06-30-2011 Xi Lan is Cwazy about the Tub (2x Flickr video)

It's the uninhibited Xi Lan's turn to play with the tub

VIDEO LINK
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pandalover ... otostream/

Oh what wonderful wonderful videos! Thank you Doxie and Queenie!

Po under the barrel and Lun letting him out - AWESOME!!!!
Xi Lan playing - AWESOME!!!

They are all so good! It's a good thing Po wins some of those wrestling matches!!!!

Friday, July 1

Last week our bamboo cutting team found a wonderful stand of arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica). Arrow is our pandas’ favorite species of bamboo. This year they have been eating it since April, but last week’s harvest has been one of the best we have had. The pandas are destroying it. However, even though the pandas are eating this bamboo so well, we have not had to offer them as much as we normally do. The bamboo has been so satisfying that the pandas have not had to eat as much or as often, and thus have had more leisure time. As Kate mentioned, all of the pandas have been very playful this week and they have been taking longer naps between meals. It has been a very happy week here in the panda building. Alas, the bamboo stand only had enough for two days of cutting (~ 400 kg) So, it will not last forever, but we are all enjoying it for now.

We keepers offer many thanks to the team of guys that cut bamboo for the animals. It is a difficult and thankless task because the pandas can be so picky about their bamboo. Our guys do a great job and even if the pandas do not appreciate it, we certainly do!

Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Xi Lan got the beach ball on Friday, and they kept the cameras running

2011-07-01 Beach Ball Blast with Xi Lan!!

Highlights from a 17 minute play session between Xi Lan, Zoo Atlanta's 2 yr 10 month old panda cub, and the Beach Ball (1.25x speed)

VIDEO LINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZbgChRvQw

ZA Panda Updates

Monday, July 4

Happy Birthday, Po! Our youngest bear turned 7 months old on Sunday! (NOTE: I think she meant to say 8 months )

As Heather told all of you the other day about the site where our team of bamboo cutters struck proverbial gold with some bamboo that the pandas devoured, we had a few days of awesomeness here at the panda building. Alas that particular crop of bamboo did run out and over the weekend we've had arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica) cut from 3 different sites to offer to the pandas in hopes that they would find something they loved. Unfortunately they haven't found anything they love as much as the other stuff. It's always hit or miss when our team of guys goes out to harvest bamboo. We let them know what we can to guide the cutting, such as whether the pandas are preferring darker bamboo, or bamboo with no sheath (the protective outer covering that falls off as bamboo grows), younger leafy bamboo, etc. But the pandas' preferences can change in the blink of an eye so it can be frustrating to find the right bamboo at times.

But when all else fails we have ways of helping the pandas eat their food. For example, we do biscuit feedings where we give the 'bamboo' command (looks like we're showing the panda the back of our left hand). The pandas know that when we give them this cue, they need to take a bite of bamboo in order to get a reward, which is a leaf-eater biscuit that they really enjoy. It works well because it ensures that they are eating a proper amount of the diet they would eat in the wild.

Po of course is exempt from all of this right now. He still lives on his mother's milk and the occasional banana or biscuit that he's able to steal from his mom (although every day he shows more and more interest in bamboo so it's only a matter of time!).

Jen Webb
Keeper I, Carnivores

Po likes the boo

Panda Cub Updates

Wednesday, July 6

Last week I saw Po do one of the most entertaining things I have ever seen a giant panda do. While he was playing with his half barrel, he flipped it over on top of himself. Then he walked around the dayroom with the barrel covering him. Lun Lun noticed the barrel walk past and watched it with a look of surprise. She went over to investigate and soon discovered that Po was under the barrel. She began pawing the barrel, I think to try to pull it off of him. Maybe realizing the fun was about to end, Po pushed the barrel off himself and emerged. Po leads a pretty sheltered life, but like any normal youngster he still finds ways to alarm his mother!

Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Whoops the hammock is missing again