Atlanta Zoo Giant Panda Lun Lun artificially inseminated

[Kris G.]

Wednesday, June 9
Things are starting to heat up a little bit with Yang Yang and Lun Lun. As I reported previously, we started seeing some physical changes in Lun and also some corresponding behavioral changes last week that may be indicative of estrus. This week we’re also seeing some hormonal changes.  We’ve started regularly putting Yang and Lun next to each other during the day to assess their behavior. Although we’re not there yet, things are looking good. It’s not possible right now to predict when Lun will be ready, but I don’t think we’ll have much longer to wait.


Friday, June 11
We are continuing to monitor Lun Lun closely. We expect ovulation to occur any day now. Dr. Dave Kersey, Assistant Professor at Western University of Health Sciences, arrived Wednesday and is at the Zoo running hormone assays daily. Dr. Kersey is an expert in giant panda endocrinology. He’s also an expert on Lun Lun’s hormone profiles. He has run hormone assays on her to time artificial insemination and birth windows since 2006.

Also on Wednesday, Dr. Liu arrived from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is a reproductive physiologist and will be performing the artificial insemination if Lun Lun and Yang Yang don’t mate. As in previous years, we will put Lun Lun and Yang Yang together at the time of ovulation to give them the opportunity to mate. If that fails, we will artificially inseminate Lun Lun.

Estrus is always an exciting time for the pandas and for us. Hopefully, it will result in another furry, black and white bundle of joy!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Monday, June 14
We had a very busy weekend at the Zoo Atlanta panda building. Lun Lun ovulated (finally), most likely late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. So, starting Sunday morning we did introductions between Lun Lun and Yang Yang to give them an opportunity to mate naturally. Since they did not mate, Zoo Atlanta’s veterinarian team, keepers, and curators, a Chinese colleague, and two American colleagues from other institutions stepped in to perform artificial insemination on Lun Lun. We were able to collect enough fresh semen from Yang Yang to perform two separate AI’s on Lun Lun. Now, we sit and wait to see if all our efforts will once again produce a cub.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

[Donna]

 

[jeanne]

An aphrodesiac needs to be discovered for pandas!

[Kris G.]

An aphrodesiac needs to be discovered for pandas!

That is for sure, Jeanne!  The only thing that interests them is bamboo and naps!    

[jeanne]

An aphrodesiac needs to be discovered for pandas!

That is for sure, Jeanne!  The only thing that interests them is bamboo and naps!    

True!!!!  I felt so sad that Tian and Mei at the National Zoo had a false pregnancy.  They are scheduled to return to China at the end of the year.  Folks are already sad about Tai Shan leaving

[Kris G.]

An aphrodesiac needs to be discovered for pandas!

That is for sure, Jeanne!  The only thing that interests them is bamboo and naps!    

True!!!!  I felt so sad that Tian and Mei at the National Zoo had a false pregnancy.  They are scheduled to return to China at the end of the year.  Folks are already sad about Tai Shan leaving

I didn't know that.  Very sad to lose them both.

[huddiecat]

Oh, wait they really like fruitcicles too!!  Seriously, though I was sooo bummed that the National Zoo Pandas will have no baby again this year    I hope Atlanta has success!!
Suzanne

[carly]

National Zoo is currently in negotiations with China to extend Mei and Tian's stay for another 5 years - that was always the plan.  I know SDZ negotiated Bai and Gao's stay for another 5 years as did recently ZA - they both got the pandas for half the cost this time so I expect NZ will get to keep Mei and Tian for a few more years yet!

Read that in the Washington Post awhile back in an interview with the new Director for NZ who happens to be the old ZA Director so he has experience renegotiating Panda Loan agreements.

ps: Yes I am also a pandaholic :

[Kris G.]

National Zoo is currently in negotiations with China to extend Mei and Tian's stay for another 5 years - that was always the plan.  I know SDZ negotiated Bai and Gao's stay for another 5 years as did recently ZA - they both got the pandas for half the cost this time so I expect NZ will get to keep Mei and Tian for a few more years yet!

Read that in the Washington Post awhile back in an interview with the new Director for NZ who happens to be the old ZA Director so he has experience renegotiating Panda Loan agreements.

ps: Yes I am also a pandaholic :

That's good news to hear!  Thanks, Carly!   

[jeanne]

National Zoo is currently in negotiations with China to extend Mei and Tian's stay for another 5 years - that was always the plan.  I know SDZ negotiated Bai and Gao's stay for another 5 years as did recently ZA - they both got the pandas for half the cost this time so I expect NZ will get to keep Mei and Tian for a few more years yet!

Read that in the Washington Post awhile back in an interview with the new Director for NZ who happens to be the old ZA Director so he has experience renegotiating Panda Loan agreements.

ps: Yes I am also a pandaholic :

Thanks Carly!  I am a pandaholic too!!!!  I want to volunteer at Bifengxia some day!

[Dumpsterkitty]

National Zoo is currently in negotiations with China to extend Mei and Tian's stay for another 5 years - that was always the plan.  I know SDZ negotiated Bai and Gao's stay for another 5 years as did recently ZA - they both got the pandas for half the cost this time so I expect NZ will get to keep Mei and Tian for a few more years yet!

Read that in the Washington Post awhile back in an interview with the new Director for NZ who happens to be the old ZA Director so he has experience renegotiating Panda Loan agreements.

ps: Yes I am also a pandaholic :

Thanks Carly!  I am a pandaholic too!!!!  I want to volunteer at Bifengxia some day!

Me too...both pandaholic AND wanting to volunteer at Bifengxia!  I went to the National Zoo once when Tai Shan was almost a year old and did nothing but sit and watch them...I knew I'd never have another chance to see Tai.   

[jeanne]

National Zoo is currently in negotiations with China to extend Mei and Tian's stay for another 5 years - that was always the plan.  I know SDZ negotiated Bai and Gao's stay for another 5 years as did recently ZA - they both got the pandas for half the cost this time so I expect NZ will get to keep Mei and Tian for a few more years yet!

Read that in the Washington Post awhile back in an interview with the new Director for NZ who happens to be the old ZA Director so he has experience renegotiating Panda Loan agreements.

ps: Yes I am also a pandaholic :

Thanks Carly!  I am a pandaholic too!!!!  I want to volunteer at Bifengxia some day!

Me too...both pandaholic AND wanting to volunteer at Bifengxia!  I went to the National Zoo once when Tai Shan was almost a year old and did nothing but sit and watch them...I knew I'd never have another chance to see Tai.   

Same here!  I saw him when he was a year old.  I was so sad when he left.  Such a sweetie!  He's doing great in Bifengxia.  Mei Lan, from Zoo Atlanta had a harder time adjusting, poor sweetheart.  She was growling at people and wouldn't eat.  She is doing better now. She is at Chengdu. 

[huddiecat]

Gosh, I guess I just assumed China would extend their stay...hope they do!  One of the times I went to see Tai Shen we watchers all agreed that he was born here, so he should be allowed to stay.  After the earthquake in China so devastated the preserve, I figured he would definitely go. 

Thanks for all the updates!

Suzanne, another pandaholic

[Kris G.]

Update post insemination of Lun Lun: 

Wednesday, September 22
Well, Lun Lun is still sleeping a little more then her norm, but we haven’t seen any other signs of a birth window drawing closer.  Lun Lun may not be ready to show us if she has a cub or not, but we are taking steps to be ready either way. Currently we are training three seasonal keepers that will help cover all the shifts so we are prepared for night watch. You have already “metâ€� Kris G. thru her previous updates. Soon, you will get to hear from Katie G. and Cate H. as they train in and learn what it takes to care for Zoo Atlanta’s panda family.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III


Friday, September 24
Lun Lun had her usual Friday ultrasound procedure this morning. Ultrasound procedures are currently conducted twice a week. There is nothing exciting to report from the procedure this morning. Lun Lun’s behavior and hormones have not changed significantly, yet, which means it’s still too early to expect to see a developing fetus on ultrasound. Doing ultrasound procedures during this time, provides good practice for Lun Lun and is important for documenting reproductive system changes. Lun Lun cooperated very well. So well, that she was willing to keep holding the position even after the vet team was done. Let’s hope she continues to be so cooperative in the coming weeks when she enters her nesting phase.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals