Pandas Live on

Dragon Boat Festival in China

Today marks a special day in China, known as the Dragon Boat Festival.  The captive giant pandas throughout China also celebrate by receiving 'specially made' zongi' . 

"A giant panda eats a special "zongzi", a pyramid-shaped dumpling wrapped with reed leaves at the zoo in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, June 14, 2010. Animals of the zoo in Jinan enjoyed special "zongzi" made for them on Monday, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Dragon Boat Festival."(Xinhua/Lv Chuanquan)

New river safari park in Singapore will also include giant pandas

Singapore will be home to Asia's first river-themed park, River Safari, in less than two years.   It will be the third nature-themed attraction in Mandai - after the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari. 

Together, they are set to become a "must-see" nature-based destination in Asia.

River Safari will also be home to the Giant Pandas from China when they arrive by the third quarter of 2011 as part of a joint collaboration with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. (Channelnewsasia.com))  

You can read more about this new project at their website, Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

Click on the photo to see the full size. 

New videos of Tai Shan, Fu Long and Wu Jun

Thanks so much to yingying816 of YouTube for bringing back these videos and photos of Tai, Fu & Wu from their recent visit at the Bifengxia Panda Base in China. 

Fu Long was born at Zoo Vienna in Austria and arrived in China at the end of 2009.  He has the white tipped rear paw and lives with WuJun who was born at Bifengxia, I do not have Wu's birth date information but he looks about the same age as Fu. 

Tai Shan was born at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., moved to the base in February of 2010.  Fu will be 3 years old on August 23, 2010 and Tai will be 5 years old on July 9, 2010.

There are more video's of Tai, Fu and Wu at YingYing816's YouTube page, so be sure to check them all out.

Fu Long's head hit by Wu Jun's bamboo

Tai Shan enjoys panda bread while watching the birds

Because Ying does not have an online photo site, I will post all of their photos here, some are after the break.  Thanks again Ying, for bringing these to us all the way from China.

People and Pandas a great combination

SAN DIEGO ZOO

Well, I got up early to see 7 month old, sweetheart Yun Zi of the San Diego Zoo live on NBC Today.  Wouldn't you know it, he decided to sleep in during the whole interview but the zoo had some great video that they showed while senior mammal keeper, Kathy Hawk continued the interview.  Good going Kathy!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

STEVE IRWINS LEGACY LIVES ON

Bindi Irwin along with her mom, Terri and brother, Robert toured the Fuiji Giant Panda Habitat at the Smithsonian Zoo this last week.

They got a up close and personal visit with daddy Tian Tian. Bindi is on a nationwide tour to promote the release of her movie Willy 4, Escape from Pirates Cove to DVD this month.

Best of luck to you Bindi, your wonderful dad, Steve, would be so proud!

Thanks to JustJared for posting these photos.

SHANGHAI WILD ANIMAL PARK

I am amazed at the state of the art facilities for giant pandas that are now being built around the world.  We have had a chance to see the new facility at the Adelaide Zoo, where Wang Wang and FuNi hang out, another was recently added to Ocean Parks' Amazing Asian Animals where they moved Ying Ying and Le Le and now  The Shanghai Daily reports that 13 pandas will be moved into a new panda home at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park. 

"Among them are 10 pandas sent to Shanghai from Sichuan Province to meet the public during the city's World Expo from May through October, today's Oriental Morning Post reported. Their new home has 500-square-meter "bedrooms" as well as a 1,000-square meter playground surrounded by bamboo covering 10,000 square meters, park officials said. Air-conditioning has been installed in the new quarters, built of environmentally friendly materials. Some "bedrooms" have been fitted with hammocks and others with trees to suit the pandas' individual sleeping preferences. Construction of the panda's new home is expected to finish around the end of March. Currently the 10 pandas from Sichuan are at Shanghai Zoo." Thanks to Xi Shanof flickr for sending this story our way.

ZOO ATLANTA

Congratulations to Zoo Atlanta on receiving 2 Atlanta Marketer of the Year Awards for their 'Give So They Stay Campaign'. 

"Zoo Atlanta was a finalist in two categories, General Advertising and Integrated PR Campaign, and won both honors during an awards gala hosted on Thursday, March 11, at the Fox Theatre. Entries were judged on program strategy; tactical execution; creative artwork and video; audience impact and achievement of quantifiable results.

“Zoo Atlanta is delighted to have been recognized by the AMY Awards,” said Marcus E. Margerum, Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “Give So They Stay was a great example of a team effort between Zoo Atlanta’s Marketing and Public Relations and Communications divisions, and these awards exemplify the hard work and commitment that made the campaign so successful.”

Kudos to Marcus and his team who worked so very hard in making this program a success so that the zoo was able to keep the pandas we so dearly love.  You can read the complete article at: Zoo and Aquarium Visitor .

CHENGDU PANDA BASE

Finally, I wanted to leave you with this cute video that I came across.  It was taken by a tour group called Overland China that hosts tours in China, now I am not promoting them because I know nothing about them, but because it was taken at the Chengdu Panda Base where our sweet Mei Lan just recently moved to, and it gives us a little peak at what the inside of what the base looks like.  What made the one video so special though is the expressions of the young children that are visiting the pandas.  Have a great weekend. 

Giant Pandas from Overland China on Vimeo.

Giant Pandas from Overland China on Vimeo.

Panda International's 10th Anniversary Celebration!

Everyone is invited to join in A Black and White Extravaganza to help raise funds for Panda International on February 20, 2010.  It is taking place at The Wildlife Experience 10035 South Peoria Street, Parker, Colorado 80134.

If you are unable to make it to the event yourself, you can still donate auction items like a nice bottle of wine for their Wine Garden, or perhaps you are an artist or photographer who would like to donate an item.  Tell your friends about it so they can participate in person or through the Pandas International website .

On the website you can make reservations, check out the auction items that you can bid on through proxy and donate auction items even if you can't attend!  All proceeds from this event will benefit Pandas International and the Bamboo Reforestation Project. 

There is much work that needs to be done to prevent giant pandas from extinction and donating to Pandas International is one sure way to help the pandas directly.

Thanks to Suzanne Braden of Pandas International, who brought back these photos during her 2009 annual trip to the China Conservation and Research Centers for Giant Pandas in Ya'an, China.

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Chiang Mai Snow Dome

Okay, now where did I hear that the newly constructed 'Snow Dome', at the Chiang Mai Zoo, was going to be a place where the pandas can go and cool off?   I know I heard or read it somewhere, right? 

Well, watch this video and tell me what you think.

Chengdu Panda Cubs

Hey there, I've been enjoying the July 4th holiday weekend and now need to catch up with the panda world.

I did catch the panda cubs at the CRBGPB Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding last week through their live webcams and was lucky to see some cute close-ups of a few of the cubs.

So, I put this together. You never know what you are going to see when you tune in. Its a great training ground for them, learning to play and climb and they love that special formula that the keepers give them, you'll see what I mean in the video

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MILLIONTH visitor sees Tuan and Yuan

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

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

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

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

Thanks to flycenter of YouTube for the video.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan make their debut at the Taipei Zoo!

Panda cubs and Tuan & Yuan ready for Chinese New Year

As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches, Fung shui masters foresee a year of tranquility compared to the turbulent Year of the Rat. "The Year of the Ox is a double-earth year, associated with the garden and peaceful harmony," master Raymond Lo Hang-lap said Lo also predicted the year would bring success in reducing humanity's environmental impact. 

This is good news for wild giant pandas!

 The China Daily, reports that the (CRBGPB)Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan province, will have the 13 cubs that were born in 2008, available for the public to view during the Spring Festival, after months of close care in nurseries.  Pictured with the cubs here are their keepers. 

  

 

 

The Taipei Zoo is making final preparations for the upcoming opening of its panda house and will stick to its planned date of January 26,2009, the first day of the Chinese New Year. 

Zoo spokesman, Chin Shih-chein, said the Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are adapting well to their new environment and within a month since arriving in Taiwan from Chengdu, China, they have tripled their bamboo consumption to 30 kilograms.  Animal quarantine officials have examined the pair of pandas every day and the three tests on each of them for parasites have all been negative.

Tuan and Yuan, will be trained and immunized against canine distemper and rabies, the two diseases most likely to infect pandas, in preparation for their public debut.  The training is aimed at teaching the pandas to allow veterinarians to make various health examinations in the future. 

The Zoo plans to set up eight number drawing machines at each of its entrance. With an interval of three seconds to produce a number card, the Zoo estimates that the total of 17,600 slots will be drawn within two hours. Since the Zoo advances its business hour to 8:30 am, the slots for general visitors to view the pandas are expected to be filled before 11 am.

The zoo called on visitors with a number to enter the exhibition hall according to designated time. With a ten-minute interval, visitors should move along the designed route. It is forbidden to use flash, knock on glass, and make noise inside the hall. Those missing the opportunity to meet the two pandas are welcomed to come back some other time, said the Zoo.  Thanks to hugwildlife of YouTube for sending me this article from the Taiwan Times.

Snow fun in D.C.

Our panda reporter at the National Zoo, mentioned on the flickr blog that it was going to snow in D.C. today and she was determined to be there to record it with the pandas. Once again, RoxandaBear braves the cold and sure enough got some wonderful video of Tai Shan playing in BIG snowflakes.

Thanks to our Snowtrooper, Roxanne!

Road trip to see Atanta's pandas

Chinese panda pair getting ready for Taiwan

It won't be long now, but final preparations are wrapping up at the Mucha Zoo in Taipei, Taiwan to accept the famous panda pair Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan.  The Chinese donated this pair of giant pandas as a gift to the Taiwan government back in 2005, in hopes of easing relations between the two countries. 

Taiwan has made it clear their desire to remain independent of China and was not sure about accepting the gift at first but have since decided to accept them.

Tuan and Yuan, ('tuanyuan' means reunion in English) are expected to leave for the Mucha Zoo in one month at the earliest, though the exact date has yet to be finalized.  Taipei's city government says it invested about 250 million Taiwan dollars ($8 million) to build a panda house.   

The two 4 year olds, were both born at the China Conservation & Research Center at Wolong.  Since the May 12, 2008 earthquake they along with other pandas were moved on June 18th to Bifengxia Base which is still in the Wolong Reserve.  China just released these photos of the pair playing.  Photos by China Daily.

    

New photos of Ya Ya and Le Le

A couple of panda pals went to visit Ya Ya and Le Le who live at the Memphis Zoo in the great state of Tennessee.    The Memphis Zoo has a beautifully designed China Exhibit complete with Chinese dragons, a lotus pond and much more.  Saulesmeit of flickr who is also a big fan of Red Pandas got some nice shots of both pandas.  Thanks Saules for sharing your photos with us and for those of you who have never seen a Red Panda before, be sure to go to their photostream by following the link above where you will see some wonderful photos of them also.  

The first three are of Le Le the male and the following three are of dear Ya Ya the female.

   

 

   

 

 

Cool, A Giant Panda Sweepstakes

 

 Here is the info that was just released from the National Zoo in Washington D.C.  I've already entered and staying at the Hyatt, now thats a treat!  

"You can enter a sweepstakes to win a trip to D.C. and a special visit with the National Zoo's pandas.  Lee Kum Kee, a leading maker of authentic Chinese sauces, recently donated $50,000 in support of the Zoo's giant panda conservation projects in China and just launched the "National Zoo Panda Sweepstakes."   Visit the Lee Kum Kee website  for your chance to win a grand-prize trip for four to Washington, D.C., and a special visit with our giant pandas, with accommodations provided by the Hyatt Regency Bethesda."