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

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2018 4:48 pm
by queenie
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With the recent warm weather, all of the beautiful plants on Zoo grounds are starting to grow and flower. This time of year is especially exciting for the giant pandas (and their animal care team), because it means we are approaching bamboo shoot season! If you live in Georgia or another region where bamboo grows, then you’ve likely spotted these asparagus-like shoots budding out of the ground. They grow very rapidly, with some species having the ability to grow up to 36” in just 24 hours! Here at Zoo Atlanta, our Bamboo Team and the animal care staff harvest these soft shoots as often as we can for the giant pandas. The pandas love them and are very welcoming to the change from the mature bamboo they usually receive. It is hypothesized that the shoots have a higher starch content which makes them more appealing to the pandas. They are also much easier to chew, and with the higher amount of water within them, they fill up the pandas much faster than an older piece of bamboo. The girls received shoots this time last year, but they weren’t very interested in consuming bamboo at the time. This year, we are excited to offer the shoots to those little bamboo-eating machines and see if they take a liking to them just as much as their parents have. If they are anything like Lun Lun and Yang Yang, we’re going to need all hands on deck to keep the shoots coming!
Danica W.
Swing Keeper I, Mammals
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Cub Xi Lun happily eating boo ~ 4/9/18 ~ click bigger >
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Ya Lun and Xi Lun are bamboo-eating machines just like their mother! Whenever we clean up after their meals, we only find tiny little bits of bamboo left to pick up – we rarely find whole pieces left behind. Additionally, Ya Lun and Xi Lun prefer to eat the large bamboo culms (or stems) like the adults do. Typically, in my experience, sub-adults prefer to eat smaller culms until they grow a bit more and have built up more jaw strength to tear into the larger culms. In fact, I remember taking a photo of the first large culm that Mei Lun and Mei Huan attempted to eat and they were 21 months old at the time. Ya Lun and Xi Lun just turned 19 months old and are already eating the thickest bamboo culms they can find.
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores

(photo by Jen W.)

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

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:47 pm
by queenie
The Luns Eating Boo Together ~ 4/12/18
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Mama Lun getting her figure back walking all around outside
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:20 am
by queenie
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Pretty Mama Lun
Shauna D
April 13, 2018
Lun Lun got to spend some time in our behind-the-scenes habitat recently. As previously mentioned, that habitat has several species of bamboo growing naturally in it, as well as a large pool. Lun Lun spent the day peacefully harvesting her own bamboo. She even took a quick dip in the pool and played briefly with us! That habitat really seems to bring the inner cub out of Lun.
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Pretty Mama Lun :rh: ~ ZA Photo

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

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:03 pm
by queenie
A S'Cap of Daddy Yang to show how much bigger he is on the hammock structure
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Little Luns
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:28 pm
by queenie
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Since it’s now been more than a month since the twins were weaned, we have started testing the waters with regards to having mom and offspring near each other. Eventually we will be able to house them next door to each other, but for now we wanted to see how they would react being in an area that smelled like each other. Lun Lun wasn’t thrilled about being somewhere “new,” but she didn’t seem to mind the dayrooms smelling like her offspring. Similarly, the twins did not mind being in the outdoor habitat that smelled like their mom. These are good signs that reassure us that the twins have become fully independent subadults, and that Lun Lun is treating their presence as she would like any other giant panda. Within the coming weeks we will trying housing Lun Lun in one dayroom with the twins in the other dayroom and gauge their reactions. This will let us know when we can also start housing them next to each other outside.
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals
(photo by Jen W.)
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we'll pray :grhug:
for both Ya Lun & Xi Lun, on their new steps ^ {in update} on the road to maturity in weaning from Mama Lun {with Ya Lun having always been Mama's shadow, maybe more :chin: but really B O T H the same & for all the P R O S continuing to help/guide/encourage them on their way! > to :cloud9: }
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Ya Lun is in front in this ZA Photo & excerpt photo above, Xi Lun behind has been so kindly-comfortingly-affectionate to her :huggie: ^

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

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:06 pm
by queenie
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The giant panda hammock is back! Remember that hammock that was purchased a while back? It didn’t last too long in the dayroom before the weight of giant pandas and the twins’ roughhousing got the better of it! Thankfully the company who supplied the hammock was more than willing to help us out by creating different attachment points that can hopefully take a little more of a beating. So you should see its reappearance very soon! Creating enrichment for wild animals can be challenging because it needs to be durable, safe and, in many cases, natural looking. The Zoo does its best to keep the animals in as close to natural habitats as we can. Since the pandas’ dayrooms are indoors, we have the ability to have a hammock in there. But the pandas’ outdoor habitats remain as naturalistic as possible. Keep your fingers crossed :luck: that the hammock v2.0 will be a keeper!
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals

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

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:19 pm
by queenie
Zoo Atlanta‏ · Apr 17
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Did you know Volunteers have been a part of Zoo Atlanta for more than 30 years? Last year, we had 236 Volunteers with more than 80 hours of service each! Check out today's Volunteer Takeover Tuesday on Facebook and Instagram! National Volunteer Week
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This week is National Volunteer Week, so today’s Takeover Tuesday is going to be all about our wonderful Volunteers and Volunteens! Go check it out on our Facebook page or Instagram!

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

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:18 pm
by queenie
The Little Luns Are Outside :rh: :pan: and Ya Lun goes to take some of the Xi Lun's boo :ohmy:
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in #6 above ^both have a hold on the same boo & then in this s'cap, the another scene after #6 & #7 below, Ya Lun on right still has it>
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:48 pm
by queenie
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One of the giant pandas’ favorite enrichment items is a 50-gallon drum that we have cut in half length-wise. All of the giant pandas have used these in various ways. They can serve as a surface to recline against while eating bamboo. We can hide biscuits/produce in or underneath them. The youngsters love playing in them! Since the bottom is rounded, they can rock back and forth, and the giant pandas love that. I’ve even seen the cubs and sub-adults sleeping in them. It’s such a simple, yet highly effective, item to offer our pandas to enhance their day. Check out a video on our social media networks!
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores
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:vid: 28 seconds https://www.facebook.com/ZooATL/videos/ ... 849158553/ :rofl: turn your sound up, this is funny !

Photos from above ZA video >
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Little Luns On Ice

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

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:26 pm
by queenie
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Before all the recent stormy weather rolled in, we had some great, warm days here at Zoo Atlanta. It was the perfect time to use our behind-the-scenes habitat to give Yang Yang some extra room while he is displaying some of his breeding walking behavior. The giant pandas here at Zoo Atlanta love to play in water, but typically only during breeding season. The other day, we went to take Idgie some fresh bamboo while we thought Yang Yang was enjoying an afternoon nap. Shortly after we arrived at Idgie’s habitat, we heard a bunch of splashing coming from Yang Yang’s direction, and looked over to find him playing in his pool. Check out the video on our social media pages!
Now you might be wondering why the giant pandas go inside their indoor habitats when it’s raining if they seem to enjoy water so much. Well, this is just one of the examples of how animal care teams observe the animals they care for and note their behavior in different environments. The pandas here at Zoo Atlanta don’t appear to particularly enjoy the rain, which is why we provide them with temperature-controlled areas where they can enjoy their bamboo, find a good place for a nap, and listen to the rain hit the skylights while staying dry.
Danica W.
Swing Keeper I, Mammals
ZA :vid: 15 second Yang splashing in pool https://www.facebook.com/ZooATL/videos/ ... 250238553/
Daddy Yang Photos from ZA video above ^ click bigger >
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:52 pm
by queenie
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Shauna D
April 27, 2018
Recently, we changed and added a few new logs to the hammock dayroom’s structure. We are constantly trying to change and improve the giant pandas’ environments, and by adding new logs, we add new climbing and resting opportunities as well as new smells. So far Yang Yang is the only one who has had a chance to explore the new logs, although not surprisingly, he was more interested in his bamboo shoots.
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
(photo by Shauna)
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 8:04 pm
by queenie
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Xi Lun ~~ Ya Lun
Have you ever wondered why it sometimes takes the giant pandas a little longer than usual before they are out in their habitats in the morning? One of the possible reasons is that they may be passing a mucous stool or mucoid. Mucous stools are not an uncommon occurrence with giant pandas. Scientists aren’t sure why it occurs, but every so often giant pandas (and red pandas) will shed the mucus lining of their gut and pass that mucus-taffy-like lining through their intestinal tract. This behavior has also been documented in wild giant pandas, so we know it’s normal. When a giant panda passes a mucous stool, the whole process usually takes about six hours. We know this from previous research studies where we’ve determined what enters the stomach comes out the other end about six hours later! When giant pandas (and red pandas) pass mucous stools, they sleep a little longer and aren’t interested in doing much. Once the panda has passed a mucous stool, they will quickly return to their normal behaviors of eating, sleeping, and playing. We do not see mucous stools in cubs, as their diet is mainly mother’s milk, but we start to see them with sub-adults once their diet becomes almost exclusively bamboo. That all being said, Ya Lun has reached another “milestone,” because yesterday she passed her first mucous stool. Moral of the story: If you hear from one of our wonderful Docents or Volunteers that one of the pandas is “sleeping in,” now you know what may be going on! Give it a little time and check back, because that panda will soon be up and eating fresh bamboo, waiting for your visit!
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals
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Luns Around the Den
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Xi Lun looks like doing splits in big picture {but something behind her} ~~ Ya Lun in last 2 s'caps, trying to get Xi Lun's boo & then they settle down to eat together ~they are both in every s'cap, even in the 1st one, bottom right, this side of tire

