Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

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Michelle E.
December 11, 2020
Jackie the red panda joined us less than a month ago, but it already feels like we’ve known him forever! He has settled right in and seems very comfortable in his habitat and behind-the-scenes area. He loves to climb high in his tree and uses every part of his habitat. Jackie made quick work of scent marking everything he could to show that this space was his. There are a few different doorways in various sheltered areas of his habitat, including some flaps and a dog-door type entry into the center nesting box, which he took only a day to master. He is very curious about everything and loves playing with enrichment. We are really enjoying getting to know him and seeing him so comfortable in his new home!
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals
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Amanda D.
December 14, 2020
The other morning Adrianna and I set up one outdoor habitat for Ya Lun and Xi Lun and the other for Yang Yang. It was a sunny and beautiful day, barely reaching the mid 60s. Yang Yang enjoyed his morning bamboo. We offered him a newer variety, Rubro, today to see how he liked it, and he immediately started to culm it and then leaf it. The girls ate well too! After foraging for leafeater biscuits and eating some bamboo, they crashed and both slept for most of the morning. Everyone woke up right before lunch time so we tossed down some fresh bamboo. Xi Lun was only up momentarily, however, before deciding that she wasn’t really ready to get up yet and found a comfy location in the habitat where she turned into a panda puddle.
Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals
(photo by Amanda D.)

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Adrianna L.
December 16, 2020
If anyone has a sibling, they know how much they love them, but oh can they get on your nerves! Watching the Ya Lun and Xi Lun play this week has been a source of many laughs! My favorite moment has been behind the scenes while we were feeding the twins. We were feeding them leafeater biscuits and bamboo when Ya Lun took a biscuit and then plopped herself right on top of Xi Lun, who was peacefully eating bamboo! Thankfully her sister let her stay there, whereas I would have maybe shoved my sibling away! Hopefully, y’all get a chance to see these goofy sisters doing what they do best!
Adrianna
Keeper II, Mammals
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Michelle E.
December 18, 2020
We talk a lot about how each giant panda in our care is an individual, and nothing highlights that more than their mannerisms while eating! Each bear has their own special quirks that makes them unique.
Lun Lun is extremely picky about her bamboo. When we offer her bamboo one piece at a time, she sniffs it, sometimes will culm it a little to double check her first impressions, and if she does not like it she will pull it into the den with her and toss it to the side, awaiting the next piece-contestant.
Yang Yang loves his leafeater biscuits, but under no circumstances will he make a big effort to find them if they have been scattered around his dayroom. He will flawlessly perform many training behaviors without tiring of receiving biscuits as a reward, but if I put them high up on a log, that’s exactly where they will be the next day. Last week I tested this theory by putting 15 leafeater biscuits in an area he would have to climb to reach. It’s an area that every other giant panda happily climbs to in order to find leafeater biscuits, and while 15 is not a large portion of his diet, it still should have been a tempting amount. However, despite having all night to do it, Yang Yang took a pass on making that effort, and keepers the next day found the biscuits just where I had left them, entirely undisturbed. Of course, he then got to enjoy them his way – offered in a pile easily within reach. The pandas always win!
Xi Lun really takes her time eating leafeater biscuits. She is so much slower than Ya Lun that we often give them to her two at a time. When we do this, she leans back, sometimes to the point of almost lying down, and chews one biscuit while holding the other in her paw. Once she’s finished her first biscuit, she starts taking small bites out of her second biscuit, holding the remains of it in her paw. We love to see if we can get her to take three biscuits at a time so she has to hold one in her mouth and one in each paw! The twins often sit side by side during these feedings, and if they have found a piece of bamboo they both like, they casually steal it back and forth from one another in between biscuits. Sometimes Xi Lun will keep a paw holding onto the bamboo piece while the Ya Lun rips some leaves off. As soon as Ya Lun lets go, Xi Lun pulls it right back to herself!
Ya Lun is an unstoppable biscuit-eating machine! She’s so quick that we break a lot of her leafeater biscuits in half. That way we can ask her to pause and eat some bamboo before receiving the second half of the biscuit. We usually feed Xi Lun and Ya Lun biscuits at the same time. We make sure we have approximately the same amount of biscuits left for each bear because if we ran out of biscuits for Ya Lun first, she would come over and try to steal Xi Lun’s share!
We love watching the pandas express their personalities in all sorts of way. If you have noticed any quirks of personality of the pandas while watching the PandaCam or visiting them at the Zoo, we would love to hear them!
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals

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Ya Lun and Xi Lun Together Inside & Outside

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Heather R
December 21, 2020
A question that we hear frequently is “How do animals move from one zoo to another?” It’s actually a complex process involving lots of people, paperwork, emails, phone calls, vet consultations, and, of course, travel arrangements. I’ve been part of two animal transfers in my career. My first one was quite a big one! I accompanied Mei Lan to China when he moved to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in 2010. More, recently, Carnivore Lead Keeper Jenny and I drove to Washington, D.C., to pick up Jackie from Smithsonian’s National Zoo and brought him to Atlanta.
Most of the arrangements for animal transfers are made by our Registrar, which is the person responsible for keeping track of all of our animals. However, I was partially involved in the paperwork process as well since I am the Species Survival Plan’s Institutional Representative for red pandas at Zoo Atlanta. When we sadly lost Idgie earlier this year, I contacted the SSP Coordinator to let her know and discuss our options for bringing another red panda to Zoo Atlanta. Once we chose Jackie, the registrars and veterinarians at each zoo work out the rest of the arrangements according to guidelines provided by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and state (including all states we travel through) and federal laws. This year, different considerations had to be made due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well. The planning took several months.
When Jenny and I left for Washington D.C., we packed the ZooMobile with all of the essentials we might need to take care of Jackie during the 10-hour trip, including a medium-sized dog crate, a water bowl, a food bowl, a gallon of water, and cleaning supplies. Early the following morning, we met his care team at Jackie’s habitat. He went right into the crate voluntarily as he has trained to do so many times! His care team gave us his diet for the day, some bamboo, and his favorite triangle firehose hammock (pictured) to take with us. Jackie traveled well – much better than some of my cats and dogs! We checked on him frequently throughout the drive and made several stops to feed him bamboo, leafeater biscuits, apples, and grapes, refresh his water, and add pine shavings to his crate as needed. Although Jackie was quiet and calm throughout the trip, I’m sure he was as relieved as Jenny and I were to arrive at Zoo Atlanta that evening. Our quarantine care team had set up new his space with lots of perches and shelves for him, which he quickly explored once he left his crate. Even though every animal that transfers from one zoo to another has a veterinary exam prior to moving, they all must go through a quarantine period once they arrive at their new home to ensure they are healthy before they are introduced to their permanent habitat.
After 30 days, we were able to move Jackie to the red panda habitat, where he quickly made himself at home. The Panda Care Team is so excited to have Jackie in our care, but we want to recognize those people that took a lot of time and effort to get him here and those that continue to help us care for him!
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores

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https://twitter.com/i/status/1343627356230053892 56 sec

ZooATL

https://twitter.com/i/status/1343625813456007169 54 sec
Dec 28, 2020
Yang Yang's back with another PeachBowl Panda Pick! Who will win this year's game

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Adrianna L.
December 30, 2020
Hopefully everyone has had a terrific holiday season thus far. I know I and the pandas have! I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas morning with Yang Yang, Lun Lun, Ya Lun, Xi Lun and Jackie! While it was a VERY cold day, we made the most of it! Nothing changed in our care, and our routine flowed as it usually does on any normal day, but we did give the animals some extra for overnight! No doubt they felt the same way I did Christmas morning with all the presents, as they barreled through gathering all their favorite pieces! I also know just how incredibly fortunate and grateful we all are here at the Zoo around this time of year. We have appreciated all the support and gifts the Zoo has received, not just around the holidays but throughout the year. Without your help we would not be able to care for our animals or all the animals around the world. So from the Giant Panda Team, Yang Yang, Lun Lun, Ya Lun, Xi Lun and Jackie, thank you!
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals
An update on a chilly holiday morning + lots of warmth and gratitude for our panda (and red panda!) fans, in today's panda update from Adrianna L: 1:18 PM · Dec 30, 2020·Twitter Web App
https://zooatlanta.org/panda-updates-we ... cember-30/
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Amanda D.
January 4, 2021
When I first walked up to Jackie’s habitat to start cleaning the other morning, he was resting in one of his favorite spots: his triangle perch. But as soon as I entered the habitat, he immediately climbed down and came over to investigate the contents of my bucket. As soon as he realized I didn’t have more food with me (he had already received breakfast), he started to get a case of the zoomies and started running around the habitat. I could not stop laughing as he’d run from one side to the other, occasionally pouncing on the ground. Jackie is so curious, full of energy, and playful. It’s been really great getting to know his personality.
Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals
2 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj8SFUwsMaQ Red panda Jackie's first day out at Zoo Atlanta Jackie is from Smithsonian’s National Zoo, see Dec 21 update above ^ to see how they transport and animal

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Michelle E.
January 6-8, 2021
"A dueling desire to play vs. continue eating?" A game of tug-of-war? Sounds like another day in PandaLand with the Peter Pan of Pandas, Yang Yang! Michelle E. has more in today's panda update ..
Yang Yang had a very playful day recently! We have some tough canvas strips that we use to play tug-of-war with him, so the other day I grabbed one to see if he was interested in a round or two. He was in the behind the scenes dens eating and seemed torn between his dueling desires to play and to continue eating. I tossed his end of the canvas to him, which caught his attention. Normally he grabs onto it with his mouth and uses his extremely strong jaw muscles to pull against us (and eventually win every time). This day, however, he used his paws! He grabbed on with his two front paws and resisted my pulls. He still seemed to be considering whether it was worth pausing his bamboo meal, but every time I pulled a little, he tightened his grip. Eventually he went all in, twisting and pulling with his paws, but thumbs won out over pseudothumbs and in the end, I had finally won a round of tug-of-war against Yang Yang, master of the tug! Don’t worry about his pride, though. When I offered him a rematch, he went back to using his mouth and reclaimed his champion title!
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals
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Amanda D.
January 11, 2021
If you follow our giant panda program, you’ll often hear us talking about the fact that giant pandas are a solitary species, and during your visits to the Zoo, there are a few animals you might see who live alone. Unlike social species such as western lowland gorillas, African lions, meerkats and more, solitary species do not live in groups and do not necessarily seek out or even enjoy the company of their own species. Besides giant pandas, other examples at Zoo Atlanta include Sumatran tigers and red panda. Once giant pandas reach sub-adulthood, they will go off on their own, and then will come together briefly during breeding season. Ya Lun and Xi Lun have not reached sexual maturity (giant pandas reach sexual maturity at around 5 to 6 years old), so they still share the same space, but eventually, they will reach a point where they will start to view each other as resource competition – all a natural progression for a solitary species. Right now, though, they are still happily eating and playing together, so the Panda Care Team is making sure to capture these cute sibling moments!
(photo by Amanda D.)
Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals

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Michelle E.
January 13, 2021
The giant pandas amaze me all the time, but one of the aspects I am most incredulous (and jealous) of is their ability to find a comfortable resting place wherever they are. While monitoring PandaCam, we see the giant pandas fast asleep or relaxing in all sorts of uncomfortable-looking contortions or perches. They sleep balanced on top of logs, curled up on rocks, or splayed out on the ground. Recently I found Xi Lun in yet another resting position that only a panda could love – tucked into her half barrel toy, happily munching away on some bamboo. I guess when you are as fluffy as a giant panda, the whole world is a comfortable bed!
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals

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q. had to show the original ZA photo of it

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Heather R
January 15, 2021
Red pandas are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time in trees. They are perfectly adapted for life in the trees. Their long tails help them balance as they walk across branches. Their ankles are extremely flexible and their arm bones can rotate on their axis to allow red pandas to climb down trees headfirst!
For the last two years of her life, we had to restrict Idgie’s access to her tree because of her mobility issues, so we outfitted her habitat with ramps and raised platforms so she could still feel like she was up high without needing to be agile to climb. She loved her new habitat. However, her care team grew accustomed to looking for her in the hut or up on one of the walkways when we checked on her throughout the day. Now that Jackie is here, we often forgot to look up in the tree when we are looking for him! He loves to nap in one of the highest points of the tree. So, when you are visiting Jackie and can’t find him, don’t forget to look up!
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores

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Adrianna L.
January 20, 2021
I know when I first started working with the giant pandas, bamboo was simply bamboo, and it all looked yummy enough for me if I were a giant panda. Oh man, work a day with these giant pandas, and you will quickly learn that is not the case! It is incredible how what we may think looks like the perfect piece of bamboo is just sort of tolerable. The giant pandas will eat not only different species of bamboo during different seasons, but also different parts of the bamboo. Currently we are seeing a good mix of them eating the leaves and the culms (the main stalk of the bamboo). A big part of what they will eat depends on if the bamboo is younger or older. Young bamboo will have yummy leaves, and older bamboo will have yummy culms. We care team members and our Bamboo Team can visually check to see what the pandas may prefer, but unfortunately, they have one sense that is way better at detecting this: their sense of smell! Giant pandas have an amazing sense of smell and will hold the bamboo in front of their noses to decide if that piece of bamboo is worth it. So, try as we might by looking at the leaves, the culms, and what type of bamboo we offer, we will never be able to smell out the perfect piece of bamboo the giant pandas want. Luckily, we have a great Bamboo Team to bring us all sorts of bamboo that our giant pandas love!
(photo by Adrianna L.)
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals
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Michelle E.
January 22, 2021
We talk a lot about the giant pandas “culming” bamboo, but what does that actually mean? Well, technically, nothing! “Culming” is a word we have made up for this behavior; you won’t find it in reference to giant pandas in any dictionary. However, in giant panda parlance, “culming” or “to culm” means to split apart the culm, or woody stem, of the bamboo in order to eat the whitish-yellow inner layer. The giant pandas do this by biting the end of a bamboo culm and tearing downward with their mouths. Typically this method removes a piece of culm that is approximately a foot long and an inch wide. The giant panda then engages its pseudothumb on a front paw to hold the piece while using its mouth to remove the green outer layer of the culm. They spit that green layer onto the floor or their bellies and begin eating the whitish-yellow inner culm that is left behind, still holding it in one paw and taking bites out of it like it’s beef jerky. Despite having done all that work to get that inner layer of culm, the giant pandas rarely eat the entire piece. At a point determined only by the secret knowledge they seem to possess about what bamboo is most nutritious, the giant pandas drop the piece of culm they have been eating and grab the original bamboo stalk to tear off another piece and begin the process all over again!
This picture shows a piece of bamboo that has been partially culmed. The giant panda who was eating this piece likely tore off two strips of culm and went through the process of splitting them before deciding the bamboo wasn’t nutritious enough to continue eating and moved on to another piece. You can see a couple pieces of that whitish-yellow stripped-down inner culm on the mulch near the bamboo- those are what is left behind after a giant panda has split apart the layers of culm, eaten some of the inner culm, and then dropped it on the ground.
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals

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Adrianna L.
January 25, 2021
Lately it has been pretty funny to see what Ya Lun and Xi Lun do when we shift them into a new area. Typically, when they go into a set-up area with fresh bamboo and leafeater biscuits everywhere, Ya Lun books it to eat all the biscuits, whereas Xi Lun takes her time and may eat a few biscuits but is there for the bamboo. Well, lately we have been surprised as Ya Lun plops down next to a pile of bamboo and digs in while her sister is attacking the feeder toys in the corner, finding all those yummy biscuits! It never gets old watching these girls!
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals
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Amanda D.
January 27, 2021
Every morning, the Panda Care Team checks on all of the giant pandas, as well as Jackie the red panda. We have cameras set up that allow us to see each individual in dayrooms which are not visible from behind the scenes. When I’m checking in on Jackie, I will swing by his habitat and bring him his breakfast. Early one morning, as I approached his habitat, I saw that he was resting in his favorite perch that is attached to a tree in his habitat. As you might recall reading from recent updates, red pandas are arboreal, meaning they spend a lot of time in trees. It’s amazing watching Jackie climb so quickly and move from branch to branch with such ease. As I entered with his breakfast, he peeked his head out and quickly realized I had brought his food. Within seconds, he had made his way down from the tree and was eating his breakfast. I’m glad I had the chance though to pull out my phone and get this picture of him in his perch. Seeing his cute face is always a great way to start the day.
Amanda D.
Keeper I, Mammals

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Heather R
January 29, 2021
I hope you all don’t mind that we are posting so much about Jackie lately. But, since he’s new to us, we are still learning about him and seeing new things from him every day. We have mentioned before that Jackie is very active right now, as is expected, being winter and red panda breeding season. He spends most mornings patrolling his habitat and scent-marking everything in his path. Sometimes when he is so lively in the mornings, we can engage him in a play session. However, sometimes he is too busy doing red panda things and ignores us, which is fine, too.
Play is one of the ways that we use to elicit Jackie’s natural behaviors such as lunging, standing on hind legs, batting, biting, and wrestling. Although red pandas are naturally solitary, there are situations where they need to have social skills to communicate and interact with other red pandas effectively. They learn these skills from their mothers and siblings during infancy through social play.
Social play provides many benefits throughout a red panda’s lifetime. It gives them an outlet for excess energy, which is especially important for young animals. Play allows individuals to learn how hard they can bite or swat via feedback from their play partner. Bite inhibition is an essential skill later in life for successful mating interactions. Social play also teaches young pandas how to defend themselves. You can see Jackie rear up on his hind feet in the video. This is a defensive posture and intended to make himself look big and scary. Self-defense is a crucial survival skill. Social play also provides opportunities to use and exercise muscles that may not get used as often during typical daily activities.
When we engage Jackie in social play, we use toys as a substitute for a play partner. We humans are not an appropriate substitute for a play partner because we do not have thick fur to protect us from the strength of his bites, grabs, and swats. Jackie particularly enjoys playing with balls because he can chase them as they roll away and pounce on them when he catches up.
Jackie also finds ways to play by himself. He loves wrestling with the foliage in his habitat! We often see him racing around the habitat on the ground and through the tree and ramps. He’s so quick it is hard to catch him on camera. Taking care of Jackie has definitely been a new learning experience for us all after caring for two older red pandas for the past 12 years.
Be sure to check out a video on Zoo Atlanta’s social networks later today!
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores

q I think Jackie is sensitively adorable and seems to be settling in well.

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Megan H.
February 1, 2021
Hi everyone! My name is Megan, and I am one of the new primary keepers on the Panda Care Team. I thought I would use my first Panda Update to introduce myself!
I have been at Zoo Atlanta since 2018, when I started as an intern with the Carnivore and Panda Teams. Following my internship, I was fortunate enough to get hired on with our Ambassador Animals Team. I was a primary keeper in our Outback Station area caring for our goats, sheep, alpacas, pigs, and other varying species. I had a blast spending a few years there, but when the opportunity came to apply for a position with the Panda Team, something about the move felt right for me. I’m so glad I went for it! Many parts of routine are very similar to when I was last in this area, so it was nice to pick some things right back up. However, there are also several things that are different and new for me, making it all very exciting!
How have things been going since I started? I have loved seeing some of Yang Yang’s goofy antics again. Lun Lun has been very patient with me as I have been learning. Ya Lun and Xi Lun have grown since I was last with them, and I am continuing to pick up on both of their very distinct personalities. Jackie the red panda has been an absolute delight! Watching him run around has been the highlight of many a morning for me so far. I am incredibly grateful to be here, and I look forward to sharing more things with you all in future updates. Stay tuned!
Megan H.
Keeper I, Mammals
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Michelle E.
February 3, 2021
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

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Adrianna L.
February 8, 2021
Have you ever found yourself playing around with your sibling or friends and finally crashing and being completely beat? Well that is definitely what happened to Ya Lun recently! Ya Lun and Xi Lun were in one of the dayrooms right after lunch and were playing around with each other, barreling from one end to another. Once they were ready, we let them behind the scenes and they came in huffing and puffing like they just ran a marathon! We got them into one of the dens with some bamboo to eat while we cleaned and re-set the dayroom, but Ya Lun was just too tired to eat. We found her splayed out trying to catch her breath and just generally being really cute! Be sure to try to catch some of their rambunctious playing on PandaCam!
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals
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Jenny E.
February 5, 2021
I always love my days in pandas, but nothing makes the days start out so perfectly as when Yang Yang is in an attention-grabbing, playful mood. Early this morning I was at the red panda habitat, and while there, the other team members gave Yang Yang access to his behind-the-scenes outdoor patio. As I was coming down the driveway, he let me know loudly that he was there by his boisterous, “Hey you! Come feed me!” (my loose interpretation) bleat. He had climbed his ladder and was trying to peer around the corner to catch my attention, which he got, of course. We both ran inside together and met at the barrier at his inside dens, where he and I proceeded to run back and forth, getting him so excited that he started doing his famous somersaults and pouncing. I am so grateful to be able to have these special moments with such an amazing animal, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Jenny E.
Lead Keeper, Carnivores

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHlq9xzvoww 2/12/21 ~ Up We Go ~ 3.33 min.
Valentine's Day weekend, twins having fun playing together.

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^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post ~ checking out scenting on the branch

^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post ~ Yin & Yang

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Michelle E.
February 12, 2021
If you read our #KeeperStories and blogs regularly, you likely know that we do a lot of training around the Zoo. The animals are trained using positive reinforcement, which means we give them something they like, usually a preferred food, when they do the behavior we’ve asked them to do. It’s completely voluntary, so it’s up to the animal if they want to come over to us for a training session when we call them or if they would rather keep taking a nap! I mean, we get it. Who doesn’t love a good nap?
Jackie the red panda arrived at Zoo Atlanta last year already knowing more than 15 behaviors, including “target” (putting his nose to our fist), “up” (standing on hind legs so we can see his underside), and “crate” (walking into a crate for transport). He is a talented guy! However, that doesn’t mean it’s time to rest on his laurels. Learning new behaviors is an enriching mental challenge for both the animals and their care teams!
As part of our continuing professional development, all animal care professionals at Zoo Atlanta take courses on animal training and are assigned a training mentor. I am lucky enough to be the mentor of Panda Care Team member Amanda, who is training a new behavior with Jackie, “sit.” Jackie is a very active red panda, and sometimes we need him to stay still for just a moment so we can do a close inspection of his body. The “sit” behavior asks Jackie to sit calmly with his bottom on the ground. As Amanda’s mentor, my job is to observe her training sessions with Jackie and provide feedback.
It’s still in the early stages, but things are going well so far! Both Amanda and Jackie are doing great! Amanda is using a method called “capturing,” which means that she does a normal training session and if Jackie happens to sit down, she reinforces him with grapes. He seems to be starting to make the connection between sitting and receiving grapes, because he is sitting more often during Amanda’s training sessions. When he sits, Amanda says “sit” and does the hand cue she made up for the behavior so he begins to associate those cues with sitting. Over time, she will be able to predict when he is about to sit and get the cue ahead of the behavior so he is reacting to the cue by sitting rather than the cue being a reaction to his “sit” as it is currently.
These training sessions occur in the red panda habitat, so you may get to witness one sometime! During the session it is a little hard to chat as we are concentrating hard on analyzing behavior in real time, but afterward we are always happy to answer questions. We hope to see you soon!
Michelle E.
Keeper III, Mammals

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https://twitter.com/i/status/1363997493957193730 15 sec VIDEO
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Adrianna L.
February 15, 2021
Since I started training here in the giant panda area, we have been talking and preparing for our Virtual Giant Panda Wild Encounters, and we finally had our first one! In this photo, you can see some of us participating in a practice encounter. While were a little nervous, it turned out that all our hard work was worth it! The encounter went swimmingly! We all became master camera operators, Zoom geniuses, and gained the skills of influencers as we set up ring lights! We were so fortunate to show off our new skills to some amazing guests who we talked with one-on-one as we gave them a virtual tour of our panda building. We were excited to once again show the behind-the-scenes aspect of our panda program here at Zoo Atlanta. Since it was a virtual personal tour, the participants were able to ask us loads of questions, see some of our pandas all to themselves, and get a taste of what it takes to care for these giants. I cannot wait to do more of our Virtual Panda Wild Encounters and hope to see some of y’all too!
(photo: Jenny E.)
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals
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^ click 2X biggest, then go to return arrow on top left screen, back to post
Adrianna L.
February 22, 2021
On occasion we might switch things up and you will see a red flash on PandaCam rather than a black-and-white figure. That’s because we want to feature the other panda, Jackie the red panda! Like I said, though, it may just be a flash, and that’s because he can be incredibly active from time to time! We frequently see him zooming around all over his habitat and being the active young red panda that he is! My favorite is when we spot him climbing up his tree all the way to the tippy top! Red pandas are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time high up in the trees. So if you can’t see Jackie while he is on PandaCam, he is either zooming around or has climbed to the tippy top of his tree.
Adrianna L.
Keeper II, Mammals