Panda updates – Friday, July 10

On Tuesday, I was able to work in the giant panda building for the first time since March, and it was SO great to see the pandas again! As part of our efforts toward social distancing, we have been limiting the number of care team members working in each area. I have been working solely on the meat-eating side of the Carnivore Department. However, the fates aligned for me to be needed in the panda area Tuesday, and I am so happy they did! Being a Swing Keeper, I expect to have periods of not seeing some of the animals I care for, but four months was an especially long time to be away!

Sadly, I missed all of bamboo shoot season, but working with arrow bamboo feels surprisingly similar. Instead of big, leafy piles to pick up as we have with henon or yellow groove bamboo, the pandas typically leave behind shreds of arrow bamboo in big piles which are easy to scoop into a waste container. Lun Lun especially has been a big fan of the arrow bamboo lately. But since they are pandas, that could change at any moment! Thankfully we have a fantastic Bamboo Team always on the lookout for the next bamboo option for our picky pandas!

Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals