Pandas Live on

Amazing Asian Animals Park

A mega attraction “Amazing Asian Animals (AAA)” will be unveiled on April 30, 2009, at Ocean Park, Hong Kong.  Many of you have noticed that Ying Ying and Le Le, the two three year old pandas have been missing from the live webcams at the park.  The park staff are preparing them for their move into the new attraction.  With this new space for Ying and Le, Ocean Park will now plenty of room for them as they mature and produce offspring. Here is a description from a  news article.

 

"The Amazing Asian Animals Park is the first of its kind to integrate an outdoor and indoor animal exhibit in a secure environment. The Giant Panda Adventure area is its main highlight, with a design philosophy of traditional Chinese architecture fused with modern technology. It boasts of lush greenery, rock walls, and an exterior made with a “large span truss system” coupled with Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) which lets the sun shine through without the inconvenience of sweltering heat. This combination of elements allows the animals to live in an environment almost similar to their natural habitat. The two resident giant pandas are going to be joined in harmony with four red pandas and other rare species such as the Chinese giant salamander, Asian small-clawed otter, and Chinese alligator."

     

Looking at the concept drawings, it reminds of of walking into a domed botanical garden.  There is suppose to be a 'snow zone' for the giant pandas to play in the snow.  Most importantly, they will make use of providing conservation messages for people to learn and understand the threats that these animals are facing in the wild. They have planted" a special "Wishing Tree" for people to make a wish and, at the same time, help in the effort to save these animals and their environment.

Here are the two giant panda stars that will be charming all of the visitors as they enjoy the new Amazing Asian Animals attraction.  

Thanks to Xi Shan of flickr for providing the article,that was published by Manilla Bulletin the conceptual drawings were provided by Ocean Park Academy and the video by vikatswis of You Tube.

 

UPDATES: From China to U.S.A.

Low birth rate feared for quake zone pandas

China Daily reports on two articles that pertain to giant pandas. 

Damage to wild panda habitats in the quake-hit Sichuan province would affect breeding by the endangered species, although captive pandas' numbers were expected to increase this year.

"Wild pandas must store energy before moving to higher altitudes for reproduction between March and July, but most of the bamboo plants in the habitats were buried in the quake, making it difficult for wild pandas to find food," said Zhang Hemin, director of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in the Wolong nature reserve. "This will affect their  reproduction.

"We are worried the birth rate will decrease this year," he said

The 8.0-magnitude quake last May left one panda dead, one injured and another one missing. After the quake, most of the captive pandas in the reserve were moved to the Bifengxia breeding base in Ya'an City and some zoos elsewhere.

Only six pandas, each about 18 months old, are living in prefabricated houses in the reserve.

Thanks to hugwildlife of You Tube for providing this article.

Zoo in SW China to Microchip endangered animals

  

In their second report,  zookeepers in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, Yunnan Province are implanting digital identification chips in animals for better management and protection.

    The stitching-needle-sized chips, provided by the State Forestry Administration, contain each animal's name, age, gender, species, birth date and birthplace, blood type and DNA information, said Li Youlong, head of the Animals Management Department with the Yunnan Wild Animals Park.

    The chips will be injected into the necks, ear roots or tail roots of about 200 animals that are under Class A or B state-level protection in the zoo, such as Siberian tigers, African lions, hoolock gibbons and black swans, Li said.

"You won't see the chips," he said. "It'll help us better manage the animals, especially endangered animals."

    Zookeepers began implanting the chips Monday and are expected to finish by June, Li added.

    The Yunnan park has more than 10,000 animals from more than 110 species.

    The State Forestry Administration has ordered all zoos to implant chips in 17 species, including tigers, lions, elephants, giant pandas, bears, golden monkeys, cranes and swans.

Editor: Zhang Xiang Yong Ba returns home for healing This is a important follow-up story that I never got around to posting.  You remember the story of #1 female panda, Yong Ba, that received all of the international attention several months back?  People were concerned she wasn't receiving the proper care.  We first posted about her on  January 8, 2009 and then showed some new videos of her on January 28, 2009. Now we want everyone to know, that Yong Ba has been moved to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) Ya'an Bifengxia Base for healing. She arrived on April 9, 2009.  Here is the information from the Wolong Panda Cub on her return. "Recently, the State Forestry Administration has organized some doctors and nurseries from different hospitals of Shenzhen to make physical examination for 1#. The result of the examination shows that its internal organ meets the physical index of the old giant panda and its ascites decreases. It is in fine conditions with good spirit and appetite. The scratching of the right hind leg has been controlled with curing. As 1# is advanced in years, it needs a long time to heal the wound. Besides, the summer is approaching in Shenzhen. It is not good for the healing, either. Therefore, the experts group suggests 1# get back to Sichuan for curing. CCRCGP pays high attention to this and makes good preparation for welcoming 1#. After getting back, it will live in CCRCGP Ya'an Bifengxia Base for curing. CCRCGP also works out a sound treatment plan for it and sets up a professional veterinary team with the leading of Mr. Tang Chunxiang, senior veterinary and Director Assistant of CCRCGP.   CCRCGP also arranges the experienced keeper He Fuzhi to take care of it and makes a scientific nutrition supply plan to guarantee its nutrition. What's more, CCRCGP arrange an enclosure next to the Panda Hospital for 1# to live in. The enclosure is quiet and comfortable with an air-conditioner. It also includes a playground with the area of over 200 sq. m.. The enclosure provides a better condition for the curing. Thank the organizations and individuals who care about giant panda 1#. CCRCGP will try its best to take good care of it and heal its wound. We also hope it can get well as soon as possible." National Zoo provides Mei Xiang with peace and quiet

The National Zoo has posted a news alert: 

Visiting the pandas? You can see the Zoo's male pandas outside from early morning until 3 p.m. each day.The Panda House will be closed until further notice. We don't know whether Mei Xiang is pregnant but due to her her early estrus and the Zoo's large spring crowds, Zoo staff made this decision to give her a quiet environment. Thanks for your understanding. 

 

Here is a beautiful photo of Mei Xiang, thanks to RoxandaBearof flickr. You can read a new update about Mei at the National Zoo's website. We wish Mei, the staff at the zoo the best of luck.

Adelaide Zoo construction photos

A big thanks goes out to Duncan Bainbridge, Communications Manager of Hassell.  The company that is building the new giant panda exhibit at Adelaide Zoo in Australia for these current construction photos.  The project is really beginning to take shape.

Be sure to click on the photos to see them in their original size.

        

 

Wang Wang and Fu Ni get Australian visitors/ UPDATED!

Wang Wang

Adelaide Zoo chief executive Chris West, will be going to China to see the two pandas that will be inhabiting the new panda habitat at the Adelaide Zoo.

Fu Ni

ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) reports, on Sunday, Chris will have his first up-close encounter. "We want to be sure that they are as charming and as beautiful as we think they are, and we're also going to be meeting Chinese colleagues who work in conservation and research," he said.

There is a audio recording of his interview and a map showing where Adelaide is in Australia.  Click on Giant Pandas bound for Adelaide

Here is the virtual video of the new panda habitat that is under construction. Thanks to hugwildlife of You Tube for sending us this article.

 

UPDATE!

 

Adelaide Now reports Zoos SA chief Dr Chris West and president Heather Caddick fed female Funi and watched male Wang Wang. They have travelled to Bifengxia Giant Panda Base in Sichuan, China, to see the pandas and talk with keepers about their care before the pandas' relocation here in September. Both had to see Wang Wang from outside his enclosure as the 110kg panda, aged 3 1/2 years, is too strong for up-close encounters. Dr West said they were able to visit Funi, 2 1/2, with five other pandas in the enclosure. "We had a real treat. It's very unusual but we were able to go in and feed her some bamboo, say hello and gently touch her on the head, which gives you very good luck," he said. Adelaide Zoo staff only had seen photographs of the two pandas.

