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Panda Cub Updates

Wednesday, September 1
We are still in the waiting stage with Lun Lun. The possible birth window is determined using hormone data from her urine, behavioral changes, and physical changes. We will receive the next set of hormone results next week. The initial behavioral changes we watch for are decreased appetite and decreased activity. So far, Lun Lun is behaving normally and we haven’t observed any physical changes (e.g. nipple development). The keepers and vet staff are performing regular ultrasound procedures on Lun Lun, but there is nothing new to report from that either. So, we will continue to monitor her and wait. In the meantime, we are preparing for birth watch by hiring additional staff. During Lun Lun’s birth window, we have keeper staff monitor Lun Lun 24 hours per day.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Monday, August 30
During these warm summer months, the adult giant pandas really hate the hot weather. They would much rather spend their days in the air conditioning than be outside. However, the past two weeks we have had the patio door open for whichever panda was off exhibit in the indoor holding. Each panda reacted differently. Xi Lan, who doesn’t mind the warmer temperatures, was seen a few times walking around the patio and playing with the swing toy. Yang Yang was not brave enough to venture outside, but he did enjoy napping in front of the open door to receive a nice cool breeze from inside and a little sunshine from outside. Lun Lun was bold enough to even sit outside resting her head on the door’s edge. Soon enough it will be cool enough for them to really get to enjoy some outside time!

Today is Xi Lan’s 2nd birthday! The birthday boy will be celebrating today with an ice block and a large paper bag decorated like a present and filled with edible treats. We will try to take some pictures of him enjoying his presents to post later this week. Don’t forget to save the date for Saturday, September 18, when we’ll be celebrating all three pandas’ birthdays!
Kris Gelhardt
Seasonal Keeper

Wednesday, August 25

Lun Lun at the Chengdu Research Base in 1998.

Today is Lun Lun’s birthday! She is 13 years old. I have known Lun Lun since she was 2 weeks old. I was present for the artificial insemination procedure on her mother, Bing Bing, which resulted in Lun Lun. I have 13 years of wonderful memories of Lun Lun.

I thought I’d share some of my favorite early memories of Lun Lun with you. When she was 1-2 years old, she was living at the Chengdu Research Base with Yang Yang and twins their age, Xiao Shuang and Da Shuang. I was in Chengdu most of that year collecting data for my dissertation and collecting data for development and play studies. I spent hundreds of hours watching those four pandas for my studies. They were very entertaining subjects.

Lun Lun and Yang Yang had been play partners for a few months before Xiao Shuang, a male, and Da Shuang, a female, moved in with them. Lun Lun was a roly poly girl and wasn’t as agile as Yang Yang. He learned to climb trees long before she did, and there were many afternoons that he went up a tree to sleep and left poor Lun Lun below trying unsuccessfully over and over to reach him. Although I felt badly for her, I did enjoy watching her often comical attempts to climb up to him. She eventually figured it out and in the end became the more avid climber.

	Lun Lun and Yang Yang at the Chengdu Research base in 1999.

Being boys, Yang Yang and Xiao Shuang became fast friends. They engaged in long, vigorous, rough play bouts every day. Lun Lun didn’t like to be left out. So, she would often join the boys. She never lasted long, though. The boys were just too rough and after a few minutes she’d leave their play sessions. Xiao Shuang’s sister, Da Shuang, never even tried to join the boys. She always kept a ladylike distance from them when they played.

It’s hard for me to believe Lun Lun is 13. I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to know her so well all these years. I am also grateful to have her here in Atlanta to be able to continue to share her life for years to come.

Lun Lun got a nice, big, juicy pear this morning to start her birthday. She also received an ice cake, which is she is now ignoring in favor of eating bamboo. The staff always celebrates the pandas’ birthdays on the actual date with special treats.

We will also be having a special celebration on September 18 to commemorate all three of the giant pandas’ birthdays. The pandas are very happy to celebrate their birthdays twice with extra birthday treats! Please check the Zoo’s website for details about the exciting Pandamonium celebration. We hope you will join us on September 18 for the party!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Wednesday, August 18
Every once in a while the Zoo’s Animal Nutrition Kitchen brings in different food items that the pandas do not get a on a regular basis. Today, the kitchen received a big shipment of pears. So we gave some to the pandas. Yang Yang and Lun Lun used to get pears everyday, so it is not really a new item for them, but rather one they have not had in awhile. Xi Lan has never had a pear before. What was his reaction when offered this novel food item? He turned his little nose up at it. I even tried to entice him by sticking a biscuit in the pear. He retrieved the biscuit and left the pear. I guess Lun Lun and Yang Yang will just have to split the rest of them.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Monday, August 16
Sometimes I just forget how cold the panda building can be. I had been out of the building for a few days, working in another area, and the temperature change in pandas hit me very quickly. Luckily I keep a spare sweatshirt in my locker just in case I forget to bring one in with me, which I did that day. It is sort of a joke around the Zoo that the panda keepers can always been seen wearing sweatshirts and pants even though it is hot outside. But the pandas like it cold, so the thermostat is not get set over 65°F throughout the year. There is one exception to that rule, and that is during birthing season, which hopefully is coming soon. During that time we raise the building temperature to 78-82°.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, August 13
Hello panda world, this is my first update since I joined the panda crew! I have been an intern with the pandas on and off since January 2010, but this has been my first month as a true panda keeper. The experience thus far has been one of a kind! In the past month I have had the opportunity to see training sessions with little Xi Lan for blood draws and Lun Lun for ultrasounds. I have also gotten to experience waking Yang Yang up at 10:30 a.m. to stay on schedule for the day’s routine. My favorite experience so far is seeing the pandas’ response to the different kinds of enrichment they receive throughout the week. The bears receive everything from frozen bananas and apples, to different toys they can manipulate, and scents they can explore. But the one thing I love to give them over everything else is cinnamon! All three bears love it! Right now on the camera I can see Xi Lan rubbing a toy covered in cinnamon all over himself. I look forward to may more memorable experiences with the pandas in the weeks to come!
Kris Gelhardt
Seasonal Giant Panda Keeper 

Wednesday, August 11
Yang Yang is finally in full summer-panda-mode.  For the past couple of weeks, he has been sleeping in late (one day last week, we had to wake him up at 10:30!), snacking lightly on bamboo, and then sleeping all afternoon. Yang Yang is normally a laid back bear, but this time of year, he is the definition of tranquility. I think if he did not need to eat, he would just sleep all the time.  I find it interesting that other bear species spend the summer eating as much as they can find to fatten up for the winter, but pandas are the opposite. Since pandas do not hibernate, they can rest up in the summer and eat all winter.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Monday, August 9
The first week of August has come and gone! I am now realizing that Lun Lun, Yang Yang, and Xi Lan’s birthdays are fast approaching. Every year since I have been a panda keeper I have played some role in designing, preparing, and/or giving the pandas their ice cakes.  It is something I really love doing. But if they are to have something on their special day this year, I have to start preparing and creating now. There are many steps to completing each cake; they are easy to do, but can be time consuming as you wait for each layer to freeze before you move onto the next one. You will just have to stay tune to see what it made for Yang and Lun’s 13th and Xi Lan’s 2nd birthday treats- their birthdays are fast approaching.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper II

Friday, August 6
This is a follow-up to my last update about Xi Lan’s blood draw training. Yesterday, one of our vet techs, Sharon, came to the building to work with Xi Lan and me on the next step – using the needle. I wanted to get Sharon involved since she is the one who ultimately will be drawing his blood. For training purposes, we always start with a blunt needle to gauge the animal’s reaction to being pricked. So, I got Xi Lan into position in the blood sleeve and Sharon poked his forearm with the blunt needle – no reaction. This is what we hope for, of course, and Xi Lan did great!  Then Sharon put some rubbing alcohol on the shaved spot on his forearm; this is routine, just like when you go to the doctor and get your blood drawn.  However, Xi Lan had never experienced the alcohol before. It took a few seconds for the odor to reach his nose, but I could see the exact second that it did.  He was holding his arm in the sleeve and focusing on me for his reward and then I saw his face change – he froze and his eyes got very wide. He just stared and then slowly pulled his arm out of the sleeve. I was expecting him to sniff his forearm and start self-anointing (this is what Lun Lun does), but he just sat for a minute and then started slowly looking around the den for the scent. After a few minutes of this, I was able to break the spell and he returned to the blood sleeve. He never found the source of the alcohol smell, even though it was on his arm. What a silly bear!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, August 4
Xi Lan has been a little picky lately about his bamboo. He’s just not that interested in what the keepers are offering, despite the fact that they are trying different species, some of which they are cutting on grounds. Mei Lan went through the same thing around this age, and the keepers did the same thing for her that they are doing for Xi Lan. It’s possible that the panda cubs become more finicky during the warm weather, or maybe it’s related to age. Could Xi Lan be entering his terrible twos? Can giant panda cubs even be terrible? I don’t think so. Either way, we’ll continue to offer Xi Lan a variety of species of bamboo so he can choose what he likes. I’m sure we’ll get it right at some point! 
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Monday, August 2
A couple weeks back I made a new enrichment toy for the pandas to enjoy; at least I was hoping that they would.  It was actually a project that I had designed and gotten approved about six months ago, but had not found the time to just sit down and make it. I actually made three of the same object, just of different sizes, for the sun bears and otters also. Overall, it was simple in design and construction, as it only required a piece of PVC, capped on both ends, with small holes drilled throughout the main body. Inside I placed some bells, which I had purchased at an after holiday sale, which led me to calling the new object the “PVC Jingle” (I try to give new names to objects that I make such as the dump feeder, PVC slide, and the octopus). The idea was that every time that the panda would move it, it would cause the bells to jingle, giving the pandas a sound and stimulating their sense of hearing. I was unsure how the pandas were going to react to the new sound initially -- were they going to be big babies and run away, or be brave and make lots of noise with it? Either way it would be good for them as enrichment helps to stimulate all of their senses, just in different ways. Also, we really don’t have much in the way of sounds, and this would be the first item that they could control the amount of sound produced. So far, it seems to be a hit with Xi Lan and Lun. Yang has yet to receive it. When new enrichment is given, we make sure to do at least three different presentation observations during the daytime to make sure that it is safe and not being destroyed by the pandas.  If everything looks good and promising, then they can have it at any time.

When Xi Lan received it for the first time, it appeared that his goal was to break into it and see what was on the inside. He was sitting with it between his arms, biting at the end caps, as if he was trying to peel off the outside. Eventually he gave up on this task and decided that it would be just as interesting to knock it around the dayroom. I don’t think that Lun could quite figure out what it was, as I placed it outside one of the inside dens so she would have to reach out to interact with it. She would hit it for awhile, stop, look at it, hit it a couple more times, stop, think some more, stop, etc. until it rolled too far away to hit. I would put it closer to the den again, and then the same action repeated itself.

It was nice to see that they enjoyed it, as not all toys turn out to be a hit.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, July 30
This is the first time I have had the pleasure of working with the pandas for a while now, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I was greeted this morning with three very awake and raring to go pandas. After weighing them all, I did a short training session with each of them and then set them up on exhibit. All the pandas were very contented with the bamboo selection I picked for them this morning, which is seldom the case. Normally one of them has something to say about the menu. After breakfast, all three of the pandas took a power nap. Normally they will sleep for about an hour, wake up, and start wondering when their biscuits and lunch bamboo will be delivered. Today, however, all three slept right through lunch. In my eight years here working in pandas, I have never seen that. We have a rule here in the panda building, that you never wake up a sleeping panda. You usually won't happy with the result. They all woke up on their own at about 12:45. Due to the fact that they are eating primarily the leaves on the bamboo now, I was able to clean the dayrooms and offer them their lunch and biscuits in record time. Three happy pandas and it was barely past 1:00. This was the norm today and not the exception as everyone was contented pretty much the entire afternoon, including myself. If only every day could be like today in the panda building.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Wednesday, July 28
We keepers have been hard at work training Xi Lan this year. While Xi Lan was still with Lun Lun, we all taught him “shift,” “come” and “paws down.” Now that he is weaned, it is easier to work one-on-one with him on more difficult behaviors. We all have several, specific behaviors we are training Xi Lan to accomplish. For example, Kate is teaching him to present his eyes and shoulders, and JT is working on the behaviors “up” and “down.” One of the behaviors I am teaching Xi Lan is to cooperate with voluntary blood draws. Both of his parents and Mei Lan are proficient at having blood drawn from their forearms, and I am hopeful Xi Lan will be the same. We use a “sleeve” made of PVC that allows the pandas to hold out their forearms so a vet tech can easily access one of the veins in this area. Xi Lan has picked up the behavior surprisingly quickly! I have only been working on this behavior for a couple of months, and he presents and holds his arm in the sleeve like a pro. On Tuesday I was able to shave a little patch of hair from his forearm for the first time; he did not even seem to notice. It won’t be long before the vet techs can easily take a blood sample from Xi Lan. I’m very proud of the progress Xi Lan has made with this behavior!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Friday, July 23
The pandas' ever-changing bamboo preferences have changed again. Over the last two weeks they have shifted from eating the culm or stalk of the bamboo to eating mostly the leaves. This means we have been on the hunt for a leafy species that the pandas will like and have had the most luck with Yellow Groove and Henon. Xi Lan has been slightly more finicky than Lun Lun and Yang Yang, so the keepers have been cutting a few other types that grow on Zoo grounds to try. We have had mixed results, as he will eat one type really well one day, but not the next. I guess that's what you get when you take care of such a picky eater.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Wednesday, July 21
Last Saturday Xi Lan was extremely playful. When I put him out in the dayroom first thing that morning, he was more interested in playing with the toys I had given him than in eating his bamboo. This is not like Xi Lan; since Lun Lun weaned him, he has been too busy eating to find much time for play. However, on this day, he was feisty, and throughout the day he consistently preferred playing with his enrichment items rather than eating bamboo. I admit, I took a few minutes off from routine to sit and watch him on the camera a few times. I could not believe how often he was playing! I am happy to see him take some time off his busy eating schedule to enjoy himself.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Monday, July 19
Now that Lun Lun’s weight has increased and stabilized, she can afford to spend less time eating than she did when nursing a cub. This is giving us a great opportunity to offer her more and different types of enrichment with which she will actually engage. It is very rewarding to a keeper to see an animal interact with something you spent time making or planning. Last week, Lun Lun played with a hanging feeder, a bamboo flute (we hide biscuits inside bamboo culms), ball with food inside, PVC puzzle feeder, many different scents, and a few others. My favorite was the ball with food inside, because we placed the ball inside a large bag with hay. Lun Lun is used to us hiding the food in the bag and not the ball. She kept returning to the bag and hay to look for the treats, since that is normally where she finds them. She did eventually find the food hidden in the ball, but I think she was slightly miffed at us for not placing any in the bag like normal.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Wednesday, July 14
I mentioned in a previous update that summer tends to be a time when giant pandas eat less and rest more.  However, this summer Yang Yang, Lun Lun and Xi Lan are proving me wrong.  Although they are more finicky about the bamboo than they have been over the past few months (if that is even possible!), they must be continuing to eat well since all of them are holding their weights steady.  Their current morning weights are:

Lun Lun:  107.7 kg
Yang Yang:  130.5 kg
Xi Lan:  46.5 kg

Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Monday, July 12
As previous updates have mentioned, we sometimes refer to Lun as our “slot machine” because she will take multiple biscuits at one time. Yang, of course, differs in that he will only eat one at a time and do that very slowly. But the other night he confused me for a second. Right before I was about to leave for the evening, I was giving him the rest of his fruit and biscuits and decided to give him two at one time. Instead of pulling one out of his mouth and holding onto it (a normal reaction), he decided to chew both. When he was done with those I did it again, and he ate both of the same time again, which is a little odd. So, I thought that I would try three biscuits at once, and once again he ate all three at the same time. I had to stop and think for a moment to make sure that it was Yang. He wanted to be our “slot machine” that evening. By the next morning, though, it was back to normal of one biscuit at a time. I guess he just wanted to confuse me!
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, July 9
Bears are bears are bears, right? Wrong. Most of you reading this are big bear fans, and even bigger giant panda fans, so I’m sure you know many of the differences, both obvious and somewhat hidden between all of these funny, cute, and sometimes quirky species. Let me fill you in on another side of things that is also a tad different when it comes to caring for bears- training. A few updates ago, Layla mentioned the spectacular training program that our pandas participate in here at Zoo Atlanta. Our entire zoo has an established program focused specifically on training and behavior management. This program becomes especially important when it comes to welcoming new animals into our midst and helping them to learn to adapt and discover their way around their new environment.

Lun Lun and Yang Yang went through this program when they arrived and now our new sun bears, “Sabah” and “Xander” are eager participants.  I was reminded again today of how important it is to know each species and each individual animal as just that, an individual. While both the sun bears and the giant pandas are both very intelligent, it is almost impossible to treat them and manage them in exactly the same way.

To give a quick insight I can fill you in on the two biggest differences that Heather and I were discussing today, the speed of the session, and the natural behaviors presented. Giant pandas seem to work at a bit of a slower, more patient pace,  and they are more willing to stay with the trainer and give things a few tries in order to get them correct. Sun bears sometimes seem to move at the speed of light and because they are so intelligent can offer behaviors so quickly that you didn’t even see them coming! This is why training plans come in so handy, because we are then prepared to take the next step whenever the animal lets us know it is time. Secondly, we must simply watch each animal and observe their natural body positions and behaviors. While you watch the giant pandas on the panda cam I encourage you to play a little game and watch their movements, such as how they grab bamboo, sleep, sit, walk, and even peek through their doors at us, and see if you can match their natural behaviors to the different trained behaviors (ultrasound, blood draw, eye present, ear present). Then come and visit our sun bears and see if you can see different natural behaviors and body positions (sleeping, eating, standing, foraging) and the differences in training that might be needed. I guarantee you will be surprised by what you discover!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Wednesday, July 7
As part of the bears’ daily diet they receive leafeater biscuits throughout the day. We sometimes use them for training, sometimes we place them in enrichment toys to make the bears work for them, and then other times we scatter them around the exhibit to make the bears search for them. Well, a few weeks ago we did a normal scatter feed for Xi Lan in the day room that contains the hammock. I like to toss a few biscuits into the hammock so the pandas have to climb into it to retrieve the biscuits. Xi Lan, being his normal goofy self, decided that he would not be bothered by climbing into the hammock to eat the biscuits, but take a shortcut instead. His shortcut was to stick his head up though the weave of the hammock and eat the biscuits. Luckily he decided to back out the way he came, since I am not sure his entire body would have fit the way he was headed. Leave it to the little guy to find his own way of doing things. And now, for his safety, biscuits are no longer placed in the hammock for him.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Monday, July 5
It was nice have a cool morning on the 4th and 5th, as I was able to put two pandas outside first thing in the morning. This time of year it is a rare occurrence for that to happen, because normally when we first come in a 7 a.m. it is already 80°+ outside.And as we all know, our pandas will not tolerate any temperatures near that. As a result, the morning cleaning went a little quicker than normal, as I did not have to move bears around, or start and stop the cleaning process. Typically when it is hot outside we have to move one bear onto exhibit, clean that area, move another bear, clean that area, then finally move the last bear to finish cleaning.It takes extra time and there is no fluidity to anything. But on the 4th and 5th, I was able to put everyone out first thing, then open everything up to be cleaned at one time. It was very nice.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, July 2
I have three very well behaved dogs at home. They are polite and well-mannered, and of course very cute. You might be wondering why I'm talking about my dogs in a panda update ... Even though my dogs are well behaved, they don't actually know very many behaviors. Sure, they will sit and lay down, even shake, but not much more. The pandas, on the other hand, know a huge number of behaviors. Everything from presenting their ears to allowing an abdominal shave and ultrasound. All without manual restraint. Impressive, right? These behaviors are all very important for the daily care and husbandry of the pandas. Need to give Lun Lun eye drops? No problem, she'll present her eye for you! Need to draw a routine blood sample from Yang Yang? He won't mind! Now, this isn't to say that my dogs aren't smart. However, it does speak volumes about the dedication of the panda keepers.
Layla Dampier
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, June 30
Due to the opening of the Zoo's newest exhibit, Traders Alley, taking up most of my time, I haven't had the pleasure of working with the pandas for quite some time.  The wait, however, was worth it.  When I arrived this morning I was greeted with Yang Yang going bananas on exhibit.  He was running around like a mad man, throwing his bamboo into the air, and then tackling it when it came down.  Interspersed with this, he was up the structure, then he was down.  He would jump into the hammock, then he would do a summersault onto the dayroom floor, only to resume his mad running.  This went on and on for about 10-15 minutes, much to our and the visitors’ delight.  Over the course of the last eight years working with the pandas, I have seen Yang Yang do this many, many times, but I simply can never get tired of watching it.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Monday, June 28
I am surprised that my left hand has not gone into a revolt! For whatever reason this last week there have been numerous cuts and splinters that have been inflicted onto that hand. This is always a hazard when working with bamboo, but so far this year it had not been too bad. Then this week came, and every day that passes I get another wound. At the moment, the pandas have decided to eat yellow groove and arrow which typically are not bad species to work with. If they were eating henon or black, it would make more sense, since these two species seem to be the worst of all for cuts and splinters. Most of the time I have not even realized that anything happened until my hand felt sticky causing me to look at it, then noticing that there is blood present. I am just happy that there is not what we call “the arrow rash” on my arms that is typically caused by not handling arrow in an appropriate way. At least one thing is going right.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, June 25
All of our pandas have very different ways of eating bamboo. Yang Yang eats bamboo in the way I imagine wild pandas do: he gets comfortable in a spot near his pile of bamboo and pulls each piece towards him and eats as much as he can without moving. When he is eating the culm of the bamboo, he makes a nice, big pile of chards on his belly and when he finally finishes with the bamboo, he stands and leaves a nice, fairly neat pile of chards on the ground where he sat. Lun Lun, on the other hand, chooses a piece of bamboo and carries it to whatever spot in her space that she wants to sit in at the moment. For the next piece of bamboo, she picks a different place to sit and so on. This means she typically has bamboo, chards and leaves strewn all over the room. Xi Lan is very busy when he eats. He sits briefly and eats bamboo, then walks around (presumably looking for biscuits) and then sits somewhere else and eats another piece of bamboo, often another species entirely. He likes to mix things up a bit like his mother. Mei Lan was like this, too. Perhaps this is a normal adolescent panda way of eating; it makes sense that young pandas in the wild would be on the move more than their adult counterparts since they are still learning about their environment.  Hopefully, Xi Lan will grow out of this eating behavior and take after Yang Yang. This would make our jobs a little less time-consuming.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, June 23
Now that the excitement of Lun Lun’s estrous cycle has passed, we wanted to share some recent information about Mei Lan and pictures too! Staff at the Chengdu Research Base report that Mei Lan is doing very well. She is eating well and chooses to spend a lot of time outside. They said she now acts like the other giant pandas at the Research Base, with one exception. She moves and eats more slowly than the other pandas. This is not surprising news to those of us who know Mei Lan well. That’s how she has always been and just seems to be part of her personality. She liked being outside in Atlanta too. We often wrote about her staying out in the rain, which is something her parents don’t like to do. So, it’s good to hear that she seems to enjoy being outside in Chengdu too.

Monday, June 21
When you take care of picky eaters like our giant pandas, you sometimes have to be creative to make sure they get what they like. We start off by offering up to 300 lbs. of bamboo a day to give the bears a chance to find the pieces they like. But we have found that Lun Lun and Yang Yang will sometimes leave smaller chewed on pieces that still have edible bits left on them. Lun Lun and Yang Yang, for some reason, have determined that they cannot finish eating these pieces.  So, we reoffer the leftover’s to Xi Lan. He seems quite happy to receive these pieces. Sometimes Lun Lun and Yang Yang have already done some of the work by peeling off the outer harder part of the culm, and so it is delivered to Xi Lan ready to eat.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, June 18
Is Lun Lun pregnant? That is a question that we are already getting, but the answer is we don’t know yet. As with years past, we will track her behavioral changes and physical changes, as well as her hormones to be prepared for a potential birth, but there is still no guarantee. Hopefully soon we will start Lun back in her ultrasound training to try to see if we can find any changes or developments. Over the last few months we have been doing short sessions with her and the vet, to get some initial images of her uterus for comparison. Even if we think we see some changes to her uterus, though, we can’t be sure that she will carry a cub to term, so we will still hedge our bets. But our fingers are crossed that she’ll once again give birth to a healthy cub.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Wednesday, June 16
Now that breeding season has passed, hopefully things in the panda building will return to normal for a bit. Summer is usually a time that giant pandas rest more and eat less. They typically lose a small amount of weight over the summer as well since they consume less bamboo. Until birthing season arrives, summer tends to be a slower time for the pandas and as a result, for the keepers as well. So we get to catch up on all the projects and extra duties that have fallen by the wayside during the busier times.

Also, Dr. Liu and his interpreter, Jin Ping Yu, tell me that Mei Lan is doing very well. She has completely adjusted to living in Chengdu and is just like any other Chengdu panda – eating bamboo, apples and the special panda bread and sleeping once she is full. In the summer, Chengdu gets hot just like in Atlanta, so the pandas often have indoor access during the day to help them cool off. However, apparently, it has been cooler there this summer than in past years and Mei Lan has been able to continue to enjoy her outdoor habitat. When she lived here, Mei Lan always preferred to be outside and it sounds like she is the same in Chengdu.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

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

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

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.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Monday, June 7
Over the last few months it has been interesting to watch Xi Lan learn to culm bamboo in the way his parents do. Typically the adults will remove the outer layer of the bamboo before eating a section of it (a process that we call sharding) when they are eating the stack of the bamboo. For the longest time Xi Lan would just bite off a piece of bamboo and chew that for a while, which resulted in chewed pieces of bamboo all over the exhibit that he had spit out. This was a process similar to what Mei Lan did at the same age.  However, over the last month or so, there has been a huge decrease is the amount of chewed up pieces of bamboo to be cleaned up. At first I didn’t pay to much attention to this until I was collecting data on him one day, and saw him culming the bamboo like an adult does. He has finally figured out that he doesn’t need to eat the outer layer to get the better food inside.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, June 4
Lately I have spent a lot of time thinking about Mei Lan and the differences between her and Xi Lan. They really could not be more different. Mei Lan is laid-back, cautious, and takes her time doing everything. Xi Lan is always busy, fearless and in a hurry (he really does run everywhere). Mei Lan likes to sleep and play; eating is something she does because she has to. Xi Lan only wants to eat and eat and eat. Mei Lan prefers to eat bamboo leaves. Xi Lan has always preferred to eat the culm of the bamboo. Strangely, though, they both have a nice mixture of traits from both of their parents- physically and behaviorally. I have really enjoyed spending the last 4 years watching these two cubs grow into independent individuals.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, June 2
Today I collected data on Xi Lan in the afternoon, and during my observations, I watched intently for him to give me a topic for this update. Unfortunately, Xi Lan did not seem inspired to provide me with any help; he ate and rested the entire hour. Lun Lun and Yang Yang, however, were more cooperative this afternoon. When they were in adjacent dens, Yang and Lun showed a bit of interest in each other. They frequently approached the mesh between them and Lun chirped at Yang. Finally, some progress! Prior to today, the pandas had pretty much ignored each other when housed this way, so it’s possible that we’re getting closer to Lun’s estrus cycle. We’re also seeing some physical changed in her that could be related to estrus. We sent out another batch of urine samples for testing yesterday and we’ll know more once we get those results, but keep your fingers crossed!
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Monday, May 31
Everything is pretty much status quo here at pandas. The pandas are taking turns eating and sleeping, trying very hard (and admittedly succeeding) at being cute. Since it's been quite warm out lately, they are also taking turns enjoying the cool breezes of the air conditioning inside the panda building. Another thing they've been taking turns on is what bamboo species they prefer. Yellow groove bamboo is one of their staples, but recently they've decided that arrow is preferable. You've probably seen it. It's the bamboo they've been getting that is very long with only a handful of large leaves at the end. It is mostly culm and they love it! Thankfully we are able to offer it to them buffet style, all they can eat, and boy do they eat! Just business as usual here, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Layla Dampier
Carnivore Keeper II

Friday, May 28
People often wonder if the pandas like to be in the indoor off-exhibit area on days that it is rather warm outside. Well, I would say that they do, especially the adults. It would seem strange that an animal would prefer to be indoors instead of outside in the fresh air and the sunlight, but it is true. On these hot days, one panda has to be in the back off exhibit as we only have two air-conditioned exhibit rooms, but three pandas. Lun Lun and Yang Yang probably like it in the back because of the nice cold floor and walls to lean against. Also, it is quieter away from the visitors. So, I guess that there are a lot of advantages to them.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Wednesday, May 26
Xi Lan recently had a quick dental exam. His teeth look great and his dentition is developing normally. He seems to have inherited his mother’s good teeth, whereas Mei Lan appeared to have inherited her father’s less than perfect teeth. Mei Lan had a thorough dental exam before she left for China. Her teeth are functional, but not as straight and pretty as her mother’s and brother’s. Xi Lan has been putting his choppers to good use devouring bamboo. He is already proficient at processing the tough culm or stalk part of the bamboo. Giant pandas eat different parts of the bamboo plant during different seasons. In the spring, they tend to concentrate on eating the culm, which researchers from the Memphis Zoo have found has higher concentrations of starch in the spring.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Monday, May 24
The pandas have put in some overtime this month. There have been quite a few late events at the Zoo lately and there are more to come. When the Zoo stays open later for events like Beastly Feast, Brew at the Zoo, or a private party, the pandas stay out where they can be seen. The pandas definitely notice that there is a change to their routine. But they take it in stride, as it normally means they get a little extra food and attention from the keepers.

It is not too late to come see what the pandas are up to “after-hours” during Zoo Atlanta’s Brew at the Zoo, Saturday, May 29!
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, May 21
It has been quite warm in the outdoor habitats lately and what better way to cool off than with a nice soak in a cool whirlpool. Well a whirlpool of sorts anyway. Late this morning Lun Lun very much enjoyed playing in the pool in Habitat 2 and leaning up against the water valve as the water came shooting out. It was her little version of a day at the spa. Since I am not in pandas all that often, this was the first time I was able to personally experience her playing in the pool while Heather and I peeked at her through the howdy between the habitats. She definitely seemed to be enjoying herself and even began making happy panda noises as she splashed about. I was not close enough to hear her vocalizations but from what Heather explained, it is a sound that Lun rarely makes but that Yang makes as he enjoys a particularly delicious snack. Happy pandas are good pandas!
Jennifer Brink
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, May 19
The ever-loved hammock has returned! It was decided that the fire hose ladder had been in the dayroom long enough and it was time to hang the hammock back up for the pandas to enjoy. Xi Lan was the first to see it and climbed right up in it after entering the dayroom. He investigated it and even attempted to pull bamboo up with him. Lun Lun was next to see the hammock, but she did not show interest in it until she found the large bamboo shoot that we placed up there.  She climbed up, adjusted her sitting position, and enjoyed her treat. It always makes a keeper smile when the animals enjoy what you give them.
Kate Roca
Carnivore Keeper III

Monday, May 17
Sunday was a typical day in Atlanta. It was hot and humid. We had Yang Yang and Xi Lan outside during the cool morning, but when the temps started to rise, Yang Yang insisted on coming into the AC. Xi Lan toughed it out a little longer and even managed a nap. By 11 a.m., though, it had become too hot for pandas to stay out, so I brought Xi Lan in as well. Once inside, he immediately settled in with a nice cool bunch of bamboo along with some biscuits. All the pandas were well behaved all day.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Wednesday, May 12
The shoots have finally arrived! Shoot season seemed to come slightly late this year, but now we are getting bamboo shoots for the pandas every day. They love them! The only problem for us is that some days the pandas only want shoots, not their “normal” bamboo. Unfortunately, we do not have enough to only feed the pandas bamboo shoots, but in the wild, this is exactly what pandas do during shoot season. An adult giant panda will eat up to 80 lbs of fresh bamboo shoots per day. Bamboo shoots are mostly water. They must be very filling, and so I cannot imagine how pandas can eat so many of them.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Monday, May 10
The other evening Yang Yang made me smile while I was setting up to close for the night. I had him indoors and had given him fresh bamboo as well as enrichment, but had left his area to work on getting the other two pandas set up. For the most part all I could hear was him munching on the bamboo as I was working. All of a sudden, I heard some banging on the doors, and saw his leg sticking out into the hallway. When I went over to see what was going on, he was having a good old time with the phone book that I had placed in the den. Of course, he stopped when I walked over, but had this look on his face as if he was saying "What? I'm not doing anything." I am not sure if hearing voices in my head is good, but they are there with commentary. As soon as I left the area to go back to work, Yang started back up with his play. The next morning when I came back to work, the phone book had been torn apart into millions of pieces, which I guess means that Yang liked it.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, May 7
On Thursday we had some work done on our air conditioning system at the giant panda building. We have three A/C units and two of them were being replaced. So, we still had one functioning unit, and thus the building stayed relatively cool. However, one of the dayrooms started warming up later in the day. The temperature only got up to around 75 degrees, but for a giant panda this is warm, especially for Yang Yang. So, JT and I put out bucketfuls of ice in the dayroom for him to use to cool off if he felt the need. As is typical of pandas, Yang Yang did not use the pile of ice in the way we intended; we placed the ice near his bamboo in hopes that he would sit on it or near it while eating to keep cool, but he didn't. After his meal and a long nap, he finally decided to investigate the melting ice. He threw himself into the middle of the pile and rolled around, scooping the ice onto his head and body. It was very cute and worth the wait!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, May 5
Lun Lun’s hormones are still at baseline and her behavior remains normal. It’s not unusual for giant pandas to cycle in May and even occasionally in June. We still expect her to cycle in the coming weeks. However, it’s possible that she will skip a year. This happens sometimes. We know Lun Lun is in good health, she’s at her ideal weight, and is eating and behaving normally. So, we continue to wait and monitor her.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Monday, May 3
Today was not a very nice day in Atlanta. It rained hard most of the day, making it unpleasant for pandas and keepers alike outside. Because of this, all the pandas were kept inside the nice, cool, dry confines of the panda building and dayrooms. Sometimes, they just seem to prefer to be inside in the AC over being outside in the fresh, albeit wet, air. This was the case today. All three pandas ate very well, and just seemed relaxed all day. 
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Wednesday, April 28
We have recently started offering the giant pandas arrow bamboo, one of their favorite species. So far, the adults have been eating it, but not with their usual gusto; however, Xi Lan is devouring it. He loves it! He has pretty much stopped eating the other species we are offering, yellow groove, because he cannot stop eating the arrow. As J.T. has mentioned before, Xi Lan certainly has his mother’s voracious appetite!
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Monday, April 26
Things have been fairly quiet in the panda building the last few days, nothing really fun or interesting to report.  I guess that it is a good thing for us keepers, but not for all of you since you get a boring update. The pandas are still eating their bamboo well. They are occasionally getting some shoots when we find them on grounds. Xi Lan is holding steady with his weight, averaging around 41 kg, even though he eats and eats and eats. We have nothing really new to report on Lun Lun’s estrus. She remains normal, not giving us much of anything new. But, I guess that is Lun Lun, she just does things in her own time, and likes to prove everyone wrong. Yang Yang is just waiting for his chance to potentially mate with Lun Lun, or any other female that may cross his path (even though there aren’t any). And for us keepers, we just keep plugging along, waiting for something to change.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, April 23
We have been giving Lun Lun and Yang Yang opportunities to interact through the mesh door between their outdoor habitats. We do this during the breeding season to give the pandas visual and limited tactile contact to help them synchronize and prepare for breeding introductions. So far, they have spent short amounts of time looking at each other and occasionally spend a minute or two together at the mesh. They seem to be mildly interested in each other. As Lun Lun enters estrus and then nears ovulation, the pandas will become increasingly interested in each other. When Lun Lun ovulates, we give them full access to each other and watch with the hope that they will breed. Chemical or olfactory communication is especially important to giant pandas, because they are a solitary species. This is their main method of communication since they don’t normally see each other. To facilitate chemical communication during breeding season, the keepers regularly have the pandas exchange enclosures. That allows Yang Yang to smell areas where Lun Lun has scent marked, urinated, and defecated and vice versa. This is an exciting time for the pandas and for us!
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Wednesday, April 21
Today was a nice, cool, rainy day. We let Yang Yang and Lun Lun stay inside today, but Xi Lan went into the outside exhibit yard this morning and settled into a nice large stand of arrow bamboo. Not minding the rain at all, he ate quite a bit of bamboo this morning. After lunch, around 11:30, he snuggled up in a dry corner of the exhibit and took a nice long nap that lasted for several hours. He woke up around 3:00 and ate for the rest of the day. He really seems to be enjoying the arrow bamboo.  This is evident by his p.m. weight today of 43.3 kg, which is the heaviest he has ever been.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Monday, April 19
Pandas are generally seasonal eaters when it comes to bamboo. They will typically eat the culm or stem of the bamboo during the cooler months and switch to exclusively leaves during the hotter months. They have been eating the species yellow groove (Phyllostachys aureosulcata) for some time now. Their favorite type of bamboo during breeding season has always been arrow bamboo (Psuedosasa japonica). With the onset of breeding season, we have started offering them arrow as of this morning. They all virtually ignored their yellow groove and went directly to the arrow. From there, they fell into a normal panda rhythm. Eat until you are stuffed, fall over, take a nap, wake up and eat again. As any panda keeper can tell you, a full panda is a happy panda. They all munched on that bamboo all day long and all that crunching is music to our ears.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

Friday, April 16th
We received Lun Lun’s latest hormone results. Her hormones are still at baseline, which means estrus has not, yet, started. Her behavior remains normal as well. Behavioral and hormonal changes usually coincide. When Lun Lun’s estrogen levels begin to rise, which is the start of estrus, she becomes more active and eats less. As estrogen continues to rise, her activity further increases, appetite further decreases, she scent marks, and becomes vocal. Finally, at the time of ovulation, estrogen drops sharply, progesterone increases and Lun Lun displays receptive behaviors. These behaviors include lifting the tail, presenting to the male, and strong interest in the male.

We will continue to monitor Lun Lun’s hormones and behavior and continue waiting.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

Wednesday, April 14
I recently had the pleasure of collecting data on Yang Yang for an hour the other day. A few months ago, when it was cold in the morning, this task was a little more challenging, given that the weather was perfect for the giant pandas, but a little cold for me. Now that the temperatures have warmed up, it’s very pleasant to spend an hour outside watching the giant pandas; it’s still cool enough in the mornings for them to be in their outdoor habitats, but warm enough for me to be comfortable. We’re now using breeding season data sheets for both of the adult giant pandas. During my observation Yang behaved pretty typically, and spent most of his time eating and walking. Lun Lun was in the other habitat, and although I wasn’t collecting data on her, I was still able to keep an eye on her. Unfortunately, nothing out of the ordinary occurred with her either and she spent the hour eating and resting. From my perch on top of the wall between the habitats, I was even able to watch Xi Lan, because he spent most of his time sitting next to the glass window that separates the dayroom from the habitat. The keepers had placed a nice pile of bamboo there and Xi Lan had no trouble spending the hour eating as well. It seems that Yang is the only one who has some idea that breeding season is here, based on the amount of walking that he’s doing. The other two (especially Xi Lan) don’t seem all that concerned about what time of year it is yet.
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Monday, April 12
As Heather mentioned last week, we are coming into shoot season. Lun Lun was able to get her first taste of them for the year on Friday. That morning I set her up in an off-exhibit yard that was growing some early shoots from a species that we call Aurea. This is actually a species that the pandas will not eat once it is grown, but I guess the shoots of this species are too good to pass up. Once Lun discovered that they were there, she just walked through the yard looking for more to eat all morning. She basically ignored the bamboo that she was given until she was unable to locate any more shoots. The next time that she defecated, we were able to see that she truly enjoyed snacking on them this year. Since that Friday no one has been out in that yard, for various reasons, but this will allow another new crop of shoots to sprout for the next panda to enjoy.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, April 9
On Wednesday, Xi Lan picked up an old habit – sleeping in the moat!I have not seen him do this since he was very young, but that morning there he was asleep in the moat by the drain cover just like he used to do. Since we have had such hot weather this week, I guess he was searching for a cool spot to rest. I made sure to put him on PandaCam while he was sleeping there, so hopefully some of you saw him.
Heather Baker Roberts
Carnivore Keeper II

Wednesday, April 7
The waiting game continues while we monitor Lun Lun’s behavior and hormones. As always, we are collecting behavioral data on Lun, which should allow us to detect any behavioral changes that occur to indicate the onset of estrus. We also continue to assess her hormone levels weekly for the same reason. Right now we aren’t seeing significant changes in either her behavior or hormones, so it appears that we have a little time to relax. We still expect Lun to cycle this month, though, so it won’t be long before breeding season is in full swing.

Xi Lan continues to do well as an independent young man. He is eating well and putting on weight. His current weight is 42 kilograms, which is just over 90 pounds. It won’t be long before he breaks 100 pounds! Remember when we weighed him in grams? 
Megan Wilson, Ph.D.
Assistant Curator of Mammals

Monday, April 5
Lun Lun and Yang Yang have both decided that they are going to enjoy the pools this year. Sitting and playing in water is a typical behavior that we see increase as we enter breeding season, and this year is more frequent than in years past. Each time a new breeding season approaches we try to make sure that the pandas have access to water in the pools, if they choose to use it, and typically in the past it was very sporadic. Not this year; almost every day that they have had a pool to go into, they have. I think that Lun is trying to be the champion of water play over Yang! 

Why does this behavior increase during breeding season? Well, the answer is not really known. There have been ideas put forward, but none have really been proven, yet. The most common one I’ve heard is that, in the wild, a panda might go into a shallow river or a stream as a means of chemical communication. The animal’s scent would be carried downstream and other pandas might be able to detect the scent. If the panda in the stream is a female in estrus, male giant pandas might detect her scent and search for her. It’s a way that a female could draw more males to her and help ensure that she mates with the best male (i.e., largest and strongest) in the region. If the panda in the stream is a male, his scent advertises to other males that he’s around so they might avoid the area. Is this the reason that pandas spend more time in the water during breeding season? That is still up for debate.
Joseph T. Svoke
Carnivore Keeper III

Friday, April 2
It appears that spring has arrived all of a sudden.  Last week we had perfect panda weather, in the 50's with clouds and drizzle.  They all enjoyed being outside as much as possible.  This week, however, the weather has become much more Georgia-like, with temperatures reaching into the low 80's.  When the mercury rises much over 75 degrees, we are forced to bring the pandas inside where they can enjoy the miracle of central air.  The panda building is equipped with three industrial sized air conditioners that keep the building at a constant 55 degrees.  We will generally put all of the pandas outside to enjoy the nice cool mornings, but bring them in around lunchtime when the temperature rises too much.  Because of their thick coats, pandas can overheat quickly in very hot temperatures. You can almost see them instantly relax when they are let inside and are completely content to polish off the rest of the day surrounded by visitors, fresh bamboo and nice, crisp, cool air.
Kenn Harwood
Lead Keeper of Carnivores

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