Panda Updates – Friday, October 18

Giant pandas have a wide variety of vocalizations, and the one that the Panda Care Team hears the most is called a “bleat.” From panda to panda, a bleat is a friendly way for that panda to let another panda know it’s passing through the area. Sometimes the giant pandas bleat at the care team, which we like to say is their way of telling us they would like more leafeater biscuits or bamboo. A couple other vocalizations we sometimes hear are chirping and honking. Chirping is a friendly vocalization that we occasionally hear from Lun Lun toward Yang Yang when they are in separate spaces but have mesh-like portions between habitats or dens where they can still see and hear each other. However, if Lun Lun does not like Yang Yang’s proximity, we’ll hear her moan or growl at him. Giant pandas also communicate with each other by scent-marking. Scent-marking can communicate various things from panda to panda, but one purpose is to let another panda know he or she is in the area. As you can see, giant pandas have a number of ways of communicating with one another! 
Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals