Panda News from around the world
  • National Zoo Pandas: Funded till 2015

    The Washington Post is reporting that the National Zoo in Washington DC has been promised $4.5 Million over the next 4 years so they can continue their Giant Panda reproduction program.
  • Zhang Ka Gives Birth to Twins in the Wolong Semi Wild Centre

    Another success for the Wolong semi wild team, Zhang Ka an 11 year old wild born Giant Panda has given birth to twins. The second cub was a girl and weighed 137.4g at birth. The second cub was removed because Giant Panda mothers can only raise one cub at a time and the second is usually left to die.

    She was mated with Bai Yang on May 26th 2011.

    Mother and cubs doing well.
  • Su Lin Provides First Cub of 2011

    At 12:36 Local time on July the 7th 2011 Su Lin (Born at San Diego Zoo), gave birth to the first cub of the year.

    When the Cub was first born, Su Lin was a bit surprised but after a few minutes a strong maternal instinct took over and Su Lin began to mother the new cub.

    At 13:12 another cub was born but this was an underdeveloped fetus and soon died. The keepers immediately took away this cub.

    Su Lin and Cub are both being watched very carefully by staff via CCTV cameras.

    Well done Su Lin, and congratulations to the hard working staff of CCRCGP at Wolong.
  • Su Lin Moves to New Home

    The Wolong Panda Park Blog has released some photos of when they transfered Su Lin to the semi wild enclosure near to Wolong.

    Su Lin along with 5 other pandas who were bred this year have been release in to semi wild enclosures. These enclosures are a lot bigger than the ones at Bi Feng Xia and the pandas will not interact with humans.

    It is hoped that the pregnant Giant Pandas will give birth and bring up their cubs in a more natural way. This is one of the first steps of many of being able to release Giant Pandas back in to the wild.
  • Spring is in the Air For Mei Xiang and Tian Tian of Washington DC Zoo

    The National Zoo in Washington DC have stated that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have been given the privacy of the panda pavilion, as Mei Xiang has come in to season.

    The pair did attempt natural mating but it seems that it was unsuccessful so specialists from China suggested that Mei Xiang should be Artificially Inseminated with previously frozen semen from Tian Tian. This procedure was applied twice.
  • 5 More Years

    The royal couple of pandas at the Smithsonian Zoo, Washington DC have been granted a leave of stay for another 5 years.

    Which means that the couple will stay until December 2015.

    It is hoped that the pair will breed again after their first son Tai Shan born in 2005 went to China in February 2010 under terms of the loan agreement between China and the zoo.
  • Mei Xiang is not Pregnant.

    Zoo scientists have confirmed with an ultrasound and hormone analysis that Mei Xiang is not Pregnant, but was experiencing an pseudo pregnancy.

    Over 40 members of staff and volunteers have been carefully watching Mei Xiang over the weekend, when her hormone levels went back to their normal levels which indicates that she will either give birth or stop the pseudo pregnancy.

    I wish to thank everyone involved with taking care and watching Mei Xiang for their efforts. Lets hope it's better news next year.
  • Mei Xiang is put on 24 Hour Panda Cub Watch

    The Smithsonian's National Zoo Washington DC, has said that it has begun 24 hour surveillance of Mei Xiang, to watch over her in case she is pregnant.

    More than 40 volunteers and staff will keep vigil to watch her, using 38 cameras set up inside the giant panda habitat.

    You can be part of the watch by viewing the online Panda Cam you might be lucky to see the birth if there is one.
  • Mei Lan and Tai Shan Arrive Safely to Their New Homes

    Unless you've been hiding under a rock the news has been full of the departure of two giant pandas from America to China.
  • USA Trip Images from Washington DC

    Hello from Washington DC,

    Having a great time, managed to get to the zoo yesterday but it was pouring down with rain. All the pandas were snoozing inside, I did manage to take a few photos but I'm not that impressed with them, going back to day to see if I can do better, as it looks like it's going to be a beautiful day.

    Photos on Flickr from Washington DC
  • Special Farewell to Tai Shan Day

    The National Zoo will be holding a special farewell to Tai Shan Day, on the 30th January 2010 between 11 am and 3pm.

    There will be keeper talks, a display of Tai Shan photos and more.

    I'll post more when I have more information.
  • Tai Shan to Move to China

    Tai Shan the beloved panda cub of Washington DC's National Zoo will be heading to China.

    All cubs that are born in countries other than China have to be sent back to China usually when they reach two years old, though Tai Shan got an extension to stay longer.

    Parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are on a ten year loan to the zoo until 2010, Negotiations are under way to discuss whether they will stay in Washington DC.

    UPDATE
    Tai is expected to leave in January or February next year and will go to Bifengxia.
  • The Bamboo Never Stops

    The Washington Post has a wonderful story about the men who are responsible for the sourcing and gathering of food for the Washington National Zoo, especially the pandas.
  • Pandas International donate new cameras

    The wonderful people at Pandas International have sent some camera equipment over to the panda club. They hope that they can be of use in monitoring and recording when pandas are giving birth.

    Pandas International provide lots of items for the pandas including incubators and panda milk. After the earthquake they also supplied emergency equipment for both pandas and humans.

    Pandas International is currently running a Pennies 4 Pandas drive, why not head over and make a small donation to help protect our wonderful friends the pandas.
  • Mei Xiang not pregnant

    On May 19th staff of the National Zoo in Washington confirmed that Mei Xiang is not pregnant. Staff have been keeping a close eye on her and the indoor part of her enclosure has been closed so she could have some peace and quite to give birth.

    On April 20th Mei's urinary progesterone began to decline. When this levels out then either a cub is born or the end of the pseudopregnancy. Pandas are well known for having false or phantom pregnancies when they ovulate but do not conceive. This was Mei Xiang's 5th but she has had one cub Tai Shan in 2005.
  • Pandas International May Newsletter / Appeal.

    This months newsletter from Pandas International. Republished with permission.

    One Year Later, Earthquake Damage Affects Pandas & Staff
    Dear Friend of Pandas International,
  • Washington national zoo on panda pregnancy alter

    Mei Xiang's enclosure has been closed to the public as she starts to den, signifying that she may be pregnant and could be due soon. The process of denning involves the panda taking bamboo and food in to a small dark cave like structure.

    "Any (other) time I've seen Mei with a pear, she's eating it," said Baker-Masson.

    Just because Mei Xiang is denning does not mean that she is pregnant, many pandas go though the same process if they have a false pregnancy.

    Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated in January after she shown that she was in heat.
  • Concern over reconstruction plan

    Plans that have been started to reconstruct the destruction caused by the massive earthquake on May 12th 2008, but some experts are warning that hasty rebuilding could accelerate the fragmentation of the fragile pandas habitat.

    "The earthquake and the human response to the earthquake are actually posing new threats to the long-term viability of the wild pandas," said Marc Brody, founder of the conservation group Panda Mountain—U.S.-China Environmental Fund. Brody has been working in the region for nearly a decade and is helping the Chinese government with blueprints for reconstruction.
  • Could Washington be hearing the sounds of panda feet?

    The Washington Post has reported that Mei Xiang was heard emiting mating calls to Tian Tian. The keepers watched her hormone levels in Mei Xiang urine, when the levels suggested she had ovulated Tian Tian was allowed in to her enclosure. It appears that they did not manager to mate naturally so the vets anesthetized both pandas, collected semen from Tian Tian and placed it in Mei Xiand's uterus.
  • Wolong facility begins reconstruction

    It has been reported on MSNBC that repairs have started at the Wolong Research Centre, which was all but destroyed during the May 12th earthquake. Director Zhang Hemin said that it should take three years before the repairs are completed and the rescued Pandas can return.