Pandas Live on

Changes in Chinese conservation policies could negatively affect Giant Pandas

As the newly created leadership council gets settled in, we are beginning to read what direction they plan to take in regards to giant pandas and the preservation of their habitat.

This article posted yesterday is unfortunately a not the best news.  Afterall, great progress has been made by China in learning and understanding what giant pandas need for survial in this modern-day world.  

If there was one thing, that the scientist have repeatedly published over the years in their research, one word is repeated over and over again.

HABITAT, HABITAT, HABITAT

Let us not become discouraged or complacent in saving the giant panda from extinction.  But let us stay involved, contribute in anyway possible to keep the image of the panda out there, not to be forgotten by the world's bigger schemes in life.

I call out to the young people in the world, who can contribute with a different mindset, create a new paradigm toward conservation efforts.  Find a way for the world to grow and develop yet, protect those who cannot protect themselves.   In this case, I am talking about the giant panda.  The future belongs to you!

Giant Pandas may be Threatened by Forest Reform 

by LiveScience Staff
February 8, 2013

There are thought to be fewer than 1,600 giant pandas in the wild today and the beloved bears' home in the mountains of China is increasingly threatened by climate change and human activity.

While China has made achievements in saving the pandas in recent years, a group of conservations says the government's plans to free up forests for commercialuse could be a blow to the endangered species.

"This change puts these vital habitats potentially under threat from commercial logging, increased collection of firewood and non-timber forest products by outside enterprises, and other commercial development activities," Russell Mittermeier, president of environmental organization Conservation International, said in a statement.

China is reforming its system of collective forest tenure to allow individual farmers to transfer or lease operation rights to outside businesses, potentially opening up 167 million hectares (nearly 650,000 square miles) of forest for commercial use. Pandas roamin part of this area, and Mittermeier warned the plans could disturb up to 15 percent of the species’ remaining habitat.

"The reform contradicts the great steps the Chinese government has taken to conserve the giant panda in recent decades," added Li Zhang, a scientist with Conservation International's branch in China.

In a letter published this week in the journal Science, Zhang, Mittermeier and other researchers urged that China instead consider an "eco compensation" program in which it would buy back development rights from local communities to preserve the pandas' home.

They pointed out that China has already spent more than $100 billion (U.S. dollars) on eco-compensation, and they argue that another $240 million in effective payments could prevent a 15 percent drop in the giant panda population.

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Magnificent Chinese Lantern Festival in Dallas, Texas

Thanks,  Annette, YingYing816 YouTube, for sending me the info on this amazing festival.  The festival which opened at the Texas State Fair was received with such success, it was moved to the historic Fair Park in Dallas, Texas for an extended display. (November 1-January 6)   Looks like a road trip for next year!

This is taken from their website Chinese Lantern Festival.

"The artful pieces that make up the Chinese Lantern Festival are a collection of lanterns made of silky cloth, glass, and porcelain. Among the exhibition's 22 lantern sets are giant pandas, lotus flowers, and a porcelain dragon stretching 330 feet, made from 15,000 bowls, spoons, and wine cups...all tied together by hand.

When the sun goes down, the lanterns come to life, lighting the Texas night like never before, as the art illuminates, moves, and takes on an other-worldly life of its own.

Construction of this exceptional exhibit originated in China, where a team of more than 100 artisans and technical staff did preliminary work in Sichuan, the cradle of Chinese lantern-making. Small completed pieces and raw materials were shipped by sea to the U.S., then to Dallas, where a team of more than 40 arrived from China to construct the majority of the exhibits on-site. Working long days in 100-plus degree heat, they succeeded in creating a showcase of the world's foremost lantern-makers.

Come see the fruits of their labor, a place where giant pandas frolic near a herd of longhorn cattle; where dinosaurs rear their heads, blink, and growl. See the Fair Park lagoon transformed into a carpet of blossoming lotus flowers, a kaleidoscope of butterflies, and a mermaid guarding a precious pearl in her underwater garden. In a word, welcome to an enchanted place."

 

 

 

 

 

Animal behavior and why it is important to understand in captive animals

We are seeing more and more pandas in zoo enclosures which means their welfare (Emotional, Mental & Physical) is in the hands of humans.  

I would like to introduce a couple of scientists who specialize in animal behavior to provide some additonal insight into animal behavior for us to think about. 

The first scientist I would like to introduce is Temple Grandin, Ph.D

Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Facilities she has designed are located in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. In North America, almost half of the cattle are handled in a center track restrainer system that she designed for meat plants. Curved chute and race systems she has designed for cattle are used worldwide and her writings on the flight zone and other principles of grazing animal behavior have helped many people to reduce stress on thier animals during handling.

She has also developed an objective scoring system for assessing handling of cattle and pigs at meat plants. This scoring system is being used by many large corporations to improve animal welfare. Other areas of research are: cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark cutters and bruises, bull fertility, training procedures, and effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs at meat plants.

She obtained her B.A. at Frankin Pierce College and her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University. Dr. Grandin received her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois in 1989. Today she teaches courses on livestock behaviour and facility design at Colorado State Univeristy and consults with the livestock industry on facility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare. She has appeared on television shows such as 20/20, 48 Hours, CNN Larry King Live, PrimeTime Live, 60 Minutes, the Today Show, and many shows in other countries. She has been featured in People Magazine, the New York Times, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Time Magazine, the New York Times book review, and Discover magazine. In 2010, Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people. Interviews with Dr. Grandin have been broadcast on National Public Radio and she has a 2010 TED Lecture titled "The World Needs ALL Kinds of Minds." She has also authored over 400 articles in both scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare, and facility design. She is the author of "Thinking in Pictures", "Livestock Handling and Transport," "Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals," and "Humane Livestock Handling." Her books "Animals in Translation" and "Animals Make Us Human" were both on the New York Times best seller list. "Animals Make Us Human" was also on the Canadian best seller list. Her life story has also been made into an HBO movie titled "Temple Grandin, staring Claire Danes," which won seven Emmy awards and a Golden Globe. The movie shows her life as a teenager and how she started her career.

This web page was put up to educate people throughout the world about modern methods of livestock handling which will improve animal welfare and productivity. You have permission to copy articles, pictures, and diagrams. Please acknowledge Temple Grandin (Source: Temple Grandin Website)

This is a lecture Temple Grandin gave Kennedy Hall Feb. 24, 2010, during her last visit to campus as a Rhodes Class of '56 Professor.

 This video is a TED talk recorded in February 2010.

Mark Bekoff Is the next scientist I would like to introduce to you.  

Marc Bekoff is a former Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society and a past Guggenheim Fellow. In 2000 he was awarded the Exemplar Award from the Animal Behavior Society for major long-term contributions to the field of animal behavior. Marc is also an ambassador for Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program, in which he works with students of all ages, senior citizens, and prisoners, and also is a member of the Ethics Committee of the Jane Goodall Institute. He and Jane co-founded the organization Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Citizens for Responsible Animal Behavior Studies in 2000. Marc is on the Board of Directors of The Fauna Sanctuary and The Cougar Fund and on the advisory board for Animal Defenders, the Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group, and Project Coyote. He has been part of the international program, Science and the Spiritual Quest II and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) program on Science, Ethics, and Religion. Marc is also an honorary member of Animalisti Italiani and Fundacion Altarriba. In 2006 Marc was named an honorary board member of Rational Animal and a patron of the Captive Animals' Protection Society. In 2009 he was named a member of the Scientific Expert Advisory Panel of Voiceless, The Animal Protection Institute and a faculty member of the Humane Society University, and in 2010 he was named to the advisory board of Living with Wolves and Greenvegans and the advisory council of the National Museum of Animals & Society. In 2005 Marc was presented with The Bank One Faculty Community Service Award for the work he has done with children, senior citizens, and prisoners. In 2009 he was presented with the St. Francis of Assisi Award by the Auckland (New Zealand) SPCA. (Source: Mark Bekoff website) 

Professor Marc Bekoff, Ph.D. looks into the behavior and emotions of animals

Here, he delivers the keynote address at the 2011 Voiceless Awards, which celebrate animal proteciton in Australia. Marc reflects on the need to give animals respect and compassion. 

What goes into making 'Panda Bread'?

There are lots of different names for the grain-filled loaves that we see being given to pandas in China and other zoos around world.  The panda bases in China originated this recipe to help provide more nutrients and vitamins for their captive pandas.  The recipe may vary in each location. 

I know of one base outside of China that also makes the bread for their pandas and that is the Adelaide Zoo in Australia where FuNi and Wang Wang live.  They also did a video about how they made their panda cakes and I have included it below also.  

As a part of the Earthwatch trip that I was on in China we were taught how to make the bread that the pandas love to eat.  Here is a short video of the process.  I have often wondered why other zoos don't make use of the high in nutrient meal for their pandas.  

It is quite a process at the base, with ovens for drying, baking, a separate room each for grain storage and dryer, the grain grinder machine and the preparation room.  But the bases do have quite a few more pandas to feed.  Its good to see Adelaide uses it for their pandas, maybe other zoos can contact them for a way to set it up for themselves.  

I would think it might reduce the amount of fresh bamboo that needs to be harvested to feed the pandas, but that is just another of probably a thousand questions I wanted to ask but never got around to!  

  

 

  

Working hard to reintroduce Pandas into the wild

For some, we have all become accustomed to seeing giant pandas in zoos and enjoyed visiting and learning all about them.  

But long term plans for giant pandas survival means finding ways to reintroduce them back into their wild habitat so that the pandas can fulfill a future of self reliance for themselves.  

In the case of the giant panda, specialist around the world have joined the scientist in China to prevent the extinction of the giant panda.    

There are many scientist that work in labs to understand the varying aspects of a panda's biological makeup.  

But it is the work in the field, that amazes me.  

If you are familiar with the story of Diane Fossey and the movie that was made from her book 'Gorillas in the Mist'  (if you haven't seen this movie, check it out!) you soon realize the kind of work and commitment it takes to do this.   

Many of life's luxuries are non existent in field work of this kind.

 Living in the mountains, they deal with isolation, a challenging terrain, unpredictable weather and anything else that nature might want to throw at them.  Even communications is difficult at times.  

As you will see in the article I have posted below, even with all of the support and work they put forward, they still need the help of the animals themselves in order for the program to be successful. 

If you ever have the chance to visit a panda base in the mountains of China, be sure to thank all of the people who work there.  

They are the unsung heroes who sacrifice a great deal in order contribute in some way to support this effort.   

Panda boot camp gives cubs survival skills

Death of male cub led experts to come up with training for little ones

By Jeanna Bryner updated 1/18/2013 9:04:44 PM ET Panda cubs have the cuteness thing down pat, but rough-and-tumble? Not so much. Now scientists are hoping to teach the roly-poly bears survival skills they'll need for living in the wild. The new mission is partly the result of a panda cub being released into the wild without the proper training. Xiang Xiang, a male cub, was released into Wolong Nature Reserve, located high in the mountains of western China's Sichuan Province, in April 2006. Unfortunately, Xiang Xiang wasn't prepared for the harsh reality of the wild. After less than a year of wandering the mountains, the cub was killed by neighboring males during turf wars.

Enter Tao Tao, a 2-year-old male panda currently roaming in Lipingzi Nature Reserve in southwestern China. The cub went through a boot camp of sorts, and now scientists are monitoring the furball with GPS.

Hemin Zhang, director of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, and his colleagues realized after Xiang Xiang's death that panda upbringing is critical.

And the best time to teach a panda new tricks seems to be during the cub years, so Zhang's team, including Jianguo "Jack" Liu of Michigan State University, taught momma pandas how to relay crucial survival skills — foraging and avoiding predators — to their cubs. [ Baby Panda Pics: See a Cub Growing Up ]

"Our people cannot teach a panda to live in the wild," Zhang said in a statement. "Now we leave the teaching to the momma."

The momma panda and the humans who monitor the animals are the only individuals with access to the cubs. Even the human keepers must go undercover, wearing panda suits when interacting with the cubs.

The scarcity of human exposure keeps the pandas fearful of humans, a caution that will help the cubs survive in the wild, Zhang said.

 

In addition, cubs are kept on their tiptoes by reminders of predators, which come in the form of recordings of vocalizations and scat spread around the enclosure from clouded leopards and other hungry threats. The reserve is also home to some non-threatening species, such as pheasants, sheep and pigs.

So far, the scientists say, Tao Tao is doing fine, though they warn that the real test will come in the spring, or mating season. During this season of love, Zhang said, competition between males can turn lethal.

 

Giant Pandas at BFX

Here we go, as I provide more video from the Ya'an Bifengxia panda base in SW China.  

An upgrade to my video card that could better handle the HD video I had shot, has helped tremendously, thank goodness.  I am amazed at how much upgrading in my video and computer equipment over the years I have taken on as technology is moving so fast anymore.  Beyond HD, I won't be able to go any further, it is just getting too expensive for a hobbyist.

Have tried to show some of the uniqueness of the base and the little critters that we came across as we were observing the pandas.  This base is located within the Wolong Reserve, which has tremendous variations in elevation with more then 4,000 species of plants.  The forest has unique broad-leaf trees and the valley surrounding Panda Mountain keeps a beautiful, green landscape throughout the winter season. Would love to go back and do more exploring of the countryside.

Going in October was a good time. The weather had begun to cool off, with the temps in the 70's and yes rainy but it was more of a drizzle.  Of course, this time of the year is beyond the breeding time for pandas, so you would need to go in the spring to experience it, but we did get to see some young cubs as you will see in the video. 

We observed the different stages of care the newborn cubs receive in the nursery area.   You will see the incubators that provide a warm environment for the newborns as they are not able to generate enough body heat on their own nor are their bodies able to remove excrement on their own so the keepers do this for them.  

As you will see, the cubs in the video are older and just about ready to be moved into the kindergarten area.  Each cub is fed a specialized milk formula that is prepared by the keepers and as they grow and develop they are moved into different areas of the nursery before graduating into the kindergarten where they experience the outdoors and begin learning new skills like climbing and eating bamboo.  

I think the thing that struck me the most on this trip is how enthusiatic all of the staff members were at the bases. Constantly on the move engaging in many activies throughout the day to care for the pandas you can sense a great deal of pride in what they are doing.  Always friendly and helpful if you had a question and willing to grab someone who could translate if they didn't understand you.  

Enjoy the video, next time, I will show you how the famous 'panda bread' is prepared.   

 

Observing giant pandas at the Bifengxia panda base

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday season, the New Year is just around the corner!

So, I have updated my video software, it was on sale, I guess I needed it anyway, my version was 9 and the latest is 12.   Am still getting some shaking and shimming even though I used the stabilizing adjustment, so I will just have to continue to fine tune my videos with the software as I go.  At least I can get the videos to render now, so I can post to YouTube and transfer here.

One of the jobs that we were assigned to help the scientist with at the Ya'an Bifengxia base on my Earthwatch trip was to spend time observing certain pandas and record their behaviors.  They have developed an extensive list of well over 100 probable behaviors and the scientist are using this information to help them in becoming more familiar with how wild pandas may behave.  This knowledge will help the scientist then understand how pandas interact in their environment.  

Because pandas are solitary in nature and very elusive as well as living in a difficult mountainous terrain, its almost impossible to do any prolonged observations in the field.   

We recorded behaviors with mother and cubs that are captive raised at the Bifengxia base and mother and cubs that are in the wild release program at the Wolong base.  Our first week we spent at the BFX base.  We also observed other pandas at the base for comparison.  You can click on the sheet to see it more clearly.  

Above is one of the sheets that lists some of the codes and a short explaination of the behavior associated with the code.  We spent a couple of days with our guides helping us to understand the behaviors correctly before we actually started to document our observations.  We broke up into teams of two, some observations were done just outside the caged area of the pandas, if that is where they were hanging out, or if they were out in their yards we found a good observation spot, as the adult enclosures have a concrete wall around them, but large glass windows have been set within the concrete walls that enabled us to observe.  If the weather was bad, or the panda was in a location where we couldn't closely see them, we recorded their behaviors in the cam room.

 

We were permitted to take our cameras or video cameras with us and on occasion we captured some shots between the times we were documenting.  

We were observing Su Lin, who was born at the San Diego Zoo in California and her 2 year old cub in their outdoor area on Leopard mountain.  Su Lin was pretty much eating bamboo and the cub was high up in the tree probably about 40 feet up sleeping, as many cubs do.  Here came Su Lin walking up the hill toward the tree where the cub was.  She walked over about 20 feet away from the cub and climbed up a different tree.  I had to get this on video.  

I am not accustomed to this quick action recording, I generally set up with a tripod, most zoo pandas are pretty quiet with the exception of cubs, but even they are in a limited area and easy to capture. Most of the time, we were shooting photos and recording on the go.  It was pretty exciting but challenging.

Tai Shan who was born at the National Zoo in D.C., is the first panda you will see in the video.  No, he was not included in the observations, but we had asked to see him and the other returnee pandas and so they took us over to where they were. As you will see he was ready to crash out, but did look up when we called his name it brought back great memories from his days in D.C.  Didn't see Fu Long, and our guides weren't sure of the names of the other pandas in the other enclosures that are on the video. 

This is an amazing time for the scientists at the Wolong Reserve.  They just completed the construction of their new wild release and limited breeding center near the town of Dujianyan.  So, a thorough evaluation is taking place in how to best utilize their different bases according to their long term goals.

This Earthwatch expediton works exclusively with the scientist at the Wolong Reserve.  Their research and goals may be very different from other panda bases in China.  You can read more about the work being done at the Wolong Reserve on this website. CGPPRC (China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center.

This video shows Tai Shan, then Su Lin climbing the tree, a shot of the cub sound asleep, and a couple of other pandas who live with Tai in the Returnees area of the base.  Stay tuned, more videos of our work with the pandas!

 

Scientist understanding the past to help pandas in the future

Amazing work continues to go on behind the scenes with genetic scientist continuing to put the pieces of the puzzle together of how pandas have evolved. 

Scientists Discover Evidence of Giant Panda's Population History and Local Adaptation

Dec. 16, 2012 — A research team, led by Institute of Zoology of Chinese Academy of Sciences and BGI, has successfully reconstructed a continuous population history of the giant panda from its origin to the present. The findings suggested whereas global changes in climate were the primary drivers in panda population fluctuation for millions of years, human activities were likely to underlie recent population divergence and serious decline.

The latest study was published online in Nature Genetics.

The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family. Sometimes considered the ambassador for all endangered species, it is a well-recognized symbol of international wildlife conservation. The giant panda is currently threatened by continued habitat loss, human persecution, and other threats. Its dietary specialization, habitat isolation, and reproductive constraints have led to a perception that this is a species at an "evolutionary dead end," destined for deterministic extinction in the modern world.

In this study, researchers carried out whole genome resequencing of 34 wild giant pandas and found the current six geographic populations of giant panda could be divided into three genetic populations, including Qinling (QIN), Minshan (MIN) and Qionglai-Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan (QXL). Through reconstructing giant panda's population history, they found several important evolutionary events such as two population expansions, two bottlenecks and two population divergences.

The giant panda has a very specific diet, namely bamboo, while its ancestor was omnivorous or carnivores. As early as about 3 Myr ago, they probably had already completed their dietary shift and the pygmy panda emerged with bamboo as its primary diet. The warm and wet weather at that time provided ideal conditions for the spread of bamboo forests that further led to the first population expansion of giant panda. However, about 0.7 Myr ago, the panda population began to decline due to the two largest Pleistocene glaciations occurring in China, and its first population bottleneck occurred at about 0.3 Myr ago. During that period, pygmy panda was gradually replaced by another subspecies -- baconi panda that has larger body size.

After the retreat of the Penultimate Glaciations, giant panda's second population expansion happened and it reached its population peak between 30~50 thousand years (kyr) ago. The warm weather in the Greatest Lake Period (30~40 kyr ago) and alpine conifer forest may play an important role in the flourishing of the panda population. However, during the period of last glacial maximum (LGM), the climate was cold, dry, and inhospitable with frequent storms and a dust-laden atmosphere. Under such harsh environment, extensive panda habitats were loss and its second population bottleneck occurred.

The more recent panda population history showed that the panda population separated into Qinling (QIN) and non-QIN populations at about 0.3Myr ago, and then the non-QIN cluster diverged into two populations, the Minshan (MIN) and Qionglai-Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan (QXL) at about 2.8 KYA ago. Subsequently, the three populations were different in the ways of fluctuation. For example, there was a drastic decline in the QIN, a slight increase in the MIN and a more remarkable growth in the QXL populations.

Researchers identified the signals of panda's local adaptation. They found the largest group of selected genes in these populations was related to sensory system. However, the two genes, Tas2r49 and Tas2r3, were associated with bitter taste and were under directional selection between the QIN and non-QIN populations, showing no signal of directional selection between MIN and QXL populations.

As a form of olfactory communication, odor perception is crucial for reproduction and survival of giant pandas in the dense forest. Researchers found the MIN and QXL populations had fewer directionally selected genes than QIN and non-QIN, suggesting less variation happens in the selection processes between MIN and QXL. They also found the evidence that population fluctuations were driven by global climate shifts, but recent human activities have likely caused population divergence and the serious recent decline.

Shancen Zhao, Project Manager from BGI, said, "We have identified three genetic populations of giant panda for the current six geographic populations lived in western of China. The varied local adaptations found in our study provide invaluable resource for researchers to better select effective conservation methods to rescue the giant panda even other endangered species. The translocation of wild-caught individuals or releasing the captive-bred ones may be a feasible approach. " Source: Science Daily

Panda country, Ya'an, China and its famous covered bridge

During most of our time on the Earthwatch expedition, we stayed in the city of Ya'an, China at the Ibis hotel there.  I would certainly recommend this hotel, very nice, right off the Qingyi River and covered bridge.  They had a small restaurant where we would eat breakfast. 

As a group we met up in the lobby each morning at 8:30 to catch a ride up to the Ya'an, Bifengxia Panda Base.  Arrangements had been made with four local people who drove us in their cars.  

I tried getting video of the scenery to and from the base because we do climb up into the mountains to get to the base, but it was difficult in the car with 3 others.  Beautiful scenery, with the rivers and waterfalls along with the individual family farms and small shops that held locally grown fruits and vegetables, freshly butchered meats as well as all kinds of stores and restaurants.

Didn't realize that furniture making was so big there.  Beautifully carved out of huge tree trunks that you would see sitting outside the shops.

We would get back into town from working at the base all day around 6 pm and then meet up for dinner at one of the many excellent restaurants.  So I didn't get much time to explore the city, unfortunately, but I did get up for one sunrise setting up on the covered bridge to capture what kind of activity took place.  Am waiting for our group to upload their photos, because I believe there are a few shots of us at dinner.  We tried about 5 different restaurants including the 'hot pot' where the food is cooked at the table in these huge kettles.

The bridge itself could use some touching up, but not sure of the overall condition.  There are shops inside on the lower level, I don't think the upper two levels are being used, I tried to get up there but it was blocked off.  Here you can buy some of the famous Sichuan tea.  

 

As the influx of money has helped the country, you can see how it is making a difference in the cities also. Their clothes shops have all of the latest styles and the people of Ya'an dress very well.  You can see the impact of the use of automobiles, scooters has on the city.  There is very little space for them to park as most of the shops sit right on the roadways and interestingly, they have some stoplights and stop signs, but basically everyone comes and goes pretty orderly using their horns to communicate with each other as they move about.  

I couldn't help but feel a sense of freedom about they way they could move around among each other in traffic, driving across lanes, scooting in and around each other.  No yellow or dashed lines telling them they had to drive per those rules we find in the United States.  Just alot of honking.  lol

Here is a little glimpse of the city of Ya'an, China.  Of course I had to add a panda into the video so you will see Suzie at the end.  

The next video I put together will begin with our work at the Ya'an Bifengxia Base.

 

Amazing journey, working with the pandas in SW China

Hooray, I am finally getting all caught up from my trip to China this last October and am now beginning the process of story telling as I call it, of what I saw and did while working and visiting three panda bases in SW China.

I still feel like I am on cloud nine and going over the videos brings back so many wonderful memories of not only the beautiful, graceful and playful giant pandas but having been part of an Earthwatch expedition I had the opportunity to meet some very interesting and dedicated people. 

The people of China are so friendly and hospitable and the part of China that we were in is so beautiful with its historical towns, long stretching mountains, flowing rivers and waterfalls.  

The Sichuan food that is so famous was beyond my expectations.  I could not eat the spicy dishes, I tried but let me tell you, they are not kidding about HOT & SPICY!  But some of our group did partake in them and it was fun to watch their reactions to the spices.  Thank You, to our group leaders who did arrange for the restaurants to prepare spicy and non spicy dishes because the flavors that come from the art of mixing these wonderful sauces with the locally grown vegetables is to die for.    

I took part in a Earthwatch Institute expedition that was titled 'On the Trail of Giant Pandas'.  There were 9 groups that were set up each spending a different length of time.   The first group started back in May 2012 and our group ended the series at the end of October 2012.

Earthwatch had coordinated everything with the exception of travel, which you would have to do on your own.  Once we arrived at the designated location in Chengdu, everything was arranged for us, lodging, meals, transportation and including working with the scientist and keepers at the Ya'an Bifengxia panda base and the Wolong panda base.   

Our group lasted two weeks, which went by extremely fast, I could have stayed there another month!   Our Earthwatch guide Justin, assures me Earthwatch will continue the panda program once they have gone over this years program with the staff at the panda base. 

This first video is really just an introduction. It was recorded at the Ya'an Bifengxia panda base but as I continue with future videos, I will try to explain what we did at the bases and the great work that the members of the bases in the Wolong Reserve are doing.  They are truly dedicated to helping the plight of giant pandas and really sacrifice alot to live up in the mountains to do this challenging work.  Thank You to all of them.

We were not able to see the new panda base that has recently opened in Genda, as they were in their final stage of construction before opening and we would have only gotten in their way.  Would have loved to have seen it though.  But we saw and were entralled by so many other sights and goings on at the other bases, that I know you will enjoy learning about tremendous work that is going on at these bases through these videos.

In future videos, you will also see  what the town of Ya'an is like, where we stayed during the first part of our journey along with the new hotel that is still under construction in the town of Wolong where we stayed at the end of the second week, called the Mountain Fungus Inn.  I stayed a couple of nights beyond the Earthwatch expedion so I could visit the panda base in Chengdu, so I will have some videos of that and the city of Chengdu also.

If you have any questions about the Earthwatch trip, the panda bases or anything you see in my videos, you can email me at dganna@pandasliveon.com.

Enjoy.

 

Giant Pandas and Mass Extinction, No Way!

Let's stand by Mei Xiang and all of the other pandas in the world and do something about climate change!

After all the years of studying the giant panda and trying to understand their needs along with finding ways to improve their breeding, now comes the bad news about climate change and its adverse affect on bamboo the main staple of the pandas.  

With China growing so drastically in the industrial sector and now more and more citizens are purchasing cars, this will be a major hurdle to overcome.  Up to this point a group of scientist have been working closely with the pandas, at the urging of the government, to do everything they can to help save pandas from extinction.  

Research bases and reserves were set up in the mountains where the giant panda lives, to protect their now limited habitat from further human destruction.  Having just returned from China and talking with the scientist at one of the bases, it was comforting to know the great progress they have made in so many areas that have negatively affected the lives of these great bears.  But now comes the ultimate test.  

There is an article out, that discusses the impact of climate change and how the warming temperatures will destroy the existing bamboo creating a mass extinction of the panda unless the problems of climate change are taken seriously.  Of course there is mention of developing a bamboo that will grow in warmer climates, but will the nutrient value be adequate?

This is not acceptable, governments looking for an easy way out in the solution to climate change.  We have to stop or greatly reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses once and for all!  We have allowed this problem to exist for too long now and to think that someone could suggest that having the giant panda go through a mass extinction is what will wake the world up to the climate change problem is ludicris! 

 

The regions where the giant panda lives, is a magnificent site to see and yet is sad to see how small and extreme an area that these bears now live in.   It appears to me over the course of their lives they have been running from man's dominance all their lives.  Where they once inhabited large areas in China and other regions, they are now limited to a very segmented area that is at a very high elevation.  (Click on graphics above to see full size)

The above graphic shows the mountain ranges in China, the pandas are currently living for the most part in the (Qinling and Hengduan Mountains).  Very rugged, rocky and cold.  So, for some who are saying the pandas need to move to a colder habitat or a higher elevation, I say you don't know what you are talking about.

Thanks to Jack Liu, an ecologist at Michigan State University, who bravely is speaking out about this problem.  Whereas, many scientists, government officials and the ever consuming public are turning a blind eye to climate change, Mr. Liu is not, and I commend him for it.  Here are several links to Jack Liu's paper.  Read it and take action, now.  

Pandas bamboo may be lost to climate change,

Pandas kiss bamboo goodbye with climate change,

Climate change threatens pandas.

News of Tao Tao release into the Wild

Everyone is so excited here at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center CGPPRC with the release of Tao  Tao into the wild.  It was one of the first things we were told was was going to be taking place when we arrived here last week because our schedule was shuffled around it.  

Here is the release from the base. Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard for the two years in making this day possible.  Good luck to you dear Tao Tao.

The world's first wild training panda released back to wild
2012.Oct.1215:29:57        Author:CCRCGP Editer:dongwc 

On the morning of 11st Oct, the National Forestry Bureau and the Sichuan provincial government in Shimian Ya'an held the panda released ceremony, this event will be China's first giant panda through field system training by artificial breeding "Tao tao" released to Liziping nature reserve zone, this marks the China giant panda protection work into the new stage of development.   

At 10:13 in the morning, open the "Tao tao" cage door, two years old "Tao tao" from out of the cage, straight into the bamboo forest, formally began new life in the wild. 

"Tao tao" was born 2010 August in the Wolong nature reserve zone, “Tao tao” was in the training circle underwent three stages of field training in the area of 2400, 40000 and 240000 square meters. In September this year, experts said, "Tao tao" through field training, healthy, normal growth and development, field survival ability is strong, have stronger vigilance and awareness of self-protection, can be released into the wild. On October 10th, the "Tao tao" from birth place send back to Wolong. 

It is an important goal to release the artificial breeding animal through wild training back to wild to enlarge the wild animal populations; it also has important meaning for the restoration and reconstruction for endangered wild animal breeding. The giant panda because of its low breeding ability, and has singleness feeding habits, and habitat fragmentation factors, to release giant panda to wild is more difficult than other wild animals. 

National Forestry Bureau in Wolong and at Liziping nature reserve zone establish the giant panda Wild training base and release base, the personnel of the organization of scientific research in long-term research and practice, they summed up in the natural environment the giant panda cub’s with cub’s mother in system wild training methods, training improved ability wildness ability. 

“Tao tao" is the first artificial breeding panda which by used new methods of training, at present, there are 6 pandas in Wolong to accept this new system of wild training; the future will be gradually released into the wild. 

Experts said, “Tao tao" have to go through: adopt field environment, get into the local population, breeding, these multiple tests in order to realize the goal of back to wild. Researchers will be monitored for a long time for "Tao tao "’s behavior, in order to gain more experiences for artificial breeding giant pandas returns to wild. 

At present, there established 64 Giant Panda Nature Reserve zones in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu provinces in China. The giant panda population grew to more than 1600. At the same time, through the strengthening of scientific research, successfully resolved the panda estrus difficulties,  survival difficulties technical problems, the captive giant panda number reached 342, basically realization of the self-sustaining of artificial captive giant panda, alleviated the giant panda endangered status.

 

 

 

In China, first day to work with the pandas

How amazing it is to travel to China and be with the pandas.  I am so grateful for this opportunity. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I signed on with Earthwatch to work with the pandas in China.

"Earthwatch inspires connections between people and the environment. Our mission
is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to
promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment"  - Earthwatch.com

This is the first year for Earthwatch working with the giant pandas.  "Since 1971, we have  been enabling people from all walks of life to join leading scientists working on crucial, environmental research projects locally and globally. We currently support about 60 projects across nearly 40 countries."

Many of my fellow team members have participated in previous expeditions with EW working with the Black Rhinos or Lions in Africa, explored the oceans while testing new robotic equipment to study the fish that live in the kelp, that whales eat and a couple just came from the Tibetan mountains.  All as part of Earthwatch.

Today is my first panda day in China.  The weather is nice, high in the low 70's and going down to the high 50's at night.  Chance of rain is always probable here, so they say.   

We will start early, leave at 8 am for the Bifengxia Panda base, near the town of Ya'an where we are staying.  We will begin with helping the keepers to clean up the panda enclosures and then have a practice session on how to record different panda behaviors with the use of codes all timed with a stopwatch over a 30 min time period.  Once we get the hang of it we will, then move in teams of two and begin recording the behaviors we observe.  This is part of the research that is ongoing here at the research base.

By recording this information from their captive pandas and then comparing it with the same method of collecting that we will be gathering from the pandas that are in the wild release program at Wolong, where we will go next week, they can begin to compare information that may help them to understand how wild pandas live. 

Wild pandas are almost impossible to observe in the wild, considering the extremely steep- mountainous habitat and their elusive behavior.

I have to apologize if there are any errors, as I cannot access my site, except my work page, which I knew might be a possibility. But thanks to panda pal, techno wizard, Daniel, of Daniel's Live panda cams will assist me, by emailing me any problems that may appear.  BTW, Daniel's page comes in perfectly here in China! 

Until I return at the end of the day, you may see some strange goings on but please be patient.  I am hoping to provide you with my panda adventure as I experience it, so that you may have a better understanding of what the scientists, engineers and workers do in China to help the giant panda.

Thanks for your understanding.

P.S.  No pictures, videos yet, keep your fingers crossed that I can upload some tonight!

 

Another web cam to watch Ling Ping on !

Thanks to a panda pal who tells us there is another webcam where we can keep up with Lin Ping and her family.  

It is through UStream.   Be sure to bookmark this link:  Zoo Thailand Panda Cam.

Stream videos at Ustream

Gangnum style panda

Thanks to the Chengdu Pambassador from You Tube who has moved their vivacious giant pandas around the world to bring awareness to the pandas.

"He's topped charts all over the world, broken YouTube and K-Pop records, and taught Britney Spears how to dance...but now PSY from Korea has a new admirer: the Panda.

Sponsored by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, and co-sponsored by WildAid, Chengdu Pambassador is a global program offering panda lovers the chance to become a panda ambassador (or "Pambassador") for a year. This channel has been created to spread awareness about the giant pandas of Chengdu and to engage in an informative conversation about the efforts to conserve, breed and release pandas back into the wild".

Created by: Ogilvy Public Relations London

Locations include: Proud, Camden

Being creative to help protect endangered species

As every birth or death of an endangered animal is looked upon with much scrutiny, (I hope), it is heart warming to see people continuing to find better ways of observing and tracking the wild populations in order to understand what their needs are so that humans and animals can coexist on this planet without facing extinction.

You are probably familiar with the radio collars that are used to keep track of animals and their movements within their habitat.  With these collars they can track what areas they frequent or avoid and then investigate these areas to better understand their needs.  These systems are used in the giant panda reserves in China.  

Here is another system that may play as important a role as the radio collar, the use of drones.  I don't know if drones would be applicable to giant pandas or not. 

If you are like me, you probably keep up with many different kinds animals around the world and are dismayed with the news of some species whose numbers continue to decline year after year.

It is encouraging to see people being creative in their efforts to closely monitor animals that live in complex ecosystems that are difficult to access as well as present vital evidence of their existence and outside influences that may affect them.

Eye in the Sky: Drones Help Conserve Sumatran Orangutans and Other Wildlife
John R. Platt | September 27, 2012 |  

What better way to study the world’s largest arboreal animals than by putting an eye in the sky?

 A team of scientists working in Indonesia has done just that by launching inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drone airplanes), to study critically endangered Sumatran from above the treetops. The technology is already being put into use in other conservation projects around the world.

Continue reading this article at it source: Scientific American.

 

Lin Ping of Thailand, no longer on True TV

I haven't kept up with Lin Ping for some time.  She was always so entertaining.  Thanks to True TV and Zoological Park Organization for putting up the money needed so that many could enjoy watching her.  

Thailand’s Panda Fans Lose Their Favorite Reality TV Show

By Phisanu Phromchanya and Wilawan Watcharasakwet

BANGKOK — After nearly three years of 24/7 telecasts of the everyday lives of a giant panda family, Thais will have to leave their sofas and remote controls and pay a visit to a zoo if they want to see their beloved creatures.

True Vision, a local cable network, pulled the plug on the reality show Monday due to apparent declining interest in watching the pandas, who have been housed at a zoo in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, since 2003.

Interest in their lethargic lives – which revolve around eating bamboo shoots and sleeping – hit a fever pitch in May 2009 when artificial insemination succeeded and father Chuang Chuang and mother Lin Hui produced a cub, named Lin Ping. Six months later, True Vision dedicated a live feed from the panda enclosure in what was a new frontier in Thailand’s growing appetite for reality TV.

Many Thais tuned in initially to what was dubbed the “Panda Channel” and some never seemed to tire of watching the cub claw around, chew bamboo shoots, and doze, perchance dreaming of more shoots.

“I’m very sorry that we are losing this channel,” said Nantana Maneerat, 66, a retiree. “The Panda Channel fostered a connection between Lin Ping and me, and that made me feel like she is my youngest daughter.”

“I’m bored with news and politics,” Mrs. Nantana said. “Watching her chewing bamboo and move around is very enjoyable and makes me relaxed and comfortable.”

The network and the Zoological Park Organization, a government agency overseeing Chiang Mai Zoo, had collaborated on the show. True agreed to shoulder the broadcasting costs for the first two years, and the zoo organization bore the third year. The costs of broadcasting were around THB10 million per year.

The organization decided not to extend the contract, resulting in Monday’s termination. Ratings for the Panda Channel are not available, but executives appear to have perceived that the pandas’ popularity had fallen, said Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee, chief of the organization’s panda research department.

Anyone who wants to see the pandas up close will need to hurry. Lin Ping and her parents are scheduled to be returned to China next year, but the zoo organization hopes to negotiate an extension on the 10-year contract. The pandas attract around 800,000 visitors a year.

Thailand has had the pandas at a steep discount of $300,000 per year, well under the $1 million it typically charged to zoos in the United States, as part of its diplomatic offensive to increase trade and political ties in Southeast Asia.

“It wouldn’t be good if Lin Ping needs to return to China,” said Charli Sandford, an 8-year-old living in Chiang Mai who kept the channel on while doing her homework. “I will miss her very much because it would be difficult for her to get back to Thailand again.”

Giant pandas have difficulty conceiving offspring and the birth and survival of cubs is rare. On Sept. 16, a week-old giant panda cub died at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Chengdu Panda research base shows off cute cubbies

Chinese zoo shows off new panda cubs

Captive pandas in Chengdu, China, have successfully given birth to eight cubs in six births this year. CBS News

 

China working on 3D movie about giant pandas

They report that the film will be distributed around the world to show the work that is being done to toward saving this endangered species.

Look at the amazing video gear they are using to make this movie.  Being a video buff myself, wouldn't I love to have something like that to record my panda visits. 

 Chinese Giant Panda” in 3D will shoot in Wolong Giant panda research center

2012.Aug.0716:12:12 Research 作者:CCRCGP 编辑:dongwc

In order to show China Giant Panda protecting and breeding achievements and all circles of the society for the protection and efforts of giant pandas, to enhance the people to protect endangered wild animal
consciousness, Chinese wild animal protection association, China Giant Panda
Protection and Research Center (referred to as " Research Center “) together with the Oxford science film company, will be shoot in research center of Wolong base and
Ya'an base.

A global broadcast 3D movie “Chinese Giant Panda ". The film will be
broadcasting in every country of the world on television, but also broadcast
cycle in most of the world's major museums and institutions as public education
film.

At present, research center of Ya'an base was doing a series of
preparatory work before shooting, plans holding opening ceremony on 20th August
at the Ya'an International Film Week Press conference.

Unbelievable! National Zoo giant panda cub dies, UPDATED

Video found on YouTube V2343.

The Washington Post has just reported through Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, September 23, 12:09 PM AP:

Giant panda cub born Sept. 16 at National Zoo in Washington dies; cause of death not known

"WASHINGTON — A giant panda cub born last weekend at the National Zoo in Washington has died.

Zoo officials say the cub was found dead Sunday morning after panda keepers heard sounds of distress from its mother, Mei Xiang.

Staffers were able to retrieve the cub about an hour later. The cause of death is unknown. The cub appeared to be in good condition, and there were no outward signs of trauma or infection.

The cub had been a surprise at the zoo. Fourteen-year-old Mei Xiang had five failed pregnancies before giving birth. Panda cubs are born about the size of a stick of butter and are delicate infants.

They’re at risk for infections and so small that it’s not unheard of for panda moms to accidentally crush their young. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."

My own response to this news is first off, this leaves alot of questions, as I don't know how accurate this article is.  My first is why did it take the zoo an hour to remove the cub when Mei began to vocalize her distress.  Other zoos have small doors built into the den areas so that they can reach in and remove the cub if needed, ASAP.  Maybe the NZ did I don't know.

The zoo has incubators why didn't they remove the cub to ensure it was healthy and doing well and then place him/her back with Mei.  What is the purpose of having incubators if you don't use them.  I know incubators are also needed in case of twins being born but as an example, Zoo Atlanta removed their newly born cub from Lun Lun right away when they realized their cub was thought to be struggling.  They saved his life and helped him to overcome an infection.

The NZ has been very public about returning Mei Xiang or Tian Tian or both back to China because of pregnancy issues.  What I don't understand is how you cannot feel privileged with having two 'endangered giant panda's in your care but instead publicly report that you want to switch them out because you think they are damaged goods. 

This has been a sore spot for me since they began talking about this and publishing it in the media.  Sorry, to those who feel no one should criticize a zoo, as I have been told many times, but today, with this tragic news, I just have to question what are the Smithsonian National Zoo's priorities?

UPDATE

In answer to my questions concerning the process that the zoo staff used to get to the mother or cub in case of an emergency, is an article in the Washington Post that explains their that very process.

Giant panda cub dies at National Zoo

By Michael E. Ruane and Victor Zapana, Published: September 23

The distress call had gone out at the National Zoo: The week-old giant panda cub was in trouble, perhaps dying, and the keepers had to get it out of the den for treatment, with its agitated 240-pound mother a few feet away.

It was a practiced but dangerous maneuver. Standing behind protective bars, one keeper, Marty Dearie, distracted the adult female with honey-flavored water, while another, Juan Rodriguez, reached in with a long-handled “grabber” and pulled the cub through the bars.

he baby was then whisked to the keepers’ office in the panda compound where veterinarian Nancy Boedeker used her fingers to do gentle heart massage on an animal that weighed about four ounces.

But there was no heartbeat and no respiration, and after about 10 minutes Boedeker stopped. The zoo’s giant panda cub, born amid hope and fanfare Sept. 16, was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m., after a life of not quite 6¹ / ₂ days.

Somber zoo officials on Sunday painted this portrait of the cub’s final moments, along with the effort of keepers and veterinarians to save its life.

The cub’s sudden death struck the zoo community on a beautiful fall morning, as the facility on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest Washington was thronged with visitors. The staff was “devastated,” zoo director Dennis Kelly said.

“I’m worried about my keepers,” he said. “They’ve got 2,000 animals to take care of, and they’ve got to remain safe.”

And it upended, for now, all the plans for a new era of giant pandas at the National Zoo and in the Washington region. Zoo officials said it was too early to discuss what they might do about their pandas in the future.

The zoo’s giant panda population stands at two: Mei Xiang, the cub’s mother, and mate Tian Tian, its father. The cub was so small that the zoo did not yet know its sex.

“Distressed vocalizations” from Mei Xiang were heard at about 9:17 a.m. Sunday, and keepers realized “this is not right, this is not good,” zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson said.

Kelly said Mei Xiang “got up and moved off of where she was holding the cub, and made a honk,” which was unusual for her. “We surmised that that was a distress call,” he said.

The keepers also had stopped hearing the cub’s healthy squealing, which had gone on for a week and was a sign of a thriving newborn.

Emergency protocols were activated, and within minutes a team of four keepers and two veterinarians had assembled in the keepers’ office in the panda house.

The effort to extract the cub from the den was delicate. “[Mei Xiang] is a 240-pound wild bear with maternal instincts,” Kelly said. “And she’s upset.”

First the keepers tried calling Mei Xiang to get her out of the den, but that didn’t work, zoo officials said.

Then Dearie and Rodriguez entered an area adjacent to the den, where they were protected by bars but could reach the cub if they could distract the mother.

Dearie did so by splashing honey water near her, and at about 10:15 a.m. Rodriquez got the cub.

He handed it to Dearie, who rushed the cub to the keepers’ office, which is stocked with incubators and other emergency equipment.

You can read the rest of the article at this link:

Giant Panda cub dies at National Zoo

'Keeping up with the Kubs', panda moms take charge

As Mei holds her little cub very close keeping him/her warm and guiding the little one to her nipples so that they will take in the precious milk that helps the cub to grow healthy, eventually she will begin to relax her hold on the cub to a point where we will begin to see them more often.  

The National Zoo staff is still on their 24 watch, as they had set up shortly before the birth.  The early days are critical as they are for any newborn.   

In San Diego, the young cub that Bai Yun is taking care of right now is just over 10 weeks old now, born on July 29, 2012.  Bai and her cub seem to have settled into a regular routine now.  It reminds me that when we do get a better chance to see Mei's cub, the one thing he/she will be doing is lots of sleeping! 

All that milk along with a rapidly growing body, a cub needs its sleep.  But its the little things you watch for like seeing their coloration change from pink to their distinctive black and white markings, seeing them try to maneuver in the nest area, wriggling around in their mothers arms, restless and still very vocal. 

It won't be long and the cubs will be climbing all over their moms, pining for her affection. 

Whereas, in the early days it was keeping the cub warm and comfortable, soon momma Mei and Bai will be chasing their little cubs all over the enclosure as the cubs begin to explore every nook and cranny they come across in their new-found world. 

Picking them up by the scruff of their neck, the mothers will let the cubs know what they can or can't do until they decide they are ready. 

Its an amazing site to see the cubs go completely limp while being dragged back to the den or dropped gently to the ground, from the little tree or log they tried to climb up. 

It can be quite comical and it certainly is amazing to observe the close bond between mother and cub. 

It's a good day in panda world.

Mei Xiang and newborn cub UPDATE

The National Zoo has provided us with more information about Mei and her newborn cub.  This is from their Giant Panda webpage.

September 17

As panda cam watchers may have noticed: from Mei's behavior and the sounds we're hearing, we have a giant panda cub!

              As far as we can tell, the cub was born at about 10:46 p.m. on September 16. According to chief veterinarian Suzan Murray:

“Mei Xiang is behaving exactly the same way she did when Tai Shan was born. She is cradling her cub closely , and she looks so tired, but every time she tries to lay down, the cub squawks and she sits right up and cradles the cub more closely.  She is the poster child for a perfect panda mom.”

We believe there is only one cub. If the cub is to have a twin, we should know by sunrise. 

              For now, the only way animal care staff will monitor the cub is using the web cams. Our goal is for Mei Xiang to raise this cub naturally. With Tai Shan, it wasn’t until he was about two weeks old that Mei walked away from him briefly and our veterinary team was able to give him a brief well-cub exam. 

              Keep your eyes on the panda cam and on our website and social media networks for more #cubwatch updates!

Below is a video from Channel 9 in Washington, D.C. They interview Brande Smith who is the Senior Curator and Curator of Asia Trail and Giant Pandas

Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub Sunday night !

Confirmed by the National Zoo on their Facebook page, sometime before 11:00 pm EST, Mei Xiang had a cub.  Have yet to be able to see the little cubby, as Mei had really built up her nest today, making it almost impossible to even see her in the den. 

Congratulations to Mei, daddy Tian Tian and the National Zoo.  These next couple of nights are critical, my prayers are with you Mei.  You can watch Mei Live here:  National Zoo panda cam or Daniel's multiple cam feeds.

Here is a video of Mei from the NZ live cams, you can't see the cub, but you can hear him/her.

Live webcams show special moments in pandas lives

All eyes are on the National Zoo's female panda, Mei Xiang.  14 year old, Mei is currently going through the process where she may give birth to a cub or experience the end of a pseudo pregnancy. 

From the zoo's website:   "Mei Xiang returned to a more normal estrous cycle this year. She went into heat in April after three consecutive years of going into heat in January.

Giant panda breeding season generally lasts from late winter to late spring, but scientists are unsure of what triggers the onset of estrus. Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice in late April with sperm collected and frozen in 2005 from the Zoo's male panda, Tian Tian. The second artificial insemination April 30 was live-tweeted for the first time"

Just a short time ago, on the other side of the country at the San Diego Zoo, 21 year old Bai Yun, gave birth to a male cub on July 29, 2012. 

It's a true wonder of the world to watch 'live' the birth of a newborn giant panda, because they are an endangered species and with every birth comes the hope that the threat of extinction becomes a distant memory.

So, to have the opportunity to observe a panda who is going through the process of pregnancy or pseudo pregnancy via live webcams, is a special privilege that future generations may never have, except to watch a video from the past.  This is something we can't take for granted. 

Fortunately for us, both of these zoo's do have the cams and you can watch them anytime during a 24 hour period.  Big thanks also goes to panda pal, Daniel, who has the technical know how to showcase the cams on one website, so you are not having to open several different websites at once to watch the pandas.

 

His website is Daniel's Multiple Panda Cam Feeds and it a great site to add to your favorites.  Not only does he provide many webcams from around the world on the site for quick access, but he also has great info about pandas as well as a very informative Facebook page that he keeps up to date with current information about pandas.  You can always find links to individual live webcams here in the right-hand side bar also.

Don't miss out on a chance to watch Bai interact with her little boy, yet to be named, who is already weighs 4 lbs and Mei Xiang who is spending most of her time in the den area now, grinding up bamboo to act as a nest for the possible cub, eating, or just resting while we all wait patiently for the possibility of another cubby for the National Zoo.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Here is short take of what you might see while watching Bai Yun and her cub.

Be part of an exciting opportunity as a Chengdu Pambassador

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has started their Pambassador program for the second time on Facebook.  This is a unique opportunity to not only get up close and personal with the giant panda but with the knowledge you gain through this adventure, you will be able to help these adorable bears by telling the world more about them through your own unique perspective.  Here is some brief info from the FB page.

Do you want to hug a real panda? The pandas are waiting for you! Join our mission to protect pandas. You could become an official ambassador for the giant pandas of Chengdu and go on a global panda tour! Become the next Chengdu Pambassador.

Start your PandaQuest today at Chengdu Pambassador.

 Yao Ming (former NBA star with the Houston Rockets) along with our co-organizer WildAid kicked off the Global Search for Chengdu Pambassador 2012 in Shanghai.

Once you 'like' the page, it will move you to a more detailed info page on how to join PandaQuest for a chance to get up close and personal with the pandas of Chengdu, China.

As one of three Pambassadors, you will also embark on a "Global Panda Conservation Tour," visiting pandas and promoting endangered animal protection around the world.

Good luck to all of you who plan to take part in this wonderful adventure.   

Bai Yun gives birth to 6th cub

Great news with twins being born!

Wonderful news out of China. Congratulations to the base and momma Xi Mei!

  Year's first panda twins born in Sichuan

Panda Xi Mei gave birth to the twin cubs on Wednesday morning in China's Sichuan Province. [Chinanews.com.cn]

Panda Xi Mei gave birth to the cubs at 4:47 a.m., the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong said.

The cubs are also the first pandas born in China this year, the center said. The center's staff have yet to identify the gender of one of the cubs, as its mother has yet to release it from her embrace. The second cub is a female and weighs 154.2 grams, the center said. Xi Mei became pregnant in March after mating with Lu Lu, a panda selected for breeding by the center.

The center began intensive monitoring after Xi Mei began to exhibit prenatal behavior in mid-June. Born in 2000, Xi Mei previously gave birth to twin pandas in 2005 and 2006, respectively. In 2009, she gave birth to a single panda.

Panda Xi Mei gave birth to twin cubs at 4:47 a.m. Wednesday in Sichuan Province, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong. [Chinanews.com] 

These are the first twin panda cubs born in 2012 in the world. The center's staff have yet to identify the gender of one of the cubs, as its mother has yet to release it from her embrace. The second cub is a female and weighs 154.2 grams. [Chinanews.com] 

Shin Shin's little cub dies

My condolences go out to the hard working staff at Ueno Zoo in Japan,  I know they worked so very hard to help Shin's newborn make it through this critical time.

Tokyo’s Newborn Baby Panda Dies

By Yoree Koh

The first giant panda born at Japan’s oldest zoo in nearly a quarter-century died of pneumonia Wednesday just six days after
its celebrated arrival.

Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo said that the unnamed male cub spent the night with its
mother, Shin Shin, and that its cries could be heard at 6:45 a.m. on
Wednesday.

Less than an hour later, staff found the cub face up on Shin Shin’s chest in
a state of cardiac arrest. The cub was put in an incubator and given a heart
massage, but was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m. Ueno Zoo director Toshimitsu Doi
told reporters the cub caught pneumonia after the mother’s milk got into its
lungs.

The birth on July 5 of the zoo’s first baby panda for 24 years
and its progress during its first few days of life attracted broad news coverage
in Japan.

National broadcaster NHK ran breaking news headlines over its normal
programming to announce the birth, and death, of the cub, while newspapers gave
daily updates on the cub’s milk intake and published front-page photos of Shin
Shin cradling the pinkish newborn — weighing a mere 133 grams at birth.

Seven-year-old Shin Shin, on loan from China, appeared to be attentive toward
her baby on the first day, nursing it frequently. But she seemed to tire of her
maternal responsibilities by the next night, leaving the cub and wandering off
to eat bamboo shoots.

Zoo staff alternated between moving the cub from an incubator to Shin Shin’s
side while gauging the mother’s interest. On Monday evening they returned the
cub to an incubator due to concerns that it was not getting enough food, before
placing it once more by Shin Shin’s side on Tuesday.

Around 60-70% of baby giant pandas die within their first week, zoo officials
said at a press conference. A panda breeding expert visiting from China, who was
on site when the baby was discovered, said that the same thing frequently
happens in China, zoo officials said.

The cub’s death quickly became the most talked about trending topic on
Twitter’s Japan site on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s truly unfortunate. There’s always a sense of sadness when an animal
passes away,” said Mr. Doi, the head of Ueno Zoo, choking away tears at the
press conference. “But this was truly, a very unfortunate passing.”

The baby panda — like the other pandas on loan to Japan from China — would
have eventually been sent to China.

“We lament the loss of the cub and believe the Japanese people who have been
looking forward to the panda’s cub will also lament its loss,” said China
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin, at a press conference Wednesday.

Source: WSJ/JapanRealTime

Shin Shin resumes care of her cub, its a boy!

Ueno Zoo’s Shin Shin resumes caring for panda cub after time in incubator

By Adam Westlake  /   July 10, 2012

The baby Panda that was born at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo last Thursday has resumed breast-feeding from mother Shin Shin after a brief period in an incubator. Zoo officials say Shin Shin didn’t sleep after giving birth, and on Friday night she put the cub down to eat some bamboo sprouts a short distance away. The staff took the panda cub to keep it warm for a little while, where it was then discovered to be a male.

Veterinarians believe Shin Shin was suffering from fatigue, and that’s why she was somewhat unresponsive to the cub’s crying. The baby Panda was returned shortly after the confirmation of its gender, but Shin Shin still didn’t pick it up. So on Saturday it was moved to an incubator. The two were reunited on Monday, and happily Shin Shin went to the baby’s aid when it cried, picking it up and breast-feeding once more, proving it wouldn’t be a problem to care for.

Weighing around 130 grams, this was the first panda to be born at Ueno Zoo in 24 years, and the first in the zoo’s history to be naturally conceived, as opposed to artificial insemination. Both Shin Shin and the baby have been monitored around the clock, and they are in good health. The zoo hopes have the panda cub in public view in around six months, and debating about accepting name suggestions from the public. As Shin Shin and her mate are on loan from China, it will have to be a name the country approves of, therefore excluding the suggestions put forth by Tokyo’s Governor Shintaro Ishihara

Happy 7th Birthday, Tai Shan UPDATED

I watched the new Tai Shan cam last night.  Incredible to see Tai again.  It is very clear with a large screen so you really do get a great look at him because they do zoom in close at times.

There were some connection problems last night with it buffering in and out.  Wouldn't you know it, just as Tai had walked up to his birthday cake and was getting ready to reach up to a higher level on the 5-tiered frozen treat, the cam went out....I couldn't believe it!  So, I patiently waited as it had been coming back up after a few minutes, but this time no, it continued to buffer and by the time it came back up the cake was gone!  

I can only imagine that he knocked it over, as he has always done with his ice cakes in previous birthday celebrations.  But the staff had come in and removed any evidence that there was ever a BD cake for him and that was a little disappointing.  They had put so much work into making the cake.

But a huge Thank You to everyone who has made this live cam possible, CGPPRC (China Giant Panda Protection Research Center), Pandas International and Explore,.  

Thank You to the staff and volunteers at the Bifengxia Panda Base who put together the nice celebration for Tai to celebrate his 7th Birthday.  You can see official photos of Tai's celebration that were taken by the staff at the base at this link: Tai's BD photos

We can continue to watch Tai everyday now.  You will have to align your time zone with the China time zone so you will know when to tune in.  They are showing replays of Tai using recorded videos during the times the cam is not up and running.  

Also don't forget to tell your friends about the cam site because a special fund is being set up to help replant bamboo. Here is the notice from the website.

Bamboo Challenge Grant: For the month of July, for every like or share to Tai Shan’s live stream, explore.org will donate $1 to help replant bamboo in his native China up to $500,000.

Tai Shan Live WebCam

Fellow panda fan, wzb3 of You Tube did record and process the video so we could at least see Tai walk up to his cake. Thanks Bill. 

LIVE webcam of Tai Shan begins today!

Thanks to the collaboration between the CGPPRC (China Giant Panda Protection Research Center), Pandas International and Explore, a live webcam that will feature Tai Shan  has now become a reality.  

Here is the information that is available concerning the cam right now and hopefully something more will be published in the days to come. 

If you click on the cams during off hours you will see video recorded earlier.  Here is an example:

 

There is a box below the cam itself with this notice, and it also includes more information about Tai and pandas, just click on the tabs on the right.

Stay tuned for the launch of Tai Shan’s new live stream and birthday party, Sunday 7/8 starting at 8pm EST / 5 Pacific. Cake will be served at 5pm EST!

 

Here is the link:        Tai Live Webcam

 

For those of you who may not be familiar with Tai Shan here is a short bio also on the cams website:

You are watching Tai Shan, perhaps the most well-known giant panda in the world. This 7-year-old became a global internet and media sensation just days after he was born at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. He was later brought back to China to do his part in growing the Panda population. His name, meaning "Peaceful Mountain," was chosen through an Internet poll, before which time he was nicknamed "Butter Stick." Have a question about panda bears? Submit them to the comments and we will do our best to answer with the help of Pandas International.

Peace, Love & Happiness = Pandas!

Thanks once again to the CRBGPB (Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding), they have put together a great marketing campaign to bring awareness to giant pandas in a couple of different ways.

Check out the funny videos where they walk around town dressed in panda suits imitating the playful behavior of giant pandas.  I had to include another one of the cubby vidoes. The little cub looks like he is showing off on the obstacle course.  

 

 

 

 

 This is description that went along with the newest videos:

Chengdu in China has been the hometown of the giant panda -- one of the world's most endangered species - for more than 8 million years, and the Chengdu Panda Base (a not-for-profit organisation) is a world-renowned breeding and research center for the giant panda. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012, the Panda Base now has the largest controlled breeding population in the world -- 108 giant pandas.

Congratulations to Ueno Zoo on new cub being born

A baby giant panda was born at a Tokyo zoo on Thursday, in a rare success for Japan's captive breeding programme, a zoo official said.

The as-yet unnamed infant is Ueno Zoo's first baby panda for 24  years, and its first ever from a natural sexual congress, she told AFP.

"The baby was born around noon today, but we have no further  details as our keepers are taking care of the pandas," she said.

The zoo had suspended public viewing of the "possibly pregnant"  giant panda Shin Shin on Saturday after keepers noticed she had became nervous  about noise and light.

Shin Shin and her mate Ri Ri were confirmed to have mated twice  in late March, and the female panda's condition, including her hormone level and  a loss of appetite for about two weeks, had suggested she was pregnant.

The couple was leased from China last year to the zoo operated by  the Tokyo Metropolitan government at an annual cost of about a million  dollars.

In Japan, a total of 16 giant pandas have been born, the Yomiuri  Shimbun reported. Source: The Times

I could not get the video that the zoo has posted online of the birth to work yet, but here is a look at Shin Shin from a video that was made when they were discussing her possible pregnancy. Thanks to NTDTV. 

Chengdu Panda Cubs sliding, bouncing and being incredibly cute

Thanks so much to a new YouTube site featuring adorable cubs at the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding to give us a welcome laugh during a difficult summer for many right now.  

The occasion was the Chengdu Panda Awareness Week at end of May, beginning of June.  I know you will love these cutie's and their antics.  You can see more of these videos at the Chengdu Paw YouTube site. Enjoy! 

New Photos of first 'On the Trail of Giant Pandas' Earthwatch expedition

I was doing some web searching concerning my upcoming trip to China and found some photos that one of the participants who took place in the same expedition I will be joining in October just posted online.

Team Photo

A candidate reintroduction cub relaxes in a tree

Mountain Fungus Inn, Wolong (where the group stays)

The Wolong Panda base has been made useable while the new facility is built

Here is the write up that John posted with his photos at the Zenfolio site.  There are more photos to see just click on this link:  John Hanna Zenfolio.

"The Wolong Panda base was badly damaged during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Construction of a new facility, funded by the Hong Kong government, is underway just a few miles down the road. The existing location, somewhat patched together, is being used for the Panda reintroduction program.

Only Pandas that have not been habituated to humans are intended to be reintroduced to the wild. In practical terms, this means that expectant (but habituated) mothers will give birth and rear their cubs for two years in increasingly large and semi-wild enclosures. During those first two years, it is hoped the cub will learn the necessary survival skills from the mother, and human interaction with the cub is strictly controlled, before being released into the wild ... meaning Panda suits must be worn!

While looking completely ridiculous, it was fun going about our daily monitoring and maintenance activities in full Panda regalia!

We stayed in a nearby hotel, the wonderfully named Mountain Fungus Inn, and received royal treatment during our visit, including a banquet (with barbequed goat!) held in our honour before we left Wolong."

Thanks John for sharing your adventure, I can't wait to partake in mine.  

Captive pandas get special training to help them be their best in mating

Because captive pandas don't go through the same rigors of their wild counterparts, continually searching for food while climbing mountains and all of the obstacles that come with mountain life on a regular basis, the scientist at the research bases have developed exercises to help captive pandas maintain strength in areas that are needed for successful natural breeding.  One such exercise helps the males maintain strength in their hind legs. 

This video was just released showing 8 year old Yong Yong taking part in one of these exercises at the Chengdu Panda Base.  

 

VIDEO: Panda trains for mating season

By: ABC15.com staff CHENGDU, CHINA - New video from China gives us a glimpse into what it takes to get giant pandas ready for mating season. The males underwent physical training on Wednesday in order to build up their strength for future mating at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

One of the male pandas in training, Yong Yong, just finished mating in April and is already in training for next year. Keepers demonstrated one of the exercises, in which food is attached to the end of a long pole with string, enticing Yong Yong to stand up and catch the food and exercising the muscles of his hind legs. The keeper explained that the power of the hind legs is very helpful to the panda's mating and added that domesticated male pandas are often not as muscular as their counterparts in the wild.

The nearly 8-year-old Yong Yong successfully mated with female panda Yuan Yuan in April and is now starting his new round of physical training in order to get ready for next year's breeding season. 

Brave Tao Tao reaches final stage toward wild release

After becoming so enthralled with what I saw as cute, adorable giant pandas living in the zoos around the world, (see Tian Tian in photo below) I began to think about how wild pandas lived.  There was very little about wild pandas several years ago, but these days they are almost in the news weekly.   

Most of the stories I found about wild pandas in China were cases where the bears had come down from the mountains into local villages foraging for food after harsh winters.  Stories also revealed ill or injured pandas discovered by villagers, who got word to nearby panda bases.  The researchers evaluated the condition of the panda, if needed, they would bring the panda back to the base to renourish or medically help them to return to good health with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.  You have to keep in mind that these bases are inside or along the fringes of the panda habitat.

In recent years the use of motion-triggered 'camera traps' set up by the researchers in the panda habitats, have begun to help scientists to answer an enormous range of conservation and ecological questions about the bears.  Wow, what amazing sights these photos revealed.  You can view more of these photos at the Smithsonian 'Wild' website.

Now these same researchers have been working on a unique program over the last two years to release young pandas back into the wild. Huang Yan, deputy chief engineer of the China Conservation  and Research Center for the Giant Panda tells us, "We have no choice but to release captive-bred pandas into the wild to protect the natural environment," said Huang. "By providing wilderness-survival training for these animals, we hope to introduce them into a number of small groups, 
helping to increase the wild population and maintain their genetic diversity."

I now introduce you to young Tao Tao, who with his mother Cao Cao were the first to be a part of this program and are getting close to taking their first steps into the wild.  It has been an amazing story to follow.  You can also keep up with this program on the Centers special website Wild Introduction. 

 

Here is a recent article that authors Jiang Xueqing and Huang Zhiling (China Daily) wrote about the project.  They have done a great job of summarizing the program, giving us some insight as to what the scientist and pandas have achieved to progress successfully through to the third and final stage.  

I plan to be a part of this program myself through a program that the Earthwatch Institute has put together with the CCRCGP,  with an expedition called, 'On the Trail of Giant Pandas'.  Along with a small group of 12, we will be working with the researchers to observe and monitor these very pandas that are going through the wild introduction.  

I just discovered this myself and barely got onto one of the teams.  There are 9 expedition teams planned for this year and depending on how these go this year, the center will decide what expeditions may or may not be offered in the future.

There may still be some open spaces available for this year or you can put yourself on a waiting list for next year if you are interested just check out the link above for EI.

Read over the article below, it will reveal a whole new world of the giant pandas to you!

Pandas set to take a walk on the wild side

Updated: 2012-06-08 08:07 By Jiang Xueqing and Huang Zhiling ( China Daily)

Bears to be released into natural habitat, Jiang Xueqing and Huang Zhiling report from Wolong and Dujiangyan, Sichuan province.
It took at least two hours for our all-terrain vehicle to bump along the rugged mountain road from Dujiangyan, a city near Chengdu in Sichuan province, to the Wolong National Nature Reserve. Devastated by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and subsequent mudslides, the dangerous state of the road means that very few tourists ever visit Wolong.

Funny Panda with the watering hose

People ask if pandas like the water.  I have never seen one actually swimming in any photos or videos but have seen them sitting in a pool of water and even splashing with their paws.  Most memorable was seeing Tai Shan, who used to live at the National Zoo, having fun with the keeper as you can see in the photo below.  Great capture by ajay*77.  

Thanks to hugwildlife of YouTube, who found this article of the Chinese keepers providing some welcome relief from the heat in right now.  Just adorable.  

Playing it cool: Giant panda gets a soaking in sweltering temperatures

Hua Ao, of the Yantai Zoo, got defensive as his keepers at a Chinese zoo try and cool him down in 30c (86 F) heat.  The rare bears usually live in cool forests and have thick fur so need help to stop over-heating.

By LAWRENCE CONWAY PUBLISHED: 13:05 EST, 6 May 2012 | UPDATED: 13:05 EST, 6 May 2012

When it's a hot, sunny and you are really feeling the heat there is nothing better than a cooling shower. But this giant panda at Yantai Zoo in eastern China seems to be finding attempts to cool him down a little too bracing.  Keepers at the zoo decided to spray down giant male panda Hua Ao with a hose as temperatures in the town hit 30c.

  

But Hua Ao found their attempts a little too direct, raising his paws to block the cool water and backing away. At one point the giant panda, with its famous black and white fur, lost its footing as it attempted to get out of the firing line.

The gorgeous bear can be seen falling into a barrel roll as it decides staying dry is better than cooling down. The panda also takes to a wooden platform, peeking out from behind a post to see what's coming his way next .

I bet the next time the keeper comes around with the hose, he will find it alot more fun. 

 

Chengdu and their Reintroduction Program

The Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding will be utilizing a new facility for their reintroduction program.

"Dr. Zhang Zhihe, the director of the Chengdu Panda Base said, we have spent the last 50 years helping to save the endangered giant pandas and we are committed to the healthy growth of the captive population and the reintroduction of captive giant pandas into the wild.

This demonstrates the unique commitment of the Chengdu Panda Base, and the historic commitment of Chengdu, the hometown of giant pandas.

The first giant pandas to be moved to the new facility are Xing Rong and Xing Ya aged four, Gong Zai and Ying Ying aged three, and Zhi Zhi and Qi Qi aged 2. These pandas are all sub-adults, or non-sexually mature pandas.

These pandas have been selected based on specific requirements. The requirements include age, health, gender, genetics, and character. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Dujiangyan Field Research Center for Giant Pandas is located in giant panda habitat in Majiagou, Yutang Town, Dujiangyan, in Sichuan province.

The total investment planned for the project is RMB 0.3 billion and the construction area planned for the Center is 2,004 mu. Upon completion, the Center will be able to hold 30 to 40 giant pandas and 50 to 100 lesser pandas, also known as red pandas."

"The giant pandas reintroduction research that will be conducted in the Dujiangyan Field Research Center will focus on giant panda breeding, rescue, disaster relief and conservation education. Emphasis will be placed on giving giant pandas more opportunities to learn and practice their survival skills, and gradually reduce human interference until giant pandas can live without human assistance in the wild. This will help to establish a transition buffer zone for reintroducing giant pandas into nature reserves, and propel the future ecosystem rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Longmen Mountain area. This will mean that the most remote nature reserves will now get more protection and technical support".

"Through the hard work of generations of people, 161 giant panda cubs have been born, to 109 litters. 119 of those cubs have survived, and there are currently 108 individuals at the Chengdu Panda Base. This is the largest self sustainable captive population in the world. It is hoped that this population will be able to rejuvenate the wild population when reintroduction becomes possible.

50 years after the first giant panda was rescued, six giant pandas are heading to the Dujiangyan Field Research Center to begin the lengthy process of reintroducing captive animals to the wild."
Source: CRBGPB.

Two different programs to help introduce pandas into the wild

Between the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the China Research & Conservation Center for the Giant Panda, scientist are trying different methods for releasing giant pandas back into the wild.

Today we will cover how the CRCCGP program is set up and progressing.

At the CRCCGP, "Reintroduction is underway both at the old Wolong Panda Center, Hetaoping, in sections not damaged by the earthquake and at the Bifengxia Center. When the new Wolong Panda Center is completed, the reintroduction area will be at Huangcaoping.

 

After the unfortunate death of Xiang Xiang,  the entire reintroduction program was reevaluated and scientists determined it would be better for the animal being released never to have had direct contact with humans. There are currently five mothers and cubs in the reintroduction program. The mothers are placed in a semi- wild enclosure and give birth with no human intervention in manmade dens. The cubs are cared for by the mother while being monitored by caretakers. Behavioral research has already shown there is increased communication in the semi- wild enclosures between the mother and the cub. Since the cub can get out of the mother’s sight, she is constantly calling to the cub and making sure he/she is in sight and safe.

Vets and caretakers dress in panda suits when they do health checks and move the cubs. The hope is the cubs will have a natural fear of humans if they are released. The first cub born under this program was Tao Tao born to Cao Cao."  Source: Pandas International.

Tao Tao was born on Aug. 3, 2010, weighing in at 205 grams, at a semi-wild panda training center in Hetaoping. At Hetaoping he was raised with as little human interaction as possible. In February 2011, Tao Tao and Cao Cao were transferred to a separate enclosure to undergo the second stage wild training at the Wolong Nature Reserve, where Tao Tao learned several basic survival skills from his mother, such as climbing and gathering food.

Here is an early video of mother and cub during their first phase of wild training and their movement into a larger area which would begin Phase 2.

 

 

Now we have news that Tao Tao has now been transferred into his third and final stage of wild training.

This is the update from the CRCCGP website, "According to the current project planning, the giant panda to receive training at least need to go through three training phases to fully return to the natural environment. "Tao Tao's entry into the third phase of Field Training Area was built in 2003, is located in the upper part of the second phase of the Field Training, the altitude of 2150 ~ 2500m, the forest vegetation type, plant composition, bamboo species and the environment the second phase of Field Training Field Training area of approximately 240,000 square meters. "Tao Tao" in the third stage the main objective to strengthen the movement and orientation, to learn to look for shelter, strong vigilance, and ability to escape; with similar exchanges, initial independent living. Field Training and research methods used in the third stage is similar to the second stage, an additional "Tao Tao" predators and associated animal identification, as well as the ability to avoid predators training. "Tao Tao" the last will be the expert assessment after it has completed the third stage of the training objectives, will be formally released into the wild".

You can read more about Tao's move at this link: Panda trainers prepare panda for Wild.

In the meantime, another mother, Cc and her twins are currently going through Phase 1, where Cao/Tao just graduated from. She gave birth on July 8, 2011 and all are doing well as you can see in these two photos.

The new base that will take over for wild introduction in Huangcaoping is still under construction, thanks to Panda International for these photos of the new base.  It is scheduled to open sometime in the Spring of 2012.

 

Where in China do the wild giant pandas live?

As we are learning more about the introduction into the wild programs that the Chengdu base and Wolong base are preparing, lets learn more about where most of the wild pandas are currently living.

Top 10 Panda Habitats in China - 10/31-2011
Source: CNTV

Giant pandas, one of China's national treasures, are endangered but loved throughout the world. Living in the bamboo forests at an altitude of 2,000-4,000 meters in the country's western provinces including Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu, they subsist on a diet of bamboo and tree bark.

In the past 14 years, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda has sent 16 pandas to zoos around the world. Their adorable appearance attracted a great number of visitors.

According to the third national giant panda survey published in 2003, there are 1,596 adult pandas in China, among which, 1,206 pandas live in Sichuan Province.

To protect the animals, several breeding bases and more than a dozen nature reserves for pandas have been built. The following are the top 10 reserves and breeding bases in China.

NO.10 Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reserve

 

Built in 1993, the Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reserve is located in Longchi Town, 25 kilometers northwest of Dujiangyan city, Sichuan Province, covering an area of 34,000 hectares. It is on the west bank of upper reaches of Minjiang River, which belongs to the water source protection zone at upper reaches of Minjiang River.

The reserve is one of the most important panda habitats. About 10 to 20 wild pandas live in the subtropical mountain forest at 1,400-3,400 meters in altitude, enjoying the habitat's abundant food supply. The pandas share the reserve's natural resources with other precious wild animals such as golden monkeys and leopards.

NO.9 Heishuihe Giant Panda Nature Reserve

 

Heishuihe Giant Panda Nature Reserve is located in western Dayi County, Sichuan Province, covering an area of 450.2 square kilometers.

With massive forests and wide rivers flowing through the reserve, Heshuihe is home to a large variety of protected species, including the giant panda and golden monkey.

The reserve's altitude, moderate temperatures and humidity and other natural conditions are suitable for the growth, breeding and inhabitation of pandas. Abundant plant resources in the reserve provide pandas with their favorite bamboo throughout the year. About 30 wild pandas live in the area, one of the largest numbers of any reserve in Sichuan province.

A rescue center, an academic center and 10 protection centers for pandas have also been established in the reserve.

Live Tweeting of Panda Artificial Insemination!

Its all about learning and you can't beat this.  Tune in now, 4:00 pm EST, U.S. to follow the scientist as they perform their second AI on Mei Xiang this breeding season. 

Here is the link: Smithsonian National Zoo Twitter 

Also check out this update on this breeding season on their website afterwards. National Zoo Breeding Update.

 

Stay involved, you have to believe you can make a difference!

We just celebrated Earth Day 2012.  

Why is it important to have a day where we acknowledge that we, as human beings, play a vital role in the well being of our planet?  If we don't consciously think about the choices we make everyday and more importantly, stay involved to care for our planet and all that live on it, we and future generations will be battling consequences beyond what any 3D Sci-Fi mega movie can come up with.  

This past year was a milestone for the future of giant pandas.  It was not realized until the last decade, that the number of existing wild pandas was at a critically low level bordering on the brink of extinction.  Through research/field studies scientists discovered that not only were the pandas not reproducing in adequate numbers to sustain their population, but the habitat that they thrive in has just about disappeared, so the world has had to step in to help to prevent their extinction.

With these findings, the Chinese along with the help of scientist around the world, developed a plan to breed a captive population of 300 pandas in China.  With this number, they believe they may be able to save the pandas from going extinct, in the event wild pandas can no longer survive.

This is the reason why we are seeing so many more pandas making their way into zoos around the world.  Having achieved that goal last year, a phenomenal achievement by the way, the Chinese are now getting other countries to help in providing homes for some of these captive bred pandas.

But let's not forget about those pandas that are still living in the wild.  I hope you are not content with the possibility that having only captive pandas living in zoos on this planet is acceptable, as some do. 

China has delegated large reserves for the remaining pandas and are currently working on a new census so that we can see how well the existing population is doing.  You can be a part of this work by keeping up with the zoos that are making homes for the captive pandas, museums, wildlife organizations and universities that participate in panda research.  Ask questions, let these organizations know you care not only about the captive pandas you see in the zoos but you want to know what is being done for those who still live in the wild and how you can help with this.

It's not enough to be satisfied having achieved the goal of raising 300 captive pandas and breathe a  sigh of relief, we still have a long ways to go.  No matter where you live in the world, all panda trails lead back to China.  Through your active involvement, the sentiment you express will make its way back to China and through this we can affect change.  

China is the only country that holds the tremendous responsibility of the one place in the world where the pandas make their home.

As my Dad used to say, "Nobody said life would be easy".  I used to get so mad with his reply, when I sought his advice over a problem I was dealing with.  But you know what?  It taught me a valuable lesson in life and one that has provided me with the willingness to persevere through those challenges that befall us.

As Earth Day represents a reminder for all of us to stay involved in our planets future, you can make a difference, don't become complacent, Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants will continue to need our help each and everyday. 

 

 

Happy Earth Day 2012

Thanks so much to Explore.org, the multimedia organization of the Annenberg Foundation, who is featuring a new live HD feed of panda cubs at the Bifengxia Panda Reserve in China to commemorate the 42-year-old Earth Day.

Click here:  China Panda Cubs Cam

Here are a few photos taken by panda.monia during their recent trip to the base. Thanks for sharing these moments. 

These two shots show 2 year old QuinQuin (2011)

 

Infrared cameras providing unique insight into the life of wild pandas

Oh, how exciting it would be to view the photos that the infrared cameras are capturing of the ever illusive wild panda.  China is making great use of these cameras in their reserves and they are revealing behaviors that are creating more questions then answering them.  But all of these questions will certainly help scientist to better understand the pandas behavior, habitat, food sources and other elements that they require to survive.   

Here is an article that discusses this very topic and an interesting discovery they made with their cameras in China. 

Panda shows carnivorous side

Updated: 2011-12-31 09:35

By Huang Zhiling (China Daily)

CHENGDU - To most people, the words "giant panda" conjure up thoughts of a gentle and slow vegetarian living in captivity.

But digital photos taken on an infrared camera in Sichuan province, home to more than 80 percent of the pandas in the world, are making many question the accuracy of such notions.

  A wild panda captured by an infrared camera eating a dead wildebeest in a forest in Pingwu, Sichuan province, on Nov 9, 2011. [Provided to China Daily]

Recently monitoring the panda habitat at the Laohegou State Forest in Sichuan's Pingwu county, near the Baishuijiang Panda Nature Reserve in neighboring Gansu province, researchers came across a strange find. It was a dead adult wildebeest that had been trapped between rocks in a ravine in late October.

"The wildebeest must have got stuck when it was running and then died," said Chen Youping, chief of the Pingwu-based State-level panda reserve.

The researchers also noted signs that another animal had been eating wildebeest's leg.

"To learn what kind of animals would be feasting on the wildebeest, researchers installed an infrared camera near it on Oct 28," Chen said.

The camera was retrieved on Dec 8. To the researchers' surprise, its roughly 600 photographs showed that the wildebeest was being eaten by a giant panda.

The ravine where the wildebeest was found is nearly 2,000 meters above sea level and is covered with snow and ice, which prevented the wildebeest from decaying.

The first photo of the panda was taken around 11 pm on Nov 9. It began eating the wildebeest around midnight, after becoming accustomed to the artificial lighting the researchers had set up.

"The panda, whose sex is unknown, was a great eater with a mouth full of meat," said Shao Liangkun, who is the chief of the general office of the Wanglang Nature Reserve and who installed the camera near the wildebeest.

"Because the camera's memory was full at 5 am on Nov 10, we don't know what happened afterward."

Researchers in Pingwu, which is home to 230 of the 1,597 wild pandas in existence, began installing infrared cameras to monitor the panda five years ago. Since then, they have installed more than 100 there, Chen said.

About a month after installing a camera, reserve employees would retrieve it to change its batteries and memory card.

"An infrared camera starts taking photos only if it senses heat," Chen said. "This carnivorous panda used up all the camera's memory card within a single night."

Infrared cameras in Pingwu have captured pandas exhibiting various behaviors - rutting and attacking sheep.

"But this is the first time an infrared camera in the county has shown a panda eating meat," Chen said.

Chen, who has found animal bones in pandas' droppings before, said he feels lucky to have seen the photos. He said he wishes workers had tried to ascertain how much meat the panda had eaten and to analyze its droppings.

"Droppings would help researchers understand the digestion of pandas, which usually eat bamboo," he said.

He said researchers from the reserve will visit the ravine next week and conduct an investigation.

Pandas were meat-eating animals several million years ago. As a result of changes in the environment, they changed their dietary habits and began mainly to eat bamboo, Chen said.

Meet three sweet panda gals in Kunming, China

Yingying816 of YouTube stopped by to see her adopted panda Si Jia and also to visit with Si's two roomates, Mei Xi and Quin Quin.

Si Jia

All three females live together at the Yunnan Safari Park near Kunming, China and were born in 2006. Si Jia is so laid back, lol.  Thank You for these great photos and videos, Annette.  Happy New Year! 

Si gets a XMas gift from Annette, a kind of melon and she doesn't know what to think of it. That is one of the keepers that gives the melon to Si.

 

The mystery is solved! Now we know where Si gets her golden glow from! It is so nice to watch them for several minutes and observe their behavior. I know it takes time to process these longer videos, but we sure appreciate it, Annette.

Here is Quin Quin with her amazing ears.

Here is Mei Xi

Bringing in the New Year with pandas

Happy New Year everybody!  I am wishing that all of you have a great year ahead and that it brings you plenty of good things in life.

If there is anyway to start out a New Year, its enjoying the antics of giant pandas.  If you are living where the weather is cooler right now, you will find the pandas to be much more active.  Especially after a fresh snow fall. 

Check out this video of two youngsters having a blast in the snow.  They were recently moved from the Wolong Nature Reserve, where they were born to their new home in a nature reserve at Nanshan Park in Yantai, Shandong Province, China.   Source: PressTVGlobalNews 

 

Merry Christmas

Have a Merry, Merry Chistmas!

Gentle Giant - painting by *fier-phoenix on deviantART

Holiday Season brings a gracious gift to the National Zoo panda program

Mei Xiang and Tian Tian of the national zoo may not be aware of the wonderful news that was posted in the Washington Post this morning, but you can be sure all of their panda fans are extremely grateful. 

A big Thank You goes out to David M.Rubenstein who has reportedly donated 4.5 million dollars toward the zoo's panda reproduction program.  As a regent with the Smithsonian, he heard of the zoo's difficulty in acquiring the much needed funds to keep the reproduction program going.  

“When I heard about it,” Rubenstein said, “I thought . . . ‘We have been residents of Washington for a long time. We took our children to the zoo when they were younger. I’m a Smithsonian regent.’ And I thought it would be a nice holiday gift for the zoo and people in Washington.”

You are certainly right about the donation being a nice holiday gift, Mr. Rubenstein.  For those of us who keep up with the National Zoo Pandas, maybe your donation will turn the tide for a new cub or two in the coming years.  May you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!

$4.5 million gift to support National Zoo panda efforts  
By Michael E. Ruane, Monday, December 19, 3:02 AM, Washington Post

The National Zoo plans to announce Monday that philanthropist David M. Rubenstein is donating $4.5 million to its giant panda reproduction program, bolstering the zoo’s ability to maintain one of Washington’s most popular attractions at a time of economic strain.

The donation, which Rubenstein described as a holiday gift to the zoo and the city, will cover the tab for five years of giant panda reproduction efforts and for other panda research here and in China. The pandas, on loan from China, previously had their stay extended through 2015, but the zoo had been having trouble securing corporate sponsorship for a program that has delighted and captivated zoogoers for more than a decade.

Now, zoo officials can stop worrying about fundraising for the pandas and turn to what they consider a far more important task: The often frustrating effort to produce panda cubs. The zoo has said that 2012 is probably the last year it will try to achieve a pregnancy with its current pair of giant pandas.

Officials plan to announce the donation during a news conference at the zoo to be attended by Rubenstein; the Chinese ambassador to the United States, Zhang Yesui; the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Wayne Clough; and National Zoo Director Dennis W. Kelly.

Zoo officials, privately, expressed excitement about the development, but they declined to comment officially before the formal announcement.

Rubenstein is a co-founder and managing director of the Carlyle Group, a global asset-management firm. He is also a member of the board of regents at the Smithsonian, which operates the zoo, and chairman of Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is our day of Thanksgiving in the U.S.  So, I would like to give thanks that our dear giant pandas are still with us on this beautiful planet. 

A big Thank You to all of you who follow the pandas and enable the world to not forget their plight.  I can't imagine our world without them. I think they are very magical and through them the world will always be a better place. 

Received this great postcard from a friend who just returned from China and thought their pose fit in with this special day, so I made a graphic with them.  Thanks for the card, Angela!