Panda Updates – Wednesday, August 9

If you were watching PandaCam last week, you may have noticed that the hammock was missing from the dayroom. While the hammock is a well-loved furniture item for all of our pandas, and especially our cubs, it is also an enrichment item. We like to rotate enrichment items every so often to keep them novel. Some items, like the hammock, are in frequent use while others, like the car or tire swing, are used more sparingly. We decided that after roughly seven months in use, the hammock was in need of a good deep clean. Since the girls are able to maneuver the climbing structure well and are no longer relying on the hammock as a sleeping spot like they were in their younger days, we were not concerned with the hammock being absent for a few days. On the contrary, we were excited for the enrichment possibilities that are presented by having additional space for large enrichment items while waiting for the hammock to completely dry. You never know what fun these silly bears will be up to, or what items will show up in this space!
Jen A.
Keeper II, Mammals

(photo by Jen A.)