"It's sad, coming from a grown-up but when I went to bed (Saturday night) it was like the anticipation of Christmas when you're a kid," Dr West said. "I think people will fall in love with them." Chinese zookeepers were updated on work to build the pandas' enclosure at Adelaide. Concrete slabs have been laid for their airconditioned day rooms and prototypes of artificially-chilled rocks have been developed to keep them cool in summer. Wang Wang and Funi will stay for 10 years.

It's up to us

Thanks to Zoo Atlanta for the photo of 7 month old Xi Lan.

Go to NASA, Visible Earth

WWF: World Wildlife Fund

This looks familiar. Remember when the World Wildlife Fund staged the panda dolls in France?  Well, this is a different set but with the same goal. These pandas are sitting quietly, but with great presence in Rome.  It is part of a campaign to bring awareness to people around the world of how very few giant pandas are alive today. 

Here is the photo from France.

This display of 1,600 paper pandas represents the total number of pandas that are living in captivity and in the wild combined!  So, we have alot of work to do. Check out the list of organizations that are placed at the top/left of this blog page and be proactive in helping to keep giant pandas from going extinct.   Thanks to Xi Shan of flickr for the article that was in the L.A.Times.

Wolong Panda Reserve starts its rebuilding

Well, it was all over the news yesterday.  China is ready to begin building the new wolong panda breeding center after suffering severe damage from the 2008 earthquake.

It will be built in the remote town of Genda, China.  This is just northeast of the current Wolong location and is still located within the Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve.  The one-square kilometer base will be able to hold about 200 pandas.

The investment will be approximately 2 billion yuan (290 million U.S. dollars).  Many options were reviewed for placement of the new base.  Zhang Hemin, head of the Wolong reserve, said that this plan was the best by far.

The plan was drawn up by the wolong reserve, Beijing University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences

In addition, a panda disease control and prevention center would be built in Dujiangya, a city near the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu.  In the future, pandas in any breeding base in China would be transferred to Beijing for treatment in case they contracted infectious diseases.  

Here is a map of Sichuan Province and I have circled the area that we are talking about.  If you look at the very lower left of the map you will see where Sichuan sets within China.  Information obtained for this article was from Xinhua.net

Mei Xiang getting ready

If you can imagine a female giant panda living wild in the mountains of China, getting ready to give birth to a cub. She has to find a small, safe enclave to have her cub in for their protection against the elements and predators.

They generally choose hollowed out trees or openings in the rocks like a cave or just burrow up next to a large boulder.  Just as long as they are protected and hidden away.

Instinctively, even though Mei doesn't have anything like that at the National Zoo, she will still look for a small confined space to have her cub. 

Mei has chosen one of the smaller rooms that sits just off from the main room where the public generally can see the pandas.  She will build a nest of sorts made with strips of bamboo that she tears off from the stalks. She has started doing this and here are some of the screen captures that Samoyeddawn was able to get last night.

It won't be long and the National Zoo will go on pregnancy watch, where the live web cams will be monitored 24 hours a day by volunteers who will record important data and watch over Mei while she is going through her pregnancy or psuedopregnancy.

Thanks to Samoyeddawn of flickr for these screen caps and the special animation.  Start setting some time aside now to watch this wonderful miracle of nature live from the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

 

Animation of Mei in her den

MILLIONTH visitor sees Tuan and Yuan

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan had just met their 500,000th visitor back on February 28, 2009 and now here we are on a few months later and the Taipei Zoo is welcoming their millionth visitor to their Panda Hall.  They went on public display January 26, 2009.

The Taipei zoo, awarded a primary school student from Changhua County with a stuffed animal, stationary and a book to celebrate the occasion. On April 17, 2009, a 4 year old was the lucky one millionth visitor.  The zoo presented her with a bag of gifts and a huge greeting card bearing the signatures - paw prints - of the two pandas.

Here is a video that shows the Panda Hall. Thanks to barryin06 of YouTube for this video.

The Taipei Zoo has also announced on their website: "In order to maintain the facility of Panda House and animal welfare consideration to ensure a better visiting experience, The Panda House will off for visiting every 1st Monday each month from April, 2009. (5/4, 6/1, 7/6, 8/3, 9/7, 10/5, 11/2, 12/7)"

Thanks to flycenter of YouTube for the video.

Bai Yun and Gao Gao together!!!

Just as the staff at the San Diego Zoo had predicted, the famous mating pair of Bai and Gao did their thing yesterday not once but twice! Here is the statement from the San Diego Zoo.  Congratulations!

"A second breeding occurred this morning, April 15, between the beautiful Bai Yun and Gao Gao the Great at the Giant Panda Research Station. [The first happened last night at 5:16.] The main viewing area was, of course, closed to the public to allow the pandas and researchers the quiet and time they needed, as it has been since yesterday’ s mating bout. Zhen Zhen has been in the alternate “classroom” exhibit for visitors, but the excitement has been all about the adults. Initially this morning there was no real interest, but enclosure swapping was implemented and the interest level quickly increased. It took about 38 minutes for Gao and Bai to coordinate their positions, but the actual copulation lasted nearly 2 minutes. It only requires one mating, so this morning’s interaction just increases the likelihood of a future pregnancy. Whether there will be another mating today will depend on the pandas, but the amount of energy already expended by Gao Gao may be the determining factor."

Here is the link to a video the San Diego Zoo has put together on their mating. Panda Breeding 

Be sure to go to the San Diego panda live webcam today.  This is truly an rare thing to see in the world of giant pandas. 

Taking care of pandas

The long awaited new bamboo cooler for the San Diego Zoo pandas is just about ready to be used.  All that needs completing now is to install the racks, some drainage and add a couple of additional concrete pads around the perimeter to help in delivery and preparation. 

The zoo has published a statement preparing all of its visitors and cam viewers that they may not be able to see their giant pandas as usual as Bai Yun becomes closer to estrus. 

Guest access to the San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station is expected to be interrupted over the next few days as female Bai Yun and male Gao Gao are introduced for breeding. Giant panda adults are solitary, normally coming together for a few days each year for breeding. Animal care staff have been closely monitoring Bai Yun and Gao Gao, observing behaviors, vocalizations and physical signs that indicate that the female will be receptive to the male. On the afternoon of April 14, the viewing area was closed as breeding behavior escalated and possible introduction of the two adults was considered. In order to ensure that there are no distractions that might interrupt the interaction of the rare pair, the panda viewing area has been closed to guests. 

Zoo officials expect that guest viewing at the Station will be interrupted over the next few days. Viewing of Panda Cam may also be interrupted as staff focus their efforts on monitoring the interaction directly and are not available to manage Panda Cam views for online guests.

You can read more about Bai Yun and Gao Gao's upcoming time together on their panda blog.

MEI XIANG OF THE NATIONAL ZOO

 

As Mei Xiang the female panda at the Smithsonian National Zoo continues to exhibit signs of pregnancy or psuedopregnancy, all we can do is watch and wait.  It is an interesting process to observe as the female pandas really go through quite a change in behavior.  The zoo closely watches over her, not only through keeper observations and technicians monitoring her through the webcam but through regular urine tests and ultrasounds.  

So, if you tune into the National Zoo webcam, you may find her staying inside more and  shredding bamboo to use as nesting in one of the smaller den areas and cuddling one of her toys like the black-rubber kong toy that she likes.   We will keep you posted here as to her progress.  We wish her a healthy and comfortable process.

In the meantime, her dear partner, Tian Tian, has entered into his peak rutting season with no other females to focus his attentions or intentions on.  He currently has the run of Yard 3, the larger of the three yards where he has plenty of room to roam and climb the many boulders, deadfalls and trees to scent mark and express himself.   Hang in their dude!  

Thanks to the San Diego Zoo  for the photos and RoxandaBear for the photo of Tian Tian.

Team Michigan wraps up another season

Vanessa reports from her journal that they have completed another season of trying to trap wild pandas and fit them with radio collars.  They certainly came close a couple of times as we reported back in Februay Team Michigan has panda siting! . 

We are sorry to see them go and we know that they will take with them all of the information and experience they are gathering in the field, so that one day their goals will be met.  I hope next year they continue with their photo collection as they did in years past on flickr.  This year I didn't see the addition of new photos.     

Here is an interesting farewell story by Vanessa. 

"We had not seen a single giant panda sign for over two weeks. Not a footprint, not a sound. It seemed that not a single soul was around in our trapping area. We were groping for the end. On that last day, it was a dismal time to be out hiking as the snow fell continuously and mixed with mud, the sun nowhere to be found. The reality of failure hit us all like a ton of bricks that day as I sat back at the field station, partly holding out for a miracle as I waited for the rest of the team to return. Our team had closed eight out of 10 of the traps for the season and were making their way around to the final two. They were descending a long hill when up ahead of them they saw the distinct figure of a giant panda up ahead set against the backdrop of falling snow. Oddly enough, the panda never noticed them. It was facing the other direction and slowly walking away. It never looked back or gave them a passing glance as they just stared, open-mouthed. It just kept on walking into the bamboo.

This was our goodbye message from the pandas. A quiet, unassuming individual gave us a parting glimpse into a world we will never fully understand. Maybe this was a tease after months of trying to capture this elusive animal, but I prefer to see it as a precious gift. After sharing the same space for months, we say goodbye to them as well. We will meet again as we continue on our path and they continue on theirs. We can only hope that our paths will cross again soon."

This is a video of Tian Tian at the National Zoo taken by RoxandaBear of flickr.  But with this you can imagine how exciting it must be for Vanessa and her team to see a wild panda in the snow. We look forward to their return to China next fall.  

One click away

Pandas International is being featured all day today as the 'Charity of the Day' on GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com.

Everytime you use GoodSearch.com, the Yahoo-powered search engine, for all of your web searches, they receive a penny for every search!  On top of this, if you go to Good Shop.com to do your online shopping today, a percentage of each order will be donated to Pandas International. (you don't pay anything extra!).  Hundreds of great stores, including Amazon, Best Buy, Macy's and others have teamed up with GoodShop to help support Pandas International every time you place an order.

Thanks to Pandas International for always coming up with new and exciting ways to raise money for our pandas!  Mei Sheng (below) who was born at the San Diego Zoo and now lives at the Bifengzia Base in China really appreciates it too. 

 

A HAPPY TAI SHAN!

Thanks to one of our panda pals who happen to be in the Washington D.C. area and went in to see the 'royal family' while they were there.  Here are some wonderful photos of Tai Shan just after they had let him into Yard One to explore the new deadfall that had been placed earlier that morning. 

Thanks for sharing these close ups of Tai!

 

 

 

  

Okay, for all of you red panda fans, which one is this?

 

Here's to the future, Ya Ya!

We are very sorry to hear that it doesn't look like Ya Ya of Memphis will have a cub this time around.  The zoo published an official statement on their site, you can read it on their panda blog. 

We have all come to realize that we just can't take any panda pregnancy for granted. 

Thank You to the Memphis Zoo for the wonderful videos you produced showing the artificial insemination procedures and your dedication to these pandas. You can view these on panda blog also, just follow the link above.

Thanks to kuku4pandas for the photo and great video of dear Ya Ya.

Great time to visit!

Once again, bob2cleo of flickr came back with some wonderful, adorable photos of that precious little cub, Xi Lan at Zoo Atlanta.  They tell us that he is very active and comes right up to the window so you can see him up close.  You can tell from these pictures how much fun anyone going to the zoo right now is having, so plan a trip as soon as you can!  You know how quickly they grow up.  Thank You, bob2cleo for sharing these photos.