Rfalconcam Forum

Poor Bai Yun...getting closer to giving birth...hanging out in the doorway...
nesting material EVERYWHERE...

San Diego Pandacam (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/index.html)

I am watching her too!  Can't wait for a little one to watch.  Wish they had sound like in the National Zoo, so we could hear the little one squealing!   :silly:

Me three!!  I'm also watching.  And today they will be celebrating Su Lin and Zhen Zhen's birthdays with ice cakes I believe  bguitar :mbanana:

Congrats on your first post, carly. Have some karma.

 :clap:

Just saw this on the San Diego Zoo site...


Panda Cub Arrives!
Posted at 10:37 am August 5, 2009 by Suzanne Hall
We have a new addition to our panda collection at the San Diego Zoo. At 4:58 this morning, Bai Yun gave birth to a vigorous, squawking infant! The staff here is elated and is, as always, in awe of Bai Yun and her perfect maternal skills.


More...including video...in the Panda Blog (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/panda-cub-arrives/#more-5154)

Wonderful!  :clap: It's obvious from the various photos and videos, that Bai Yun is a wonderful mother!

Thank you for the photo of the wee cub! :2thumbsup:

Anne C. (Toronto, ON Canada)

Not sure if anyone saw this on Yahoo News but those of us who love Bai Yun and were tuning in to catch a glimpse of the cub actually crashed the web site Thursday!    :confused:
 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090808/ap_on_re_us/us_panda_cam_crash

Judi

She is such a wonderful mom!!!  Pandas are so cute!! :heart:

oops  :-[

Bai Yun got up for a minute...look how chubby he's (yes, I think it's a boy) getting!

 

 :panda:

He's starting to get his black markings!  So cute!   :baby:

What a sweetie!!!  Pandas are just beautiful! :heart:

Bai Yun's baby is getting BIG!  :panda:

(http://sandiegozoo.camzone.com/pandacam/pptz.php?cmd=getimage&imgname=PPTZ_4a998d78aa7da6.70051689.jpg)

I have an AWWWWW moment every time I see that little one!  The other day Mom was gone and that little one was on it's back and rolling all around!  :yahoo: They kept zooming the cam in, I think to see if they could tell boy or girl!  My guess . . .Baby boy.   :thumbsup:

OMG!!!  Precious baby!  I went to the national zoo in washington specifically to see Tai Shan!  He was a year old but he was so adorable.  His mom was so tired!  No wonder, he was always on her back!   :heart:

Cubbie's nursing while Momma's having a snack too!

Funny-i did the same thing!  I had a family reunion in the mountains of Virginia, but I took the long way around to stop in DC to see Tai Shan...spent the whole day just hanging out with the pandas.  Climbing on Mom was always his favorite pastime. :panda:

 

A couple of pics I took...it was about a week after his 1st birthday.

It's a boy!



Panda Blog (http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2009/09/03/baby%E2%80%99s-first-exam/)

How cute!  I love the pictures!!!  I have to dig out some of mine!

And how adorable this little one is!  But aren't they all! :heart:

These are pictures of Tai Shan and his mom -- and his napping mother

[size=15 pt]Great pics jeanne and very good, (you learned fast)!  :panda::clap:

Donna[/size]

BUt I noticed that clicking on the pictures doesn't make them look good.  Out of focus.  Am I doing something weird?

Such a sweet baby!!! :heart: :heart: :heart:

 :panda: so cuddly adorable  :panda:

My dream would be to go to the woolong center that has the baby pandas and then to hold one.   OMG! 

Chubby cubbie (AKA Cinco-de-Bai-o) sleeping with his Mom...



AWWW!!!! :wub:

6th Exam: Muscle Man
Posted at 1:28 pm October 8, 2009 by admin
Although sleepy during most of this morning’s veterinary checkup, our 9-week-old (64-day-old) giant panda cub was flexing the muscles in his arms as he lifted up his chest and head to take a look around.


Tracy Clippinger, D.V.M, San Diego Zoo senior veterinarian, says the 7.7-pound (3.5 kilogram) cub is very aware of his surroundings now that both his eyes and ears have fully opened. He is 21.3 inches (52.4 centimeters) long. She expects the cub to begin to crawl in the next two to six weeks as his muscles continue to develop.

“During the exams, we call the cub ‘little guy,’” said Tracy. “Beginning Saturday, you can visit the San Diego Zoo to help us name him.”

Visitors to the Zoo’s Giant Panda Research Station can suggest a name for the cub Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 19. The names should be in Chinese (Pinyin), have an English translation and be symbolic in meaning. Suggestions for a name will also be accepted from a link on our Panda Cam page. The name will be announced at a ceremony on November 17.





Here's the video of his exam:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=44268835001 (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=44268835001)

So cute!! 

Smitten, pure and simple :wub:

Another update on the San Diego Panda cub:  :panda:



http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=45576053001

What a cute little panda,I wish I could hold him.
Thanks Carla

 :panda:  Panda cub update:




November 12 2009
Naming Ceremony November 17
Our 14-week-old panda cub’s name will be announced during a brief naming ceremony on Tuesday, November 17, at 11 a.m. in the Zoo’s Hunte Amphitheater. We received 17,526 votes during the online naming poll. Come hear what the winning name is! If you can’t attend, video of the event will be posted later that day. Did your favorite name receive the most votes?


http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=50050247001

     :panda:


Panda Cub Receives Name
Posted at 11:31 am November 17, 2009 by Yadira Galindo
There was pandamonium at the San Diego Zoo as we prepared to finally reveal our 104-day-old giant panda cub’s name. For days people kept asking, “So what is his name?” Being one of a handful of people who knew the name at the close of the voting period, I simply smiled and said “You’ll have to wait until the naming ceremony.” I admit, it was a bit of a smug smile. You know the one…the one you can’t hold back when you have a secret that everyone wants to know.


So what is it? It was a close one. All five names could easily have been the one. We all know the little guy is an “extraordinary bear.” Those of us who live in San Diego would have loved to have him named after our beloved city, since it is quite blissful. As his personality finally begins to emerge, and this cub is finally showing that he, too, will be rambunctious, little dragon would have been fitting. But I think we are the ones that are “eternally blessed” for having been able to witness the birth of this rare bear, so this name wasn’t quite right for him, in my opinion.

In the end, the name that was bestowed upon this bear is one that pays tribute to an extraordinary mother, Bai Yun. Mama bear’s name means “white cloud.” And so, our little guy is from here on out to be called Yun Zi or “son of cloud.”

The Chinese name, Yun Zi, was revealed at a ceremony at the Zoo’s Hunte Amphitheater. Dr. Ron Swaisgood, co-head of the Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation Unit, shared the history of the giant panda at the Zoo, from Bai Yun’s arrival in 1996, the birth of her five cubs here in San Diego, and an update on our newest panda.

We were pleased by the presence of the deputy consul general from the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, Mr. Sun Weide, who spoke a few words about the partnership between the San Diego Zoo and our colleagues in China. Berit Durler, president of the Zoological Society of San Diego, thanked our guests for supporting our efforts in panda conservation.

It is because of the support that all of you have provided to us that we asked for you to be involved in naming our little guy. We received 6,331 names. Once we narrowed the names down to 5, we allowed just one vote per person or family at the same computer during the four-day voting period. We received 17,521 votes. That’s quite a commitment!

Here is the breakdown of the vote:
Yun Zi: son of cloud 28%
Xiao Long: little dragon 26%
Xiong Wei: extraordinary bear 20%
Yong Xiang: eternally blessed 14%
Fu Sheng: blissful San Diego 12%

Yadira Galindo is a senior public relations representative for the San Diego Zoo.

Note: A big day for Yun Zi, as he also had his 12th exam this morning. Son of Cloud weighed 13.2 pounds (5.98 kilograms). More images are available in our Panda Photo Gallery.Posted in Default, General, Giant

Sweet baby!!! :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

Thanks for this big update!  I'll be in San Diego the end of February and I can't wait to see Yun Zi & his mama!!

You are lucky to get the chance to see them in person and I am so jealous! I just love these Pandas!      :panda:

                               Kris

Exam 13: Development Spurts
Posted at 2:46 pm November 24, 2009 by Yadira Galindo


Am I really this cute?
Although I was present at last week’s panda cub exam, I had missed the previous two. In those two weeks I missed his first teeth and his first steps. Oh, the agony of missing such milestones! Couldn’t he have waited for me? Ha, ha. See video


I knew his teeth would emerge any day, so it didn’t surprise me when my coworker, Jenny, came bouncing in, chipper about seeing the cub for the first time and with the news of his latest developments. When I returned to the exam room last week, Yun Zi had one additional tooth and had gained another pound: not as earth shattering but still wonderful to see my little guy again.

This morning, during his weekly checkup, he gained 1.3 pounds (0.58 kilograms) since last week, making him a whopping 14.5 pounds (6.6 kilograms). The vets say he’s a little shorter in length than Hua Mei, Mei Sheng, Su Lin, and Zhen Zhen were at this stage, but he’s heavier! Not surprised. When I saw him today I thought, “Wow! I think keeper Kathy needs an extra set of hands to carry that robust little guy through the door.” His round figure is deceiving: looking at him in person, you would think he weighs even more.

When he opened his mouth to nibble gently on Kathy’s hands, you could see his canines are much more pronounced now. However, what surprised me most was the sudden explosion of teeth. He now has 12 teeth, including all four canines and a molar and premolar on each side of his mouth (top right, top left, bottom right and bottom left). No wonder he kept nibbling on Kathy: he is really teething now. He received the last of his distemper vaccines, and this time his reaction was a loud exhale of air. That’s it! He’s a big boy now.

The cutest part of the exam was how much “walking” he was doing. Kathy wasn’t letting him get far since he was on a table. He is still wobbly on those legs, and he exaggerates each movement, lifting his paw high up as he tries to take a step forward. It looks like he’s prancing or even waving. Next week, the team is thinking they may move the exam to the floor where he can begin to move around more. And this is when the real fun begins. Somebody please wrangle that panda cub!

Video of exam below:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=1631259758&bctid=52465054001

14th Exam: Panda Star
Posted at 4:36 pm December 3, 2009 by Jenny Mehlow
Keeper Kathy Hawk had her hands full this morning: during Yun Zi’s weekly exam, it was all she could do to keep a good grip on him! The panda keepers knew that the cub was getting too mobile to examine him on the table any more, so they rolled out the carpet this week to give Yun Zi more space to move around. Then, when Kathy set him down, all he wanted to do was move! Video now posted!


That 5 x 7 carpet just couldn’t contain him. He headed to the edge and walked toward the video camera. When Kathy picked him up to redirect him to the center of the carpet, he just turned right back around and headed to the light on the top of the camera. We know that he’s a star, but it looks like he’s a natural in front of the camera, too!

After keepers and vets let him crawl around a bit, they attempted an exam. But Yun Zi just wasn’t that into it. With the exam taking place on the floor, and Yun Zi being such a wiggle worm, I didn’t really get to see all of his great expressions. I just saw his raw determination to do what he wanted to do the way he wanted to do it. He was squeaking as Kathy held him while veterinarian Tracy Clippinger listened to his heart and lungs. And the squeaking continued when they held him to get a look at his ears and eyes. He has a few more teeth, and when Tracy was feeling around his mouth she assured us that he had a pretty good bite now.

In past exams, if Bai Yun hears her cub squeaking or give a bark during the cub exams, keepers can see her react on the panda monitors. With the cub so vocal today, keepers who were not participating in the exam kept a close eye on the monitors to see how Bai was doing. And how did she react? Well, let’s just say that she didn’t let baby’s squeals get between her and her bamboo. She kept sitting in her exhibit, leaning against a rock, chomping away. She didn’t seem fazed by any of Yun Zi’s squeals.

I didn’t take my own notes on his weight, lengths or girth (I’ll let the moderator add that at the end of this blog); I was just enjoying listening to his squeals and watching Kathy and Tracy try to wrangle a 17-week old panda. It was a lot like me trying to hold my cat, Austin, when he knows that I’m picking him up to carry him inside the house. He tries to find any way to go back to what he was doing – over my shoulder, under my arm, or just trying to take a flying forward leap. But despite Yun Zi’s best efforts and vocal protests, Kathy and Tracy held onto him and made it through the exam, even if they did have to cut it a bit short due to excessive wiggling.

Everything else in his development is looking good. Oh, I did note one measurement: for all those still enthralled with his tail, it still measures 7 centimeters (2.7 inches) and the black spot is still there. His leg muscles are coming along, and you’ll see in the video (that should be up on Friday) that he’s a panda on the move who wants to be heard!

After the quick exam, Kathy and Tracy let him crawl around on the carpet for a few more minutes. He kept heading toward the edge of the carpet and the lights on the camera – like a moth to a flame. He squealed some more as Kathy carried him back to his den. But when I checked Panda Cam on my way out of the Giant Panda Research Station 15 minutes later, he was already asleep and, I like to imagine, dreaming little panda dreams.

Jenny Mehlow is a public relations representative for the San Diego Zoo.

Note: Yun Zi weighed 15.9 pounds (7.2 kilograms).

Video below:
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=54241016001

A Whirlwind 16th Exam
Posted at 3:18 pm December 15, 2009 by Yadira Galindo
To summarize today’s panda cub exam:

Chest girth, 20 inches (51 centimeters)
Abdominal girth, 21 inches (53 centimeters)
Weight, 18.1 pounds (8.2 kilograms) and thus “extra robust” but healthy
Length: wiggly, thus “not today”
Gait, only turns to the right; strength, improving

It was another whirlwind Yun Zi checkup. Now that he’s figured out what his legs can do, he seems to be ready to use them during his exams. Once again the little guy only wanted to be on the floor where he could walk around among the giggling Zoo staff. He didn’t seem to care that we were chuckling at his expense…well, not at him, more because of him. His wobbly gait is something to make you smile and, yes, laugh out loud! Dr. PK Robbins (pictured below) pointed out that pandas “move a bit differently,” and that a panda’s “front legs learn quicker than the back legs.”

She wasn’t kidding! His front legs seem strong and much more coordinated than his back legs, which seem low to the ground in a crouch position. Pandas are pigeon toed, which makes Yun Zi’s wobble (it’s not really a walk) look even more comical. He insisted on showing off his newly developed skills, so most of what I could see was his rear end as he tried time and time again to get to the floor for a stroll. When he was in the arms of the keeper or Dr. Robbins, he would attempt to climb them.

Is this a sign he’s ready to start the next phase? I don’t know. What I do know is that Yun Zi was making us all snicker, especially after Dr. Robbins observed “he only turns to the right.” Every time he tried to move in a different direction he seemed to choose to turn right. Could it be because he’s still learning to use his motor skills and doesn’t know how to use his left turn signal? Or, was it simply the choice of a silly boy to make us laugh? I’m stumped. What I do know is that he was on the move so much that the Zoo’s nutritionist gave up on trying to get his measurements because he just couldn’t keep still; she finally sighed, “Not today!”

Today the staff at the Giant Panda Research Station was not in charge. Not today. It was a day when an 18-pound, 2-foot long, black-and-white bundle of fur ran the show.

Yadira Galindo is a senior public relations representative for the San Diego Zoo.


Video of exam below:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=57483627001

17th Exam: Wiggle Worm
Posted at 1:30 pm December 22, 2009 by Dani Dodge Medlin
Yun Zi was curled up like a puppy on the weight scale before being brought into the room for today’s exam. He was so cute there, sleepy and all curled up in a ball. His weight, 18.3 pounds (8.3 kilograms), showed he’s still growing at a steady pace.

Then, within moments, he just became a ball of wiggling fun. So much wiggle, in fact, there was no chance to measure his length today. (His cute little tail, though, was 3.9 inches or 10 centimeters.) And when a keeper did manage to hold him still for a moment’s measurement, he would squeak in protest. This little ball of black-and-white fur just wanted to play!

The keepers had left out a big blue ball, a small solid plastic ball, a plastic bucket, and slices of apple for Yun Zi to explore. And that’s what this little boy was determined to do. He knocked over the plastic bucket. He sniffed and rolled the apple on the ground. He sat up with his body draped over the hard plastic ball and then fell over backward, still holding on! When one of the keepers scratched his back, Yun Zi rolled over on his back, his mouth open, as if in laughter.

“He’s obviously teething,” said PK Robbins, one of the San Diego Zoo’s associate veterinarians. “He was also very exploratory. It was really good.” She said between his curious meanderings today, and the exploring he did in the private yard outside his den yesterday (often called the classroom exhibit), he’s making quantum leaps in exploring his environment.

Dani Dodge is a public relations representative for the San Diego Zoo.

video from Yun Zi’s outdoor explorations on December 21—enjoy!

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=58542704001

He is so cute!!  That picture with mom is precious!! :happy:

Yun Zi Meets His Fans
Posted at 1:59 pm January 7, 2010 by Debbie Andreen
As your blog moderator, I felt it was my duty to visit the panda exhibit this morning to see how Yun Zi handled his public debut…. Oh, who am I kidding? I went to see the little guy this morning because I wanted to!! I was not disappointed.

When I first arrived, I used my status (or rather, my name badge) to peek in on Yun Zi from the exhibit’s exit so I wouldn’t have to stand in the somewhat long line. He was sound asleep on the small hammock, and Bai Yun was doing the same in some branches just above. Oh well, I thought, that’s to be expected. After all, I’ve been the one warning folks that panda cubs do a lot of sleeping! I did some Zoo errands and came back at 10:30 a.m., again peeking in through the exit. Staff told me the cub had just woken up and was playing. OMG—this is perfect! I quickly got into the ever-growing queue of Zoo visitors so I could get a full view of the little guy.

Our visitor assistance officers and panda narrator Kay did a great job of keeping the line moving so all could have a turn to view the oh-so-cute cubbie. We slowly made our way into the exhibit’s viewing area, and there he was, big as life, playing! Yes, playing with his mother! It’s one thing to view a panda cub on Panda Cam, but when I saw him “in person,” my eyes got a little teary. I noticed he had the same effect on Jessica, one of the panda fans I meet while in line. What a thrill to watch him wrestle with Mom and strut his stuff! Did he seem bothered by all the people? No. Did he even seem to notice us? No. Did we care that he didn’t notice us? No. Did he look absolutely adorable? YES!



When our turn was over, I looked around to see the reactions of those who had been in line with me, and this was the neatest thing—the looks of sheer joy on their faces! Panda fans Jennifer, Jessica, Liz, Barbara, and Glen described the experience as “awesome,” “overwhelming,” and “very emotional.” Jennifer said Yun Zi had melted her heart into a big mush ball. Jessica declared it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Liz thought the whole viewing experience was “perfect.” I think long-time Zoo member Barbara summed it up best when she said, “We are so lucky to have this wonderful facility that so beautifully shows the different stages in a panda’s life. Now, I’m off to see his big sisters!”

Debbie Andreen is an associate editor for the San Diego Zoo.



Watch video of Yun Zi’s media preview day.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172095001&bctid=60656999001

He is getting so big!!  I loved seeing him trying to figure out how to maneuver on the tree limb! 

My husband & I visited the San Diego Zoo last Thursday.  As soon as we got there, I made a beeline for the panda exhibit.  Yun Zi was snoozing when we got there and only woke up briefly but it was still a thrill to see him in person.  He was such a cutie sleeping in his little hammock!

Here are my photos. 

http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/lward98/Pandas%20at%20San%20Diego%20Zoo%202-25-10/

 :panda: :coolphotos: :flash:

Beautiful Panda Pics.....thanks so much. :thumbsup:

          :panda:  Great pics and thanks for posting!

Thank you so much for posting!!!  so sweet!

Thanks for sharing your photos!  My husband and I will be in San Diego in May, and I can't wait to visit the pandas and, of course, the polar bears.  I understand Polar Bear Plunge will be open at the end of March.  Can't wait to see that either!

S :mbanana:ue (Bess)

Yes, I was disappointed that the Polar Bear Plunge wasn't open during our trip.  It should be great!  Have fun!

Thanks Kris, so cute.

Cute panda Yun Zi.  :panda:

How absolutely adorable!!!

Lin Ping-- the baby panda in Thailand is also a character!  She's the first baby panda born in Thailand's zoo and they are wild about her.  This video is cute.  She is "helping" her keeper straighten up her living quarter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTj6n8GvRnw

this panda is very cute! Thank you for sharing.  :wub:

Oh, Jeanne, how cute was that!  I'm still laughing-they're so much fun to watch!  Thanks!   :panda:

She really is a cutie!!! She definitely has her keepers busy!