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| We will be continuing status updates about Mei Lan from China on the Farewell Mei Lan Page. |
Monday, February 8
With Mei Lan being in China, the panda keepers will have an easier routine for the next few weeks. This, however, will not be the case for long. With the dayrooms now vacant, we are planning to do a complete mulch change. This means that all of the much will be removed with shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows from both dayrooms. This is not as easy as it sounds, as the mulch is over 18 inches thick in places. Once all the mulch is removed, the process is reversed and we bring in all new mulch using the same technique. Afterward, it may appear on PandaCam that the mulch is much deeper than it has been, but this is necessary as it will settle over the next couple of months. We need to get this done because we have a couple of big things on the horizon and only a small window to do it. We will soon start weaning Xi Lan from Lun Lun, and soon he will need a dayroom for himself. After Xi Lan is weaned, we have to start preparing for giant panda breeding season. From there, routine will only get more hectic.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Special Mei Lan Update
Monday, February 8
We received good news from Heather Roberts today that Mei Lan is starting to settle into her new home. The first couple of days, Mei Lan did not eat much and she was easily startled by sounds around her. Sunday and Monday she started to eat more and she drank well. Heather reported that Mei Lan is also calmer and spending more time resting. These are very good signs and we expect that Mei Lan will continue to become more and more comfortable in her new surroundings.
I am sure that Mei Lan’s fans are worried about her and that it’s difficult to read that she is not entirely at ease in her new home. Of course, we would all have liked to see Mei Lan adjust immediately to her new home as though nothing had changed. But that would not be a normal reaction and we did not expect her to adjust immediately.
Traveling to China is a big change. It’s a long journey, there is a 12 hour time change, the food is different, the language is different, the sights and smells are different. It takes a person at least a few days to adjust to that. So, we should expect it to take Mei Lan some time to adjust as well. Most people prefer to travel with a friend, rather than alone, because all those changes can be stressful and it’s comforting to have a friend along. We sent Heather with Mei Lan to be her friend and to help her with the changes. We also sent one of our veterinarians, Dr. Sam Rivera, to Chengdu to make sure Mei Lan remains healthy. She is healthy and she will adjust, but it’s going to take a little time.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals
Friday February 5
We have been very busy preparing for Mei Lan’s departure for the last couple of weeks. Today was a much quieter day in the giant panda building. It was a normal day for Lun Lun, Xi Lan, and Yang Yang. I doubt that they have noticed Mei Lan’s absence, yet, or that they will miss her. That seems sad from a human perspective, but it’s normal from a giant panda perspective. Mei Lan has been living on her own since she was weaned from Lun Lun in early spring of 2008. So, Mei Lan’s departure is not really noticeable to the other pandas. They might notice her scent gradually fading away. In the world of giant pandas, I expect that registers and because of it they will know she’s not in the area anymore.
If she was a wild panda, she would have moved off to establish her own home range and to reproduce. In captivity, the moving away is aided by trucks and airplanes. But the reason for it and the end result are the same. Mei Lan has moved away to establish a new home and to reproduce.
Her human family is keenly aware of her absence and will miss her, but we can also take comfort from the fact that we know where she is and that she is safe and well.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals
Special Mei Lan Update
Friday, February 5
Mei Lan landed safely in Chengdu and is now at her new home at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. I received an email this morning from Heather Roberts, the keeper who accompanied Mei Lan on the trip. Heather reported that Mei Lan was unsettled on and off during the flight, but she did eat and rest during the journey and seemed to be reassured by Heather’s presence. There was a large welcoming ceremony when they arrived at the Chengdu airport where Mei Lan’s arrival was enthusiastically celebrated. Heather said that the Chengdu Research Base staff was very responsive to Mei Lan and did a good job transferring her quickly to the Research Base. Heather went with Mei Lan to the Research Base and was able to coax her out of her transport crate and into her new enclosure. Although it was a long journey for Mei Lan, we are grateful to FedEx Express that the trip went as quickly and smoothly as possible and that she has arrived healthy and safe. We will continue to update you on Mei Lan’s adjustment to her new home.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals
Wednesday, February 3
Almost 3 1/2 years ago, she came into the world with an ear-piercing squeal. Now, she begins her journey into adulthood. Tomorrow, Mei Lan, Atlanta's Beauty, will board a plane bound for her parents' homeland. I am privileged to join her for a short time in this new phase of her life. Mei Lan's future has always been tied to China. She will be a valuable addition to the captive population of giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. However, she will always remain in Atlanta in the hearts and memories of those of us who know and love her. I am the lucky one; I have a few more days to spend with her. Her other keepers, staff and fans must say goodbye today. I will do my best to send updates about Mei Lan and her first couple of weeks in her new home. Be sure to send Mei Lan your best wishes, a safe journey to and healthy life in Chendgu, China.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, February 1
I just want to thank everyone who came out to wish Mei Lan farewell on Saturday. Even though the weather was not the best, many of you die hard fans came to wish her well. But I’m sure that it was worth seeing her on her last weekend in Atlanta, and also getting to enjoy various other planned activities. The cake that was provided most likely gave all of you the stamina to stand in the cold, or move your hands to write on Mei's farewell poster. I also hope that you all got your limited edition FedEx pin!
If you did not have a chance to see Mei Lan this weekend, make sure stop by and visit her before she heads off on the 4th of February.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, January 29
It's finally official. Mei Lan, our 3-year-old female panda, will soon be on her way to China. It was announced yesterday that she will be traveling to China compliments of FedEx Express. Her departure date has been set for Thursday, February 4th. She will not, however, be undertaking this journey alone. We have a Zoo Atlanta keeper going with her and she will also be accompanied by Tai Shan, the National Zoo's 4-year-old male. They both get to fly first class on a brand new Boeing 777, which will be decorated with appropriate panda markings. We are all going to miss our Atlanta Beauty, but we are excited that she will be moving on to big things in Chengdu, where she will become part of the giant panda breeding program at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
In other panda news, the vet staff and I were able to get a good look at Xi Lan's teeth today. It appears that he is on a roll, and has several baby teeth that are about ready to come out. Aside from that, he appears to be in tip top shape. His weight this morning was 34.6 kg. It's hard to believe that he is over 75 lbs, but I guess they can't stay little forever.
Be sure to join us tomorrow, Saturday, January 30, for Mei Lan’s Farewell Celebration!
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
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| We'll miss our "Atlanta Beauty" |
Wendesday, January 27
Hello all! It’s been a while since I’ve written an update, but I’ve been in pandas about once a week for quite some time now. I had to take a little hiatus from pandas because of some fun things going on in the meat-eating side of carnivores, but I’m back now, and boy is our big guy growing fast (as you all know)! He has really come into his own as a little man. I’m amazed all the time at how independent and sure of himself he has become. I tell him every time I close up for the day how much I appreciate his skill and eagerness to shift in and eat his dinner. Mei Lan, of course, is the sweetheart that continues to brighten up everyone’s day. The last two times that I have worked with her she has been as silly as ever, wanting to play and run back and forth in the tunnel while I squealed and baby talked, like all female keepers secretly (and some not so secretly) do. She actually seems to really enjoy the excited sounds of the keepers, and the more we get excited, the more she jumps up and somersaults and, at one point, tried to do a head stand! She is a completely ridiculous little lady and we will all miss her greatly. I wonder if they talk “panda” talk in China ...
Jennifer Brink
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, January 25
Earlier this month Mei Lan received her pre-shipment physical for her trip to China. When animals are sent to other institutions, we give them a good once-over to make sure they are healthy. During Mei Lan’s physical she was checked by one of our veterinarians and had blood collected, an ultrasound preformed, and her teeth checked by a dentist.The keepers were also able to collect her body measurements while she was under anesthesia. The measurements are as follows: tip of nose to end of tail, 178 cm (70 in); chest girth, 105 cm (41 in); neck girth, 71 cm (28 in); belly girth, 110.5 cm (43.5 in). Mei Lan’s most current weight is 92 kg (yep, that’s 202 pounds!).
The vets gave her a clean bill of health and she is cleared to prepare for her journey to China.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Friday, January 22
Mei Lan has discovered the wonders of ultrasound gel! As some of you may know (or have read in previous updates), Lun Lun is an avid fan of it, but Monday was the first time that Mei Lan ever reacted to it. We had used the gel on several different occasions with her when training her for ultrasound behavior, but previously there was no reaction from her. For whatever reason when she smelled it on Monday she decided to rub it all over her body and self-anoint with it. This is what Lun Lun likes to do, and we just have to wait for her to calm down, and then ask her to get into the proper position again. After that initial reaction, she normally will not break from the session again. As we are getting closer to the time that Mei Lan will be heading to her mother-land, we are trying to increase the length of time that she will participate in a session. So far so good, as each session seems to last a little bit longer.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Wednesday, January 20
If you've been keeping up with this blog for the past few months, you know that our beloved Mei Lan will be leaving Zoo Atlanta soon. Yesterday we received the crate that Mei Lan will be traveling in to China. Now we will start training her to enter the crate and to relax while she is inside it. I doubt this will take long; Mei Lan is tolerant of the squeeze cage where she participates in ultrasound training and the crate is similar. She is very much like her mother when training - as long as she gets rewarded with food, she will pretty much do anything we ask!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, January 18
One way that pandas in the wild communicate with each other is through scent. Pandas have scent glands underneath their tails. They will rub the glands on hard surfaces like rocks and trees to help mark their territories and to let other pandas know when they are entering peak breeding status. Over the past few weeks we have started to see an increase in Yang Yang, Lun Lun, and Mei Lan scent marking in the different habitats. Though Xi Lan is not yet sexually mature, he has started to learn the scent marking practice. I find it very cute when he follows Lun Lun to the rocks in the far habitat and just like her, he lifts his tail, squats down, and rubs. Keep an eye out for all of the pandas leaving scented messages for each other over the next few months as we start to enter breeding season.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Friday, January 15
Although the Zoo was closed for a few days due to inclement weather, it was business as usual in the giant panda building. Keepers were able to make it to the Zoo and provide the giant pandas with pretty typical days, keeping them fed and happy. The pandas are obviously well-suited for the cold weather and even snow and ice. So even in very cold weather, the giant pandas spend time in their outdoor habitats. Although we keep the building temperature fairly cool, on very cold days, there is a discrepancy between the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Therefore, we give them a period of time to acclimate to the colder weather outside. For example, we will often give the giant pandas access to their off-exhibit outdoor porches for a while before sending them out into their outdoor habitats. We can also give them access to a dayroom and the outdoor habitat while they adjust to the temperature differences. Just like us, we figure that the giant pandas don’t like to leave the warmth of their indoor home and be blasted with frigid air without some preparation!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals
Wednesday, January 13
This week I am attending a Giant Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP) meeting. The main purpose of this annual meeting is to discuss research progress and to discuss future research priorities and collaboration. The meeting participants are staff and affiliated scientists from the US zoos that have giant pandas. Each year I am impressed by the range and amount of work accomplished. I also enjoy catching up with my panda colleagues. Scientists can be competitive, but the scientists studying giant pandas work very well together and are eager to share information. Another fun part of this meeting is to see the other zoo's pandas. Memphis Zoo is hosting this year. So I look forward to seeing Le Le and Ya Ya later today.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Carnivores
Monday, January 11
Xi Lan has continued to eat very well over the last few days. As mentioned earlier in the week, he really enjoys eating the rivercane that we now have. This has affected two things. First, his weight continues to go up (now at 33.2 kg this morning) and second, he is producing more fecal matter. His feces have also changed from looking like what we call “milk poos” to looking like they consist of leaves or culm. That is a good sign as we get closer to weaning. We have also noticed increased weight and more feces for the other three pandas. It is more of a pain to clean in the morning, but that is the price that you pay for giving pandas something that they really enjoy to eat.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, January 8
It's hard to believe that our little boy is 16 months old already. It seems like only last week that Xi Lan was a pink, wriggling, screaming baby. Now he is a 75-pound fuzzy ball of energy, that just loves to maul his mother, Lun Lun, when she is either trying to eat or sleep much to her chagrin. His other favorite thing is food. He just loves his leafeater biscuits and fruit as well as bamboo. We usually offer him, as well as the other three pandas, his biscuits and fruit six times a day. Yesterday, while we were giving him a biscuit, we got one of those reminders that he is growing up. Kate noticed that he is missing his lower left canine baby tooth. It didn't slow biscuit eating down any though, and he ate them with vigor. This may not be the first baby tooth that he has lost, but it is the first one we have noticed, as he is not trained to open his mouth for examination, yet. That will come with time. For the keepers here in the panda building, we see the pandas every day, and it is not always the easiest thing to notice the little changes he is going through. This, however, is a nice visible reminder for us that Xi Lan is growing up quickly, and he will soon challenge Yang Yang for the biggest bear distinction. He may still be little right now, but he is well on his way.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Wednesday, January 6
One perk to the extremely cold weather we are having in Atlanta is the pandas get river cane bamboo (sp. Arundinaria gigantea). River cane is preferred by the pandas in the winter; the pandas ignore the leaves and only eat the culm, or stem, of this species, which is typical for the winter. The pandas will also usually only eat river cane after the temperatures drop below freezing. We have offered it too early in the past, and the pandas refused to eat it. However, our pandas love river cane when it is in prime condition. Our Bamboo Team cut it yesterday for the first time this season. So, yesterday afternoon all of the pandas got some. When I cleaned up afterwards, there was not a whole piece left from any of them; they ate everything but the shards (outer part of the culm which the pandas peel off)! Even Xi Lan munched away on it and loved it. He has never had river cane before. Typically, at this age, cubs stick to eating the softer leaves of the bamboo, but river cane is a mostly culm bamboo. There are very few leaves on the pieces we offer. This did not stop Xi Lan! He spent over an hour eating the river cane right along with Lun Lun without a problem.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, January 4
The giant pandas recently received Christmas trees for enrichment. Obviously this is special enrichment for them, because we only have access to these trees once a year. The trees can be very interesting for the animals, because they have an unusual texture and smell, and they can be manipulated. Although some animals get really excited about this type of enrichment, Lun Lun and Xi Lan’s reactions were somewhat subdued. Lun Lun sniffed the tree, but didn’t tear it apart, like some of the other carnivores would. Xi Lan seemed to notice the tree, and slept behind it for a while. Then again, the tree was placed right near his favorite sleeping spot!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals
Wednesday, December 30
In previous updates we told you about the progress we had made to prepare the off-exhibit habitat for the giant pandas. Recently all of the preparations were completed, and Mei Lan was chosen as the lucky winner to check out the habitat. She was a little timid initially, and was reluctant to walk through the doorway that led to the habitat. After a bit of time, though, she went into the habitat to explore. She spent a lot of time sniffing, and eventually settled in to eat some of the bamboo that was growing in the yard. Overall, Mei Lan seemed to enjoy her time in the new space. It took a little coaxing by the keepers to get her out of the off-exhibit habitat, probably because she found it interesting, but also because she wasn't familiar with how to shift into her indoor dens from that habitat. Now that the off-exhibit outdoor habitat has been inspected (and approved) by Mei Lan, we'll get ready to try someone else in there!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Monday, December 28
It's a good feeling when you ask a little panda to do something and he does. Xi Lan has been doing a great job of shifting lately. When I first began training in the panda side of the department, Xi Lan was still figuring out how to shift. Keepers would regularly have to wait several minutes for him to shift through a door. He would sit and watch the keepers or play in the doorway, which can admittedly be a bit frustrating. While we do still have to wait at times, he has made a marked improvement lately. Part of this is because of the fact that he has been eating his biscuits and bamboo so readily. He has learned that most of the times he shifts through a door he is rewarded with the best reward any panda could ask for: FOOD! Therefore he is more likely to shift each time we ask. This has been great because we often have to separate him and Lun Lun for awhile each day so that she can eat her biscuits without him coming over and stealing them (and steal them he would!). Now that he has gotten so much better at shifting this has been much easier. Putting them back together is a snap, with little Xi Lan often running right over to the bamboo and taking some for himself. Just like a good little panda should.
Layla Dampier
Carnivore Keeper II
Wednesday, December 23
We are starting to make plans for giant panda breeding season in 2010. Xi Lan will be 18 months old soon, which means it will be time for him to wean and become independent from Lun Lun. We think he’s already started to wean himself. He nurses less frequently and eats quite a bit more bamboo than Mei Lan did at his age. After he is weaned, we expect Lun Lun to have an estrous cycle later in the spring. Our best guess is that her cycle will occur in April. We will start monitoring her hormones in January. That will continue through the spring and will help us pinpoint when she ovulates. That information combined with her behavior tells us when to put her and Yang Yang together for possible breeding. If they don’t breed, we will be prepared to artificially inseminate Lun Lun as we have in previous years. Then the wait for the birth of a cub or cubs begins!
There will not be a cub update posted on Friday, December 25. Check back next week for more on your favorite bears. Happy holidays to all!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Carnivores
Monday, December 21
For all of you with a keen eye, you may have a chance to see Mei Lan's bare (or should I say bear) belly. It has been a process to get to this point with her, but I have been trying to train her for voluntary ultrasounds since I came back from China. Overall, Mei has been great, especially once she learned the "over" command (to roll onto her back). But it has taken time to properly train her fully for the ultrasound. Also, I need the assistance of Kate or Heather to safely train the behavior, but scheduling does not always work the way that you want it to. Nevertheless, her belly has been shaved, and the next step will be to desensitize her to a little ultrasound gel. We will be interested to see if she reacts the same way that Lun does, as she loves the smell and self-anoints with it.
One of the hard parts with the shaving was trying to get through all the fur. Typically, we start off with a guard on the clippers, just to get the longer hairs off, then work our way through the shorter guards. Unfortunately, they were useless this time around. Each time the clippers would just jam up, and nothing would be cut. Luckily, Mei was fine with clippers directly against her skin, so I just went that route. It took many days to get the area properly "cleaned up,” though; her fur was long and thick. The difference between her belly and Yang’s and Lun’s bellies was a little surprising, because their bellies are very easily shaved and can be done quickly. Talking with Kate and Heather, we think that it could be that both of the adult’s bellies have been shaved before, so that’s why it is easier. Maybe it could be that her coat is thicker due to her younger age. Or, it could be that she just has much more hair than the others. We really don’t know why it is was harder to shave Mei’s belly, but it is something to ponder.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, December 18
Over the last few months there has been a physical difference that we have seen on Xi Lan that makes him stand out in his own right. A while back we noticed that he was missing a little patch of fur (smaller than a dime) on the top of his head. At first we thought it may have occurred during a play bout with Lun Lun and that it would just grow back in time. But as time passed, no new hair has grown to fill in the small spot. Then on top of it, recently we noticed about a ½ inch behind the patch, there is a small amount of fur that is slightly taller then the rest and with black at the tip. Whether this will stay with him the rest of his life or not, remains to be seen. But next time you visit, pay close attention to the top of his head and see if you can find his “bear” spot.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Wednesday, December 16
Xi Lan is turning out to be a great little bamboo-eater! We have not started weighing out how much bamboo he eats, but he spends a great deal of time eating it along with his biscuits and produce (at least two hours per day, not including what he eats overnight). Interestingly, at the same age, Mei Lan was not eating as much bamboo; she seemed to still prefer mother’s milk over the “grown-up” foods of bamboo and biscuits. In fact, at the same age, we were only offering Mei Lan about half of the amount of biscuits and produce we are now offering Xi Lan. The amount of food we offer is based on demand of the individual animals and recommendations from our veterinary and nutrition staff. So, Mei Lan was just not as interested in these other foods as Xi Lan is at the same age.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, December 14
Because of the recent rash of wet weather we are experiencing here in Atlanta, the pandas have been spending their time in the dayrooms for the past five or six days. While it is still cloudy and misting today, we were able to let Mei Lan, Lun Lun and Xi Lan go outside today. Although the yards are still wet, the ladies and young boy don't seem to mind at all. They seem to enjoy being out in the cool temps and fresh air, and continue to just munch away at their bamboo. Yang Yang, on the other hand, doesn't really like the wet weather and seems more than happy to stay nice and dry in the dayrooms.
Xi Lan passed another milestone today. This morning he finally tipped the scales at 30 kg (66.14 lbs). They grow up fast, don't they?
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Friday, December 11
You may have noticed the fire hose ladder that’s now in one of the dayrooms. The ladder is attached to the climbing structure, in the same way that the hammock can be attached to the logs. Although all of the pandas seem to enjoy the hammock, they also seem to enjoy the ladder quite a bit as well. Last week Mei Lan engaged in a pretty vigorous play bout that incorporated the ladder. Several times during the play bout she tried to climb up the ladder, which proved to be very difficult. She carefully placed her paws on the fire hose, but because it wasn’t all that stable, the ladder moved and she fell off. This happened several times, but each time Mei Lan made it closer to the top (but on very shaky legs!). It reminded me of the carnival game that requires a contestant to climb to the top of a very wobbly rope ladder to get the prize. It seems nearly impossible to actually get to the top without falling in that game. Although it did appear very difficult for Mei Lan to get to the top her ladder, I don’t think it was impossible. In fact, I actually think she enjoyed the falling part, too.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Wednesday, December 9
Yesterday I watched Lun Lun eat bamboo for a long time. In typical panda fashion, when she was full, she stretched out for a nap. This is when Xi Lan decided to pounce. He had been sleeping at the top of the climbing structure for over an hour, but as soon as his mother started to nap he climbed down for a play session. I think his ideal play session consists of Lun Lun letting him climb all over her and bite her. She does let him do quite a bit of that, because she displays self handicapping behavior. Self handicapping is a characteristic of play. If play partners are unevenly matched, the partner with the advantage adjusts its behavior to be more similar to that of its partner.
Lun Lun is a great example of this. She is much larger and stronger than Xi Lan. She could easily dominate play sessions and not allow him to deliver any bites or paw strikes. She doesn’t do that. She adjusts her behavior to more evenly match his size and strength. One of the main ways she does that is by playing in a reclining position. This reduces her size and allows Xi Lan to climb on her and get in lots of bites. By practicing self handicapping, Lun Lun is acting as a perfect play partner for Xi Lan. This is just one of many ways that Lun Lun is a great mom.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Carnivores
Monday, December 7
Sometimes the simplest enrichment can be the best. For whatever reason, all four pandas seem to love the 55-gallon drum that has been cut in half. It is cut lengthwise, which allows them to climb inside it and potentially rock back-and-forth. And that’s exactly what they all like to do. -The adults are nearly too large to get themselves into it, but have a good old time when they do, and the same goes for Mei. Xi Lan had it yesterday, and thought that it was the greatest thing as well. He fits into it much better than the others, and he can lie on his back and stretch all the way out. The pandas probably like the drum because it "reacts" to anything that they do, which also happens with other enrichment items that we provide them. When enrichment can be quickly made and easily given out, it makes a keeper’s life so much easier, and it’s especially fun when the animals really like it.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, December 4
Wow! Xi Lan sure can pack away the bamboo! Yesterday I watched Xi Lan eat bamboo for about 45 minutes, and he had already eaten bamboo for an hour straight just an hour or two before that. While I watched him, Xi Lan only tried to eat the culm of the bamboo once, and it didn't go well. He couldn't seem to get control of the bamboo, and it ended up hitting him in the face. Aside from that one attempt at eating culm, he spent his time eating leaves, and lots of them. Although Xi Lan still ate only a few leaves at a time, he often grabbed small handfuls, just like the adults, and ate them that way. He spent most of his time eating on the ground, although he did manage to carry a small piece of bamboo onto the climbing structure. While eating on the ground, Xi Lan ate most of his bamboo lying on his back, just like his big sister.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Wednesday, December 2
Today was just a pretty ho-hum, nothing out of the ordinary day. Because of the rotation we use for exhibits, Yang Yang and Mei Lan were able to enjoy the 30 degree temperatures outside this morning, while Lun Lun and Xi Lan had the indoor dayrooms all to themselves. Because of their thick coats, pandas normally prefer to be outside in the colder weather than in the dayroom. Xi Lan, however, hasn't really showed a preference yet. He appears to be just fine in either location, as long as mom, biscuits and bamboo are also around. With that being said, Xi Lan spent his day today in the usual manner, exploring, climbing, snacking on biscuits and bamboo, bothering mom, and napping. Sometimes, ho-hum is just fine.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Monday, November 30
As many of you know, a panda can be a very fickle creature. I am reminded of this on an almost daily basis. Overnight, culms from black bamboo might be Mei Lan's favorite thing in the world. Offer her black bamboo in the morning? Ewww, it's gross! She prefers to eat culm from yellow groove. Later in the day, she decides that she doesn't like the culms and only wants to eat the leaves of the yellow groove. By the next morning, you realize she only likes the yellow groove that was cut on Tuesday, but not what was cut on Wednesday. We often offer more than one species of bamboo throughout the day and keep a close eye on what the pandas prefer and how much they are eating. Keeping up with a panda can be challenging, but also rewarding. After all, it's just part of what makes a panda ... a panda!
Layla Dampier
Carnivore Keeper II
Friday, November 27
Happy Thanksgiving! All four giant pandas are preparing to enjoy a beautiful holiday weekend – hope to see some of our friends and fans at the Zoo this Saturday and Sunday! Check back with us on Monday, November 30 for more of your favorite panda antics and activities.
Wednesday, November 25
Today, Xi Lan and Lun Lun are spending the day in habitat 2 (the one with 2 climbing structures). Now that Xi Lan shifts inside reliably, we are more comfortable allowing him to spend time in this habitat. The first couple of times we put him out in this habitat, he would not come inside when we called him. He was not being obstinate; he was just being a baby panda. He was unsure of his environment, and so he stayed in the safety of a tree (or in his case, a climbing structure). Thus, we decided to wait until he was older and more confident to put him in Habitat 2. For the past few weeks, he has spent lots of time in Habitat 2. It has been enriching for him and for Lun Lun. However, today, it is especially enriching! Kenn and JT spent all day Monday replacing several logs on the climbing structures, and this is the first time Xi Lan and Lun Lun have seen them. Xi Lan spent a lot of time exploring the new logs this morning, but Lun Lun just wanted to eat. Unless they are youngsters, pandas will always eat first and play later.
Here are the current weights for all four pandas: Yang Yang: 124.9 kg (275 lbs); Lun Lun: 99.1 kg (218 lbs); Mei Lan: 86.3 kg (190 lbs); Xi Lan: 28.3 kg (62 lbs).
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, November 23
As Kate mentioned in the last update, we are now allowing Lun Lun and Xi Lan to be out in Outdoor Habitat 2 more often. He spends most of his day exploring every nook and cranny of this new environment. Today, the keepers and I were able to repair or rebuild both of the climbing structures in this habitat. Due to the wood on the structures rotting over time, the keepers had to disassemble the platforms a while back, leaving just the support legs. These alone are not much fun to climb on. With these now being repaired, Xi Lan will have additional space to explore and play, and maybe even stretch out for a nap. This does not only benefit Xi Lan, however, because the other bears enjoy lounging on the platforms as well.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Friday, November 20
Over the last week, Xi Lan and Lun Lun have spent more time in the second outdoor habitat. We first put Xi Lan and Lun Lun in this yard months ago. But when it came time to bring them back into the building, we had trouble getting Xi Lan to shift back inside. Now that he is older, bigger, and an experienced shifter, we decided to give him another try. He really seems to enjoy exploring this new area and when it is time to come in, he does so with flying colors. So, expect to see Xi Lan and Lun Lun in the other outdoor habitat from time to time.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
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Wednesday, November 18
One of the things I find most enjoyable about the job of a zookeeper is figuring out new ways to make things “work.” When you are working with wild animals, particularly carnivorous wild animals, finding ways to elicit certain behaviors can become rather tricky. Because I am the kind of person that is always up for a challenge, I find the success of this part of the job very rewarding. As anyone can attest, on your road to new discoveries, sometimes you learn a few lessons along the way.
This morning I was taught a valuable lesson by a cute, little, 14 month, 61-pound cub. As you’ve seen in previous updates from Heather and Megan, Xi Lan has been getting scale trained, so that we can weigh him daily. Since I only work in the giant panda building sporadically, this morning was the first time I used Xi Lan’s metal food bowl on the scale. When I first started working with the giant pandas, I was trained to always place the metal bowls used in the morning for weighing the other three bears in the far back corner of the scale. Not thinking anything of it, this morning I placed Xi Lan’s bowl on the scale in the exact same place. However, what I encountered next was not his weight, but a valuable lesson. When I shifted Xi Lan into the den, he ran onto the top of the scale, and immediately grabbed the bowl with his mouth. When I went into the other room to check the scale readout, I saw that Xi Lan’s weight was 19 kg, which was 8 kg (18 lbs) lower than his weight the morning before. Slightly confused, I went back to the den to see what had happened. Lo and behold, Xi Lan had grabbed the bowl from the far corner, plopped down on his rear end, and was leaning up against the wall while eating. Because his full weight was not on the scale, I could not get an accurate weight for him. So, I found out that the reason we always place the bowl for the larger pandas on the back corner of the scale is to get them to step up onto the scale with their whole body. Otherwise, they can just stand on the floor while eating out of the bowl. Little did I know that for Xi Lan, it’s easiest to do the opposite, and place his bowl in the center of the scale. This way he has to step up on the scale, but he isn’t enticed to lean against the wall and eat.
Not only did Xi Lan teach me something today, he also provided me with a little bit of his adorable charm. When I went back to the den to find him leaning up against the wall, the sight I saw reminded me of a 3-year-old child attempting to precariously drink out of a bowl. The bowl was shoved up and covering his entire face while all of its contents were falling out. The only thing left to do was giggle.
Lynn Culver
Keeper I Carnivores
Monday, November 16
On Sunday morning I spent 2 hours collecting data, one hour on Lun Lun and one hour on Yang Yang. Data collection was a bit slow (lots of eating and sleeping from the giant pandas), so I kept an eye on Mei Lan, too. After spending some time eating, she noticed the blue ball that the keepers had given her for enrichment. She proceeded to attack it for a few minutes and then left it behind to play on her own. She repeatedly ran through her bamboo and climbed up and down the climbing structure. When she was on the climbing structure she dangled off the top and let herself fall to the ground several times. It sure looked like she was having a great time. She certainly reminded me of a young cub, but even more of her dad when he gets fired up. It was like watching a miniature version of Yang Yang race around the dayroom. Although watching giant pandas eat and sleep isn’t a bad deal, Mei Lan provided me with some great entertainment and livened up my Sunday morning.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Friday, November 13
In the last update, Heather described the scale training that we are doing with Xi Lan. This morning, when Xi Lan was weighed, he did things a little differently than the keepers had planned. The keepers placed his bowl of biscuits and fruit on the scale, just like they normally do. But instead of sitting on the scale and eating all of his fruit and biscuits, Xi Lan decided to take a break mid-snack and eat some bamboo instead. This is a bit unusual, because the adult giant pandas will sit on the scale until they are finished with all of their biscuits and fruit (and sometimes want more!). In the end, it worked out really well, because the keepers were able to use the remaining treats to occupy Xi Lan while Lun Lun was being weighed.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Wednesday, November 11
We have started working on training Xi Lan to get weighed daily, as we do with the other three pandas. He has his own scale bowl that we use to hold a few biscuits and fruit for him to snack on while we record his weight. The behavior is not fully trained, but he is very eager to eat his morning snack, so it is not difficult to get him to climb on the scale once the bowl is in place. As he climbs onto the scale we say "scale" to associate the word with the behavior. I am confident he will learn this behavior in no time at all; he is a very smart little bear.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, November 9
As of this week, the pandas are probably going to be “happier” in the evenings on the weekend. Over the summer we extend our hours to 6:30 on the weekend, but on the weekdays, all the animals come in an hour earlier. Because of the routine nature of this, the pandas expect to be coming inside earlier on the weekends, and really don’t want to eat any more bamboo on exhibit. They are just anticipating the fact that they will be getting more biscuits and bamboo in a nice, cool, quiet area for the evening. As of yesterday, though, we have gone back to winter hours on the weekend. That means the pandas come off exhibit by 5:00 p.m. everyday. Thus, the pandas are probably going to be “happier,” which in turn makes the keepers’ lives easier.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, November 6
For me, today could be summed up by saying, "See it again, for the first time!” I haven't worked the panda routine in a few months, so it's been exciting to come back! The one big difference is the fact that our little man, Xi Lan, is growing up. The last time I was in the area he was half his current size! He seems to be much more confident maneuvering around the habitats and is very playful. Just this morning I watched him attack a burlap bag with such gusto that the bag didn't stand a chance! He is also eating his bamboo, biscuits, and fruit very well, his appetite increasing with his size. Not too much else has changed. The pandas are still lucky enough to do two of my favorite things all day long - eat and sleep! Although I'm looking forward to this routine to becoming routine again, I always know that there is a never a dull moment!
Layla Dampier
Carnivore Keeper II
Wednesday, November 4
One thing I have noticed about panda cubs when they are under the age of a year and a half is that they seem to pick a few select spots for pooping. When we clean up after the adults, the feces are wherever the panda was. Whether the panda is eating or sleeping, it poops where it is. But when Mei Lan was a cub and now with Xi Lan, we can check the "normal" spots if we are looking for their feces. I especially noticed this when the hammock was removed from the dayroom last week for cleaning. In the past, Xi Lan always defecated while straddling the hammock and the logs to which it was attached. However, since the hammock was removed, he has started to poop next to (almost under) the drinker in that dayroom. We have also noticed that he prefers to poop under the climbing structure when he is in the outdoor exhibit. I am just glad he chose a different spot than Mei Lan. When she was a cub, she chose to poop in the moat. That’s a tricky spot to climb into to clean.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, November 2
As Heather mentioned in a previous update, we have been spending time over the past week or so getting the off-exhibit outdoor habitat ready for the pandas. There are a number of things we need to inspect to make sure that the area is safe and functional. For example, Horticulture staff walked the habitat to check all of the plants that are growing in the exhibit to ensure that none of them is toxic to the pandas. Although the pandas generally eat bamboo, if they decide to sample some other type of vegetation, we need to make sure that it won’t be harmful to them. We’ve also closely inspected all of the mesh to make sure that it’s secure. Also on the list is checking all of the doors leading to and from the habitat, and also all of the padlocks in the area. Because the doors haven’t been opened on a regular basis recently, it’s important to make sure that they can be opened and closed easily and properly secured. Finally, the off-exhibit habitat also contains a pool for the pandas, which has been sitting empty for quite some time. We’ll make sure that it can be easily filled with water and drained before we give the pandas access to the habitat. We’re getting pretty close to completing everything on our list, so it shouldn’t be long before the pandas can start enjoying their “new” outdoor space. In fact, while he was in Habitat 2 today, the keepers fed Yang at the far end of the habitat to get him used to spending time near the shift door to the off-exhibit habitat. Maybe he’ll be the first one to give it a try!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Friday, October 30
Every now and again we have to do some routine maintenance to the pandas’ indoor dens. Recently, the dens required some painting. Due to the time it takes for the primer and paint to dry and cure, we cannot let the pandas have access to the painted dens for a while. As a result, we were able to leave Lun Lun and Xi Lan in one of the dayrooms overnight for the past couple of nights. While this may not seem like much to us, it is apparently big fun to a pint-sized panda. This is evident to the keepers by the state of the dayroom in the morning. Usually, the pandas eat their bamboo and leave the remnants in a nice little pile for us to clean up later. This hasn't been the case these past few mornings. The uneaten bamboo and enrichment items have been completely strewn about the dayroom making it look like the proverbial bomb had gone off. This is the case with the other pandas when they have a nice play session, but it is usually never this messy. It has easily doubled our cleaning time in the morning, making it not so fun for the keepers. Cleaning is a big part of our job, however, while having fun and destroying things is a big part of Xi Lan's job right now. Based on the appearance of the dayroom, it is apparent to me that Xi Lan really likes his work.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores
Monday, October 26
This weekend was the first installment of Boo at the Zoo. In honor of the event, the pandas received Halloween-themed enrichment. Yang Yang got a tub of water with apples floating in it so he could “bob for apples.” He was not a fan of the water and figured out all he had to do was turn the tub over to dump the water and apples out. Then he could enjoy them without a face full of water. Lun Lun and Xi Lan received a scarecrow on Saturday. They both investigated it, and Xi Lan even tried to carry half of the scarecrow up the tree to his favorite spot. He managed to get it halfway up before dropping it. On Saturday, Mei Lan got a pumpkin covered in mouthwash with bamboo threaded through it. She interacted with it only to get her bamboo out. Then on Sunday, it was Mei Lan’s turn with the scarecrow. She went out, ate the biscuits from around it, then ignored it and had a nap. Later during the next biscuit feed, she decided to use it as a nice padded seat to enjoy her biscuits and bamboo on.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Friday, October 23
Many of you may not know that we have an off-exhibit outdoor habitat for the giant pandas behind the other two outdoor habitats. We rarely use this habitat; however, with the cooler weather upon us here in Atlanta, we are keen to give the pandas as much time outside as possible. Since they spend all summer inside because of the heat, it is nice for them to get out in the fresh air when it is cooler. It has been awhile since we have used the off-exhibit habitat. So, we have spent this week walking through it and checking it for any potential hazards to the pandas. We hope to start using it next week so that all four pandas can be outside every day if the weather is nice. Although visitors will not be able to see the panda in that habitat, it will be good for the pandas to spend more time outdoors. Also, the first time the pandas are in the off-exhibit habitat will be super-enriching (especially for Mei Lan, who has never been in this habitat). Not only will they will have a new space to explore, but this habitat has bamboo growing in it for them to forage on. Hopefully that bamboo will last long enough for more than one panda!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Wednesday, October 21
This morning Xi Lan was acting particularly rambunctious. Although this made for a fun time during data collection, it also required a little bit of patience. For example, one of the keepers needed some patience this morning when she was trying to weigh Xi Lan. Typically, all of the pandas get weighed daily and the adults usually get weighed twice daily. Today when Lynn was trying to get Xi Lan’s weight, he wasn’t all that interested in cooperating with her timeline. When he first hopped on the scale for his biscuit, he got himself comfortable by leaning against the wall next to the scale. Because this wouldn’t provide an accurate weight, Lynn needed to start over with the process. Eventually Xi Lan was weighed (25.2 kg.), but on his own timeline. Lun Lun also needed some patience today, because Xi Lan was more interested in playing with her than she was with him. Although she had quite a bit of time to eat while he amused himself, Xi Lan soon tired of playing alone and decided it was time to play with his mom. Lun did her best to keep eating while he was biting her and climbing on her, and even ended up lying on her side and still eating bamboo!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Monday, October 19
The giant pandas are enjoying our recent sunny, cool weather. Lun Lun and Xi Lan in particular have been able to spend a lot more time outdoors lately. Today, Xi Lan had an afternoon nap on top of one of the outdoor climbing structures. He looked very comfortable stretched out on his back letting the sun warm his tummy. He has become very skillful at finding biscuits. He and Lun Lun received a few scatter feedings of biscuits today, and Xi Lan found a biscuit before Lun Lun each time. He doesn’t have to run away to hide biscuits from his mom anymore. He can munch a biscuit down quickly now and is able to eat them before his mom has a chance to steal them. Actually, he is the real thief, because the scatter-fed biscuits are from Lun Lun’s daily allotment. The keepers keep track of how many of Lun Lun’s biscuits Xi Lan consumes. Then the keepers take that amount out of his daily total and add them to Lun Lun’s. At the end of the day, each of them receives the amount specified on their diet sheets.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Carnivores
Friday, October 16
It has been interesting to see Xi Lan’s increasing food consumption over the last few weeks. We have been slowly increasing his diet, because he has been eating almost all that he is offered each day. I noticed on Sunday that he started to “inhale” (eat really fast) his biscuits, much like Lun Lun does. It is hard to say why there was this increase recently, but the keepers have noticed a reduction in the number of times that we see him nursing. A month ago, we could count on him nursing at around 4:00 to 4:30, right before we would bring Lun Lun off exhibit for the evening. But, at least over the last week and a half, Kate, Heather and I have not noticed a nursing bout during the day. Xi Lan may have just switched the time that he decides to get some milk to the evenings when we are not here, but we can’t confirm it. It would not be unusual to see a reduction at his age, as he transitions to relying on more bamboo and less milk for his calories. This is another sign that he is growing up and preparing for weaning next year.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Wednesday, October 14
We recently received a question about whether Lun Lun or Xi Lan ever accidentally hurt each other when playing. No, they have never hurt each other. Lun Lun and Mei Lan never hurt each other either, and none of the mothers and cubs we studied in China ever hurt each other either. Although play fighting looks rough (as a matter of fact it’s sometimes called rough and tumble play), it is play and that means the biting and pawing actions are inhibited so that the partner is not hurt. One of the characteristics of play is that it is normally silent, whereas aggression normally involves loud vocalizations. This is certainly the case for giant pandas. Aggressive interactions involve barking, moaning, growling and sometimes roaring vocalizations. Play bouts are silent unless one play partner gets too rough. Then the other animal will whine, which is a cue to the partner to be gentler.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Carnivores
Monday, October 12
Over the last couple of weeks we have seen Xi Lan spend more time awake and active throughout the day and less time sleeping. When he is awake and not stealing Lun Lun's biscuits, he is amusing himself by trying to get Lun Lun to play and interact with him. Normally she is enjoying her bamboo as he starts to climb on her and bite whatever is closest to his mouth. If she is really focused on eating she will fend him off with her back paws, whereas other times she gives in and entertains his requests to play. I personally feel badly for her when she has had her fill of bamboo and is ready for a nap, but Xi Lan has other plans for her. Just as she is settling down to sleep he will come and pounce on her, but I guess that is part of being a panda mom.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II
Friday, October 9
We recently increased the amount of biscuits that we give Xi Lan each day. Although it’s normal to increase the amount of biscuits that we provide a cub as he/she grows, Xi Lan has really developed an appetite for them. We noticed that he was eating all of his biscuits, and also some of Lun’s, so we knew it was time for an increase. Xi Lan currently consumes about 100 grams of biscuits each day and he eagerly eats them all, although very slowly! He likes to eat bamboo between his biscuits, which slows down the process, but it’s great that he also enjoys bamboo. Xi Lan knows where the biscuits come from and has figured out that he needs to head towards the keeper’s voice for his biscuits. Yesterday I saw him climb all the way down from the tree in habitat 1 when Kate called him. Inside, he knows to show up at the window on the keeper door to get the biscuits when called.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Carnivores
Wednesday, October 7
Xi Lan was very busy yesterday morning. First, he shifted all the way across the building for me (he got some banana at the end for being such a good panda!). Once in the dayroom, he played with the ping pearls toy for a while. That got old, so he wrestled with Lun Lun , who was trying to eat her morning bamboo and kept swatting him away. Then he discovered a spot in the dayroom that must have held some marvelous odor. He spent a long time rolling around and self-anointing in this spot. He laid on his back and flailed his arms in the air. He flung mulch around and on himself. By the time he finished, he had made a Xi Lan-sized hole in the mulch! Kate and I were very entertained by his antics. It must have been very taxing, because afterwards, he ate a few biscuits, then climbed up the tree for a nap.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
Monday, October 5
As Heather mentioned last time, Xi Lan has finally decided that biscuits are a great thing to eat. This has become evident in two ways. First, his weight is steadily increasing, tipping the scale last evening at 25 kg. Second, the amount of poop that he has started to produce has increased. In a 24-hour period yesterday, he had four piles! This may not seem like a lot, but previously he typically only had about 4 to 5 piles in a week. These added biscuits have also seemed to add to the amount of bamboo that he will eat, although he has been good about eating bamboo. About the only downside to the biscuit-eating (at least for Lun) is the added energy that he has now. Whenever she gets settled in, Xi Lan wants to play.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III
Friday, October 2
As Xi Lan is getting bigger, his appetite for biscuits and fruit is increasing. For a while now, Xi Lan has been receiving his own portion of biscuits and fruit; however, he rarely finishes all of them. This week, he suddenly started eating all of his biscuits plus sneaking off with some of Lun Lun’s while she was busy eating bamboo. So, we made the decision to increase his daily allotment of biscuits. He still steals Lun Lun’s banana (his favorite!) slices if he can, but he is certainly getting his fill of biscuits. He also continues to eat bamboo well for a panda his age. We are all pleased he has such a good appetite.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II
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