San Diego Giant Pandas

[Kris G.]

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

[jeanne]

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

[Kris G.]

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

[jeanne]

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

[Lynn W]

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/

[MAK]

 

[Donna]

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/

Beautiful Panda Pics.....thanks so much.

[Kris G.]

            Great pics and thanks for posting!

[jeanne]

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

[bess440]

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)

[Lynn W]

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

[Kris G.]

A Yun Zi Story
Posted at 4:15 pm February 23, 2010 by Heidi Trowbridge
I am not sure I have ever seen something as cute as a baby panda. Of course, baby anything is adorable, but this is even beyond that. I have been caring for each of the San Diego Zoo’s giant pandas for over three years now, and I have seen them breed, give birth, and grow into their own unique individual selves. Most often each day is fairly routine in regard to their care and training. Every so often, however, certain days make an impression on me and my fellow keepers.


On this particular day, Yun Zi displayed some very comical and endearing behaviors that reminded us how purely playful and entertaining these babies are. This was a very wet day. The rain had held off most of the morning, so we had decided to give Bai Yun and Yun Zi access to the outside enclosure. However, it started to rain before we had a chance to bring the bears back inside. Little Yun Zi just experienced his first real “rain day,� and I think he liked it! How do I know this? Here’s the clue…

As the rain continued, it collected in the bottom of the moat area along the edges of the enclosure. The tall landscaped brick wall that stretches across the front of the enclosure was muddy, slippery, and very steep. Keepers only trek that wall under favorable and necessary circumstances. But on this day, Yun Zi would change the rules! Shortly after the heavy rain started, he nonchalantly made his way down the wall and planted himself in the furthest, wettest corner of the moat. This was not his normal place to “hang out,� and why he picked the rainiest day of the year to go there, we will probably never know.

Once there, though, he happily played with a tuft of grass, ignoring any and all attempts we made to entice him back up the wall. He was soaking wet, completely happy, and playing with the most simple of toys: a few green strands of muddy grass. We all laughed at the irony of that! Here we have many fancy toys for his choosing, and he would rather play with a tuft of grass.

Well, after adoring him for a while, we all concurred that someone had to go get him out of the moat. I got nominated to climb down the wall, in the rain, and retrieve this venturesome bear. This meant picking him up by the scruff (as his mother does) and caring his then 19 pounds (8.6 kilograms) up the steep, slippery wall. I was less than thrilled to do this in the rain. As I made my way down the slope, Yun Zi was watching me closely as I slowly approached him. I saw his wide eyes as I got closer, and I suddenly realized that I was wearing a bright yellow rubber rain suit that he had probably never witnessed before. It obviously made him think that I was a big, scary, yellow monster coming to get him!

I didn’t want to scare the black off of him, so I surmised that the quicker this was over with, the better for both of us. I curled my hand around the back of his neck and scruffed him. I then supported his back end with my other hand and balanced each step back up the wall. Naturally he was wiggling and trying to bite my supporting arm with his small teeth. He does have great pressure in his jaws, but not enough to cause any damage through my rain jacket. As I reached the top, I handed him off to my fellow keeper, who also struggled to contain his feisty body. Yun Zi was gently put into the tunnel leading into the den to reunite with his mom, Bai Yun. I think she was happy for the help we provided in retrieving her youngster. After a look of disapproval at the monsters, Yun Zi sauntered into his den and continued playing with bamboo sticks for some time.

It doesn’t take much to entertain a baby panda. It also doesn’t take much for us to fall in love with a baby panda.

Heidi Trowbridge is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.

[Donna]

Thanks Kris, so cute.

[Annette]

Cute panda Yun Zi. 

[jeanne]

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