Panda Updates – Wednesday, February 3

Today’s panda update is taking you behind the scenes of our behind-the-scenes tours!   

The Giant Panda Care Team has been preparing for a new way for you to learn about the giant pandas with us: Virtual Wild Encounters! In a more normal time, we have in-person Wild Encounters in which guests receive a tour of the giant panda building, observe a training session, and get to feed a panda some leafeater biscuits. While we await those normal times again, the Education Team has been brainstorming with us to bring that experience to the comfort of your couch! It has taken a lot of meetings, checking for the best camera angles, and re-arranging the order of segments. We had to decide: Should we show off the bamboo cooler or the diet kitchen first? When should we bring in the panda for a training session? What is the best way for you to ask us questions over Zoom as we carry a fancy camera-stabilizing pole around the building? Do the giant pandas really need a ring light when they are already so cute? Well, we think we’ve answered these, and we truly did buy a ring light so you can see the giant pandas better on camera! 

Registration opened recently and we are excited to host our first Virtual Wild Encounters! We have been rehearsing so that you hopefully have a smooth experience, but please “bear” with us as we will inevitably make all the common Zoom mistakes at some point in this process. It has been a long time since we have been able to have these fun interactions with guests, and we are really looking forward to virtually meeting you! 

Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals