Panda Cub Updates

Wednesday, August 17

Oh boy, I was really hoping to see Yang Yang splashing in the pool yesterday. We let him into one of the outdoor exhibit yards on Monday, and he began exploring immediately. He ignored his bamboo for at least 15 minutes, which is really suprising, to check out the exhibit and enjoy the beautiful weather. He examined the new rearrangements to the climbing structure, provided by Xi Lan from an earlier outing. Yang Yang added his own touch by snapping a few more pieces off the same big branch on the structure. He then went very close to the pool that Jen and I filled up. I have heard lots about him sitting in the pool and splashing his paws in the water, and so I was super excited to see this. Alas, he decided it wasn't the right time and went to eat some bamboo. Next time, Yang Yang!
Sheena Braman,
Mammal Keeper 1

Panda Cub Updates

Monday, August 22

The infamous yellow car is not just for Po's enjoyment. We were able to let Xi Lan, Po's big brother, to have some fun with it before we played musical bears (kinda like musical chairs) with the pandas and rotated them between the dayrooms and the off exhibit dens. Po got to play with the yellow car during the afternoon, but Xi Lan had a ball sniffing the yellow enrichment item probably smelling Lun Lun and Po's scents. He also played inside of it; it almost looked like a panda was driving a car! Po got to enjoy a new toy as well - just a simple ball dangling from a long chain in Dayroom 2. He was on the wooden structure trying to pull the ball up by grasping the chain and tugging. It worked for a moment until, inevitably, he accidently dropped the chain and had to start all over. This lasted for about five minutes until he gave up and decided to go see what his mom was doing, found a leaf eater biscuit his mom missed and plopped down to munch on it. It was actually really cute because he ended up sitting near his mom eating the biscuit while Lun Lun was munching away on bamboo. It was a prelude to what we will see in the future when Po starts eating more bamboo.
Jen Webb
Keeper I, Carnivores

8/15/11~Po Goes Up & Down~2.18 min. <Video Link

I think Po looks so cute climbing up the thick log~& Mama Lun must have thought so too ~as comes to hug him & helps him down.





XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX



8/15/11~When Pull Comes to Shove..~1.03 min. <Video Link

..Po looks so cute sitting there with one footsie up and rubbing his ears, Lun comes to get him down. I think she was going to pull him into the hammock but he resisted so much she pushed him off the back.
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cont. from above video ^




XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

:movie: 8/15/11~Po Viewing~5.30 min. < Video Link

He does his normal things climbing, scratching {getting Mama Lun itchy too} , & then she tries to pull him down at the end :blink:& stubborn Po resists, & stubborn Mama pulls on his head awhile~Po doesn't go down, but shakes his head. :huh:

Panda Cub Updates

Wednesday, August 24

Tomorrow is Lun Lun’s 14th birthday! The keepers have some wonderful birthday surprises planned for her. She will have one of her favorite enrichment items, a big paper bag stuffed with hay and treats. This one is specially painted for her birthday. She’ll also get a present, which is a wrapped cardboard box with a surprise inside. And of course, she will receive an ice birthday cake. One layer will be scented with cinnamon (her favorite scent), another layer will contain fruit, and the top layer will have a piece of sugarcane (her favorite food). I hope that Po will join in the celebration and get to help his mom open her presents. Be sure to watch the fun on pandacam!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Panda Cub Updates

Friday, August 26

Lun Lun had a busy and fun-filled birthday yesterday (August 25)! When I arrived in the morning, she was still eating some of her overnight bamboo. She got a piece of sugarcane while she waited for me to set up her breakfast. After breakfast, she took a nap, and then it was time for her birthday cake. As Rebecca mentioned on Wednesday, we made her an ice cake with three layers. It was not an elaborate (or pretty) cake, but it was filled with some of Lun Lun’s favorite things. Before lunch, we set up the dayroom with the cake and some fresh bamboo. As is typical of our pandas, Lun Lun only sniffed the cake in passing and went straight for the bamboo and biscuits. After Lun Lun finished her bamboo, she investigated the cake further. She worked for a long time trying to get the sugar cane out of the ice, then gave up and took another nap (or tried to!). While she worked on her cake, Po noticed her activity and figured the cake must be safe if mom is playing with it. He joined her and went crazy for the cinnamon layer. He rolled all over it and batted it around. He continued playing with the ice even after Lun Lun left to sleep. He got completely soaked and covered in mulch from rolling around with the cake. When Po tired of the ice cake, he wanted mom to play with him, but she just wanted to sleep. She tried several different napping spots, hoping Po would give up and leave her alone, but he did not. Eventually, she gave in and played with him. Once Po had calmed down, Lun Lun was able to enjoy her sugar cane in peace, but she never did get that second nap.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Happy Belated Birthday Mama Lun Lun

14

Doxie has a video of Lun Lun on her birthday & Xi Lan celebrating it also~ on her channel

:movie: Lun Lun's 14th Birthday < Doxie's Video Link

Po enjoyed it too

It is nice outside today & Lun wants Po to come join her~wake-up Po