Pandas Live on

The Curious History of China's Political Animal

If you are looking for a new panda book to read this summer, while you are lounging on the beach, The Way of the Panda, is the book for you. 

Author, Henry Nicholls has spent quite a few years researching the material for this book including traveling to China, volunteering to work with the pandas at the Chengdu Base, as well as speaking with scientists and many others who could provide details of the pandas interesting history.

His book has received great reviews from across the globe.  Here are a few of them.

"A fascinating story of an extraordinary animal," Desmond Morris

"Henry Nicholls expertly charts the panda's decades of fame and binds together many intriguing facets of 150 years of Sino-Western interaction," Daily Mail

"The book reads somewhat like Gone With the Wind, with the sweeping events of Chinese history in the background and pandas playing the roles of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler," David Pilling, Financial Times

"Nicholls has written an engaging popular science narrative of the panda's discovery...cleverly interwoven with its symbolic role and significance for wildlife conservation, as well as with the politics of the period," Morning Star

It is available on Amazon.com and also on the Amazon Kindle.  Henry also has a website called The Way of the Panda where he further discusses the book.

I just loved this book.  Henry's writing style keeps the pace going from the moment Armand David first discovered the panda on to the many people and pandas who's lives have become so intertwined throughout history. 

Thank You Henry for all of the tremendous effort you have put into this book.  It is a book that every panda lover should have in their library. 

The future of giant pandas is complicated

I don't know if you have read the recently published book by Henry Nichols, "The Way of the Panda", but it is definitely worth your time.

Henry has done alot of research on this book, traveling to China to review ancient journals, talking to many people including scientists who have worked with pandas in the past and present, along with volunteering at the Chengdu Panda Base. 

He travels to promote his book and The Scotsman recently caught up with Henry in conjunction with the arrival of the pandas to the Edinburgh Zoo.

 

Mad about the bear: why are we fascinated by pandas?

Published Date: 22 April 2011 By Alice Wyllie

With a breeding pair set to take residence at Edinburgh Zoo, our reporter meets a man who says there's more to it than just looking like a real-life cuddly toy.

SO, WHAT'S black and white and has got us far more excited than the Royal Wedding ever could? It's got to be the giant panda, or more specifically a particular breeding pair of giant pandas. Since it was confirmed that this other royal couple – Tian Tian and Yangguang – are to take up residence at Edinburgh Zoo, the pair have barely been out of the headlines.

Why do these beasts elicit such excitement and curiosity? Why, when Edinburgh Zoo is already home to a spectacular array of lions and tigers and bears (oh my) are these animals guaranteed to get the turnstiles spinning at record speeds?

Author Henry Nicholls will attempt to answer these questions in his talk, The Way of the Panda, as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival this evening. Nicholls, a panda expert, is fascinated by our fascination with pandas and will set out to explore the political and historical significance of these real-life cuddly toys, whose story incorporates politics, corruption, death and scandal.

Indeed everything but – if one of the many myths surrounding them is to be believed – sex.

Father of Panda

It has taken the dedication of many special people to gather the information we need to help save the Giant Panda from extinction.  One of those special people, who has gone above and beyond the 'call of the wild' to help giant pandas is Dr. Pan Wenshi.  Here are some excerpts from an article written about him by Dr. Martin Williams, "Scientist who fights for the Pandas", July 30, 2008.

'As a biology student at Peking University, Pan encountered the world's first captive-born panda during a visit to the Beijing Zoo.  Holding the lively 13-kilogram infant, he was captivated.  When he learned how close they were to extinction, he know he had to help these engaging creatures.'

'In 1980, Pan, now a zoology lecturer at Peking University, volunteered for a panda research program conducted by the WWF and the Ministry of Forestry at the Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan province. Fearing the extinction of the panda, the Chinese government had started establishing panda reserves since 1963. But even in these the panda sometimes suffered from poaching. Some conservationists had concluded that the panda would perish unless man came to its rescue through captive breeding programs.  Pan soon found himself in disagreement with some of his scientific colleagues.'

'In 1984, Pan left Wolong to conduct his own panda research in the Qin Ling Mountains and later shifted his study to a forest that was managed by a timber unit. Pan and his crew paid team expenses from their own pockets, augmented by small donations from Pan's brother and sister in Hong Kong. He and his colleagues lived on rice and potatoes. Pan missed his wife and two small daughters terribly. Several lean years would pass before Pan's work began to receive recognition and funding grants.'

  'Can the panda be saved?  Pan believes so. All it takes is bamboo forests and peace and quiet. Threats to the panda's habitat are an ongoing concern. During 1993, timber cutting intensified in Pan's study area. Once more daring to speak out for his beloved pandas, Pan wrote directly to President Jiang Zemin and then-Premier Li Peng, urging that the logging be stopped. Not only was a halt to the timber cutting ordered, but in 1997 the Chinese government designated 305 square kilometers of Pan's mountainous domain a panda reserve - making it one of the prime sanctuaries for the giant panda. About 170 of the Qin Ling's 240 pandas are now in protected areas.  On the other hand, the Chinese government, in cooperation with WWF, is also implementing a plan to boost protection of the 13 existing panda reserves and to create 14 new ones.'  You can read the entire article here, Scientist who fights for giant pandas.  [This article first appeared in the February 2000 Chinese edition of Reader's Digest. Reader's Digest holds copyright in the text.]

Because of his willingness to go out into the mountains and study giant pandas in their native habitat he has brought back a tremendous amount of first hand knowledge that is helping us to understand giant pandas better and their needs for survival.  It has earned him the nickname "Father of Panda".   

You can keep up with Professor Wenshi's current studies, publications, volunteer activities and photos on his website, Beat of Nature.  He has been the recipient of awards and authored and co-authored books,The Giant Pandas of Wolong, Panda Gained, among others that you can find on his website.

He is a shining example of how one person's determination can make a difference in the world.  Thank You, Dr. Pan Wenshi.

2008 China Environment Award is announced

George B. Schaller, PH.D. has been awarded the China Environment Prize for his efforts to study and protect China's giant pandas, Tibetan antelope, and the wild places where they exist. He just recently received The Indianapolis Prize in May of 2008. 

"The $70,000, prize was established in 2000 by the China Environmental Protection Foundation to honor and encourage individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the cause of environmental protection in China.  The foundation was the first nonprofit organization in China dedicated to environmental protection." Environment News Service

Schaller is a Senior Conservationist with the Wildlife Conservation Society's Asia Programs. He has worked with the Bronx Zoo-based organizations for over 50 years and has worked in China for much of the last 28 years.  He has been the recipient of several awards and written many books, including The Last Panda.

Here is a short video of Dr. Schaller that was put together back in May of 2008.  Thanks to great people such as Dr. Schaller, our giant pandas have a fighting chance to continue a long existance with us on this planet.  Congratulations! Thanks to Chet of Chet's Chatter for providing the tip on this article.

Rest in Peace Shi Shi

Herbs to help Pandas

Gao Gao a wild born panda, now living at the San Diego Zoo with his partner, Bai Yun, have had no problems in the mating category. Together they have had three healthy cubs born at the San Diego Zoo. 

I recently came across an article about pandas in "The Herb Quarterly" (Winter 2007)the other day, to my delight.  You may or may not have seen the article where the Chinese zoo scientist had played a video of pandas mating to a couple of male pandas in order to get them interested in mating.  They have also tried using Viagra.  Apparently, the two male pandas over in the Shanghai Zoo in China still need some more help in this area so the zoo scientist are going to try some herbs.  Zhuang Zhuang and Peng Peng both males, still have no sexual appetite for mating with the female panda in residence.  So handlers at the zoo are consulting with experts about possible herbal treatments. 

With their numbers in the wild being estimated to be around 1,600, China has been breeding the bears with artificial insemination with good success.  One of the dilemmas though is the pandas living in captivity don't have the same sexual prowess as those living in the wild.

Humans have used Chinese herbs, including ginseng, romania and epicedium for thousands of years as aphrodisiacs and sexual tonics.  The zoo hopes some of these powerful plants can do the same for the pandas.   

China's pandas

This last week in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China the 18th Annual Conference of the Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for the Giant Panda took place.  Right away my mind goes back to the photos that were flashed all over the globe of the room full of pandas cubs squeaking and looking as adorable as ever.

There are two major areas that scientist and others from around the globe are working on to help keep Giant Pandas from going extinct.  One is of course, to maintain their wild habitat and the other to utilize artificial methods of breeding to increase their current numbers with hopes of being able to release them back out into the wild.  Within these areas, are other concerns such as disease, food sources and genetic diversity among others.  So, along with keeping you up-to-date with photos and stories of the pandas living in the U.S. zoos, I will be working to keep up with the other side of Giant Pandas as well. 

This coming week is Thanksgiving in the U.S.  A time for giving thanks for whatever blessings each of us has, may they be big or small.  I am taking off to go camping with my dog Amber, for a few days.  Nothing too wild mind you, a state park just north of Orlando.  But it sits on 600 acres of preserved habitat, with the Wekiwa River running through it and deer, black bear, bobcats, huge barking horned owls along with many other wonderful birds.  It's my way of clearing my head, finding peace and remembering my responsibility to nature.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.   

Washington D.C. Pandas

The Smithsonian National Zoo's history with giant pandas began in 1972.  The first pair, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, were presented to the nation's capital as a gift after President Richard M. Nixon's historic visit to China.  There were five cubs born through their mating but none of the cubs lived more then a few days.  Ling-Ling the female, died in 1992 at age 23 of age-related heart failure.  Hsing-Hsing was euthanized in 1999 at age 28 because of kidney problems.

On December 6, 2000, two new pandas arrived in D.C. to live in the refurbished quarters at the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat. The male, Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN) and female, Mei Xiang (may SHONG) made the 17-hour flight from China, accompanied by two of their regular Chinese keepers at the Wolong Nature Reserve.  Both pandas were born at the center in Wolong, Sichuan Province.  Mei Xiang, was born on July 22, 1998 and her name means 'beautiful fragrance", Tian was born on August 27, 1997 and his name means "more and more."  Besides his weight of 275, Tian's kidney-bean shaped eye patches help to tell him apart from Mei who weighs about 230 lbs.  Mei has a very round head with rounded eye patches. 

Because their natural mating was not successful, zoo scientists and veterinarians performed an artificial insemination on Mei Xiang on March 11, 2005.  On July 9, 2005 a male panda cub was born and later would be named, Tai Shan which means "peaceful mountain".  No bigger then the size of a stick of butter, the cubs birth generated headlines across the country.

The NZ has two live cams that operate 24 hours a day.  One is focused on Tai Shan, as he lives in his own enclosures separate from his mom and dad.  The other camera is on Mei and Tian.  Due to the fact that Tian's genes have become increasingly represented in the overall gene pool of the giant panda, this spring when Mei comes into estrus, more then likely, the veterinarians will work in cooperation with the San Diego Zoo and use the sperm of Gao Gao who has mated successfully twice with his mate Bai Yun, having two offspring of their own, at the San Diego Zoo.  Gao is a wild panda that was rescued due to a serious injury.

There are no admission fees at the Smithsonian National Zoo, and they are always having special events going on throughout the year.  Coming up in December will be Zoo Lights, so be sure to visit and say hello to Mei, Tian and Tai Shan.