Panda Updates – Friday, October 25

Xi Lun and Ya Lun spent all of yesterday out in one of the outdoor habitats. Keeper Danica and I were cleaning and setting up one of the dayrooms that faces the habitat they were in and were able to observe the girls playing. Ya Lun was running around and attempting to get to Xi Lun on top of the structure. If you’ve ever checked out the Zoo Atlanta PandaCam, you’ve probably seen this many times. Ya Lun also ran by the glass multiple times and put her paws up facing both Danica and me and then she would go over and do the same thing on the glass facing the guest side! The Panda Care Team spends a lot of time cleaning, weighing out bamboo, training, among so many other things, but it’s always nice to remember that as keepers we get to have the opportunity to witness such moments. To reiterate what Keeper Danica mentioned in one of her earlier posts – moments like catching a glimpse of one of the girls peeking at us through a mesh window, or seeing them in one of their playful moods, is just one of the many rewarding aspects of the job and I’m grateful that I get the opportunity to take care of the giant pandas and the red panda here at the Zoo.

Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals