Have a very Happy Birthday, MAK!!!      

Beautiful!!!

Giant Panda Birth Watch 2010
10-14-10


24-hour monitoring of Lun Lun begins Monday
 
One of Atlanta’s best-known celebrity moms may be carrying cub number three. Recent data suggest that giant panda Lun Lun has entered the secondary rise in the telltale hormonal fluctuations that indicate she is nearing the end of a pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. Based on this information, the Zoo Atlanta Animal Management and Veterinary Team plans to begin round-the-clock birth watch on Monday, October 18.

In addition to hormonal changes, Lun Lun experienced a dramatic shift in behavior – most notably extreme lethargy and reduced appetite – this week. These behavioral changes occur in pregnant and pseudopregnant giant pandas. The animal care and veterinary teams are monitoring the 13-year-old bear closely and conducting regular ultrasounds. Giant panda gestation averages 135 days, but can range from 83-197 days.

Confirming pregnancy in giant pandas is a famously inexact science, as the species experiences delayed implantation and can also exhibit pseudopregnancy, a condition closely mimicking pregnancy without the presence of a fetus. A new test for pregnancy detection in giant pandas has been developed which seems promising. While early results indicated that Lun Lun was pregnant, more recent results are less certain. Because the assay is new and has only been used on a few giant pandas, it is not considered 100 percent reliable. Therefore, Zoo Atlanta staff is preparing for a birth in the same way as in previous years. Birth watch will continue on October 18 and will continue through November 14.

The animal care team opted to employ artificial insemination (AI) on June 13, 2010, after Lun Lun and 13-year-old Yang Yang failed to mate during her brief window of fertility. The pair has two previous offspring, female Mei Lan, age 4 and a resident of Chengdu, China, and male Xi Lan, 2, a resident of Zoo Atlanta. Both Mei Lan and Xi Lan were the only giant panda cubs born in the U.S. in 2006 and 2008, and both were the products of AI.

Additional updates will be provided as details are available.

   Have a very     , Joyce!!!   

 

Thanks for posting this, Kris.  I haven't been able to keep up like I usually do.

I check the site almost every day and have been watching closely since her insemination mid-June.  They're doing ultrasounds two times/week but so far the only "maybe" indicator is that Lun's lethargic and sleeping more than norm.  Fingers crossed that there'll be a new little one to watch this year.  It was so much fun watching Xi Lan after he was born! 

Monday, October 18
Today marks the official start of Panda Birth Watch 2010, something that I have been looking forward to since I started at Zoo Atlanta. The major change for birth watch is that there will always be a keeper monitoring Lun Lun 24 hours a day. A more minor change that has occurred in the building are some temporary reconfigurations, such as the kitchen and hallway turning into a nursery for a possible cub. Biscuit and produce diet preparation can now be observed by one panda in the morning since it is in front of his (Yang Yang’s or Xi Lan’s) den. The food is no longer created in a magical unseen place; the bears get to look on curiously when we prepare the morning diets. Our boy bears are extremely well behaved and they do not even beg for food.

Lun Lun has been sleeping the days away in her nest box in her favorite corner of her den. She pushes aside the hay we put down for her and goes straight for the floor. It is really interesting to see the changes that she is going through, mostly the lethargy. I had no idea a panda could sleep for so long! She is still participating in ultrasounds with the vet staff and keepers opportunistically. Stay tuned to see how our wonderful panda mommy of two (come on lucky number three!), adjusts during this period.
Cate Harris
Seasonal Keeper

Wonderful pictures, Kris!!!  Wild Wings is an awesome place!  So glad you saw it!! They do amazing things and have always been so good to the rochester falcons in need!

It really is a wonderful place for any animal with special needs.  We got to talk with Terry for quite a while and in talking to her about our Falcons and thanking her for what they did to help with Mariah and Jemison, she mentioned you, Carol and Joyce. Really nice, caring staff.

Before our trip to Letchworth SP this past Wednesday, we spent Tuesday with Sue and Bob from Painted post (she's a Forum member too). We had planned on doing something different when they came up and when I suggested Wild Wings, which none of us had ever been to, we decided it was a go! When we got there, several of the birds were being attended to and weren't out on exhibit, which was very disappointing as we had all come a distance to get there but we decided to make the most of it. After seeing all that were on display, we mentioned to the young man, who was telling us about various birds, that we would really love to see Tory the Peregrine because we were Falcon lovers and Forum members.  He went right into the building and soon after, a man came right out with Tory on his arm!  Tory had just had her beak and talons trimmed and was so good while we ooohed and ahhhed over her.  Shortly after that, they brought out Blaze, the Saw Whet Owl, who stayed out for quite a long visit (what a cutie!) and we had a long talk with all the people there who were so nice in answering all of our questions.  By the time we left, most of the birds had been returned to their cages so we got to see almost everyone while we were there afterall. We went out to feed the Chickadees after our tour but they were sure hiding because none of them came out for us.  We did get to feed a squirrel who started following us and Bob ended up feeding it by hand.  Wild Wings is truly a wonderful place with great people!  When we left there, after getting a bite to eat, we headed to the city to show Bob and Sue where the nestbox was and while there, we saw a Falcon flying over the river as it went behind OCSR out of sight.  We left there and headed to Lake Ontario, showing them where KP was and ended up walking along the walkway at Ontario Beach SP where we saw lots of ducks swimming in the lake.  It was a really fun day and here's a few pics that we took at Wild Wings:

http://tinyurl.com/23o7tk4

Hi folks! We had a little excitement tonight in Rochester. There was a tiercel flying with Beauty. We weren't sure if it was Archer come back from wherever he's been. Dana and I agree that it was a juvie male migrating through. The falcon on the east side of Xerox looked like Beauty to me and Dana thought so too( judging by her pics). Therefore I have to believe Beauty was in her favorite spot 5th column south side of Xerox when I left for the night. If Archer was in town he would have been with her on Xerox.  This is my humble opinion. Good night and I'll see you bright and early in the morning!

for all your final night reports, MAK! Much appreciated!

Thank you for doing all that you do!   

Bill and I spent the day at Letchworth State Park this past Wednesday, having lunch with an old friend at the Glen Iris Inn and then touring around taking pictures.  For those who've been there and for those that have never seen our hidden gem, here's an album that I put together.  Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/2axjh8h

A lifetime favourite place with our family. We loved hiking there, and were always fascinated by Mary Jemison. As little girls, my sisters and I gazed longingly into the windows of Glen Iris - and when we
grew up... we went! How was the foliage, Kris? Will there be any left by the time I get home next week?

Actually, the leaves appeared to be just changing in the park so there should be some colors to see in the next week or so.

Bill and I spent the day at Letchworth State Park this past Wednesday, having lunch with an old friend at the Glen Iris Inn and then touring around taking pictures.  For those who've been there and for those that have never seen our hidden gem, here's an album that I put together.  Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/2axjh8h

She is gorgeous!! 

Wonderful trip and pictures!    for sharing with us all!!