Panda News from around the world
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.
On the cold morning of 27th November 2009, staff at Bifengxia begin to prepare Funi and Wang Wang for long trip to Adelaide Australia.
Zoo keepers from Australia have been visiting Bifengxia will return with the pair along with the keeper from China who has been looking after them.
The pandas also have taken enough bamboo with them to last a week, so they can be weaned on to the new supply of bamboo.
Experts in Adelaide are hoping that the pair will soon breed and a new cub will soon be born.
After a recent snowfall where the temperatures plummeted an increase in the number of people catching the H1N1 flu virus has caused concerns that the pandas may catch it too. So the Shaanxi Wild Animal Rescue and Research Centre has stopped visitors from seeing the pandas they look after. There hasn't been a case of a panda catching this form of the flu, but the animals are so well cared for the experts at the zoo do not want to take any risks.
Any keepers who show signs of symptoms are also kept away.
Our wonderful friend Chet has been in contact with her friends at Bifengxia and they have told that the pair of pandas chosen to go to Singapore will be Wu Jie and Hu Bao.
For more information about the pandas click on their image in "The Pandas" block on the right.
Many thanks Chet for the information.
104 Days ago Bai Yun San Diego Zoo's super panda mum gave birth to her fifth cub. As is tradition in China he received his name today. (Well he should of got it after 100 days)
The public from around the world helped choose his name, from giving the initial ideas for his names down to select the one from a short list of five.
His name was revealed at a special ceremony at the Zoo's Hunte Amphitheatre.
Oh you want to know his name? Yun Zi, meaning son of cloud. His mother is Bai Yun meaning White Cloud.
With the 25 Panda Cubs born this year, the total number of captive pandas reaches a total of 294, and next year should see the total exceed 300. Which means that the giant panda population has reached a basic self-sustaining rate. As such future giant panda conservation strategies and priorities need to be adjusted.
Dr Zhang Zhuhe said that the next step will be the pursuit of quality-oriented rather than quanity-oriented breeding to ensure that the breeding stock of pandas are the fittest and best to ensure the continuning survival of pandas.
On Wednesday night, the Chinese President Hu Jintao announced that a pair of Pandas currently at Bifengxia are to be loaned to Singapore.
The two year old male and the one year old Female, will go on display in 2012 after the new Wildlife Reserves Singapore's (WRS) $130 million river themed animal attraction opens.
The pair will have a special enclosure built for them, which will be fully climate controled.
WRS will also start a breeding programme of the endangered species.
I currently do not know which pandas have been selected, but they both have a twin sibling.
Well I've finally added the photos I took of Bao Bao whilst I was visiting Berlin.
I'm sorry to say I didn't like Berlin Zoo, even though Bao Bao is adorabl and looking very well for his age. (He's believed to be in his early thirties.) Some of the enclosures seem very small especially for the big cats, it made me quite sad.
Though it being Autum and all the plants dying, and the sky cold and gray might have something to do with it. I guess I will have to go back again in spring or summer.
I hope you enjoy the photos, not so many as I took in Vienna.
There is a lot of talk about a wild two month old panda cub, found in the Fuping Reserve. The resaon for all the chatty? The little one has brown and white markings instead of the usual black and white markings.
The mother of the brown cub has usual markings. It is not known why some pandas are brown in colour. This cub brings the total of known brown panda bears to five.
When the cub was found it was lying down and appeared to be around two months old and weighed about 2kg's. It's eyes were not open. When someone tried to approach it would let out a cry.
Adorable Fu Long of Vienna Zoo turned two in August and due to be sent to China soon after wards, but the powers that be decided that making him travel for over 15 hours in such hot temperatures would not be a good idea, and so his stay was extended so he could travel in a cooler month. (It also gave me a chance to visit him again)
Well the cooler weather is now with us and Fu Long is set to depart on November 18th.
Good Luck Fu Long. Hopefully I will see you next year in China.
Many thanks to his keepers for looking after him so well, and I hope you enjoyed your chocoloates.
Between October 31st and November 3rd you can vote for your favourite name for the panda cub born at San Diego Zoo, this year.
The names you can choose between are:
福圣 Fú Shèng (fu sheng): blissful San Diego
小龙 Xiǎo Lóng (siao long): little dragon
熊伟 Xióng Wěi (syong wei): extraordinary bear
永祥 Yǒng Xiǎng (yong siang): eternally blessed
云子 Yún Zǐ (yun zih): son of cloud
Cast your vote at the San Diego Zoo Web Site
The San Diego Zoo has poured over 6,331 submissions for names for their new panda cub and have managed to get it down to just five names.
Starting from Saturday October 31st through till Tuesday November 3rd you will be able to choose your favourite name online. (No link yet, I'll post it when I find out)
The result of the vote will be announanced on the pandas naming day, 12th November 2009.
Don't forget to follow the reference and read up on how the little fellow is doing.