give birth in during this time, instinctively, she chooses a small confined area.

Mei will drag in bamboo into this area, and shred it up into small pieces like a nest for the cub to lay on.  It is really interesting to observe, even though Mei was captive born, (born in captivity at the Wolong Center for Giant Pandas) she still displays the same instinctive behavior as a giant panda in the wild.

Just to give you a tip, Tai Shan her first cub, was born at 3:41 am, EST.  If she does conceive this year it will be her second cub.   

Stay tuned, I will keep you updated on Mei Xiang's status.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.   

A true hero for Giant Pandas

Suzanne Braden decided she had to do something to help the Giant Pandas.  She set up Pandas International, a non-profit organization, formed to ensure the preservation and propagation of the Giant Panda.  She stays proactive in helping pandas through research centers, zoological foundations and many other venues that are involved with giant pandas.  It was her quick response that enabled vital food and medicines for the pandas to be shipped and delivered successfully into Wolong, within days after the earthquake shook that region. 

Animal Planet is sponsoring 2008 Hero of the Year , if Suzanne is selected the $ 10,000 donation from Animal Planet would be made to Pandas International.  Nominations are due by July 19th! 

I really believe in Pandas International and the work they do.  Go check out their website, Suzanne just returned from Wolong with some unbelievable photos that shows what tremendous damage they incurred.   

If you feel like I do about the great job she has done in helping the Wolong Center prevail through this devastating event, then please take a moment to nominate her for Hero of the Year. 

They do request some information on the nominees, so I am forwarding this on to you also.

Go to this link Animal Planet 2008 Hero of the Year and then to nominate you will need the following information:
Suzanne Braden
PO Box 620335 Littleton, CO 80162
Email info@pandasinternational.org
Date of birth 5-15-1950
Phone number 303-933-2365
Then in your own words why you want to nominate Suzanne
*Tell us in 250 words (1350 characters including spaces) or less what cause the nominee supports, the activities and actions that demonstrates the nominee's commitment to the cause, the accomplishment and impact of the actions and how the nominee may have inspired others to get involved.