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

Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 7:32 pm
by queenie
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Ever since I changed job titles and moved out of the animal areas and into the Administration Building, I don’t get to spend nearly as much time with the animals as I used to. I try and get to all the mammal areas to see the animals as much as I can, but there is always so much to do, and I can’t get there as much as I want. Due to this, some of the animals simply aren’t used to me coming to see them every day anymore, and some of them become shy when I arrive. This is the same behavior that they show when they are around newer people. This is not the case with Yang Yang, however. Whenever I am able to make it down to giant pandas to work the routine with the care team, or am just simply checking in, Yang Yang is always there to say “hello.”
Today was one of those days. I arrived early in the morning to lend a hand with the morning’s activities, and when I made it back to Yang Yang, he was up and waiting. Just by looking at him, I knew from experience that he was in a playful mood. All Yang Yang wanted to do this morning was play. It was just like old times. We started with a game of follow-the-leader, panda style, and after he tired of that we finished it up with a nice long tug-of-war.
Unlike some of the other care team members, I do not let him win. I don’t win every time, but I have won my share. Regardless of who wins, I do know that I have always spent more energy than he has. It may be him who actually lets me win at times to keep me engaged. Who knows with this guy. I wouldn’t put it past him. I guess I should include that all of these play activities are always done with a mesh barrier between us. We are never actually in the same space with Yang Yang or the other pandas when they would like to play. That would not be a fun game. The tug-of-war match today ended in what I would call a draw. Yang Yang actually bit the rope in half, effectively ending the game. After a bit of hard play, there is nothing better than a nice treat to help you relax. I went back to the cooler and grabbed him the largest shoot that I could find, and he was more than happy to accept it. It always makes me smile when I see that look of sheer contentment on his face after a good match. I am sure that if I had a mirror at the time, his look of contentment would probably reflect my own.
Kenn Harwood
Assistant Curator of Mammals

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

Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 8:08 pm
by queenie
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Shauna D
May 4, 2018

Ya Lun, Xi Lun and Lun Lun have moved to the next step since Ya Lun and Xi Lun were weaned two months ago. They can now be housed next to each other during the day. Even if the twins or Lun Lun vocalize, the other shows no reaction. This further shows us that the cubs are growing up!
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
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Our Big Girls ~ Weaned 2 Mos. Ago & Proud of Gr8 Mama Lun Too :hooray: :hug:
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 9:21 pm
by queenie
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^ click 2X biggest ~ Daddy Yang is up to it again, playing with someone else today = Danica W.
I know we just had a giant panda update about Yang Yang, but with how playful he has been recently, it’s hard not to write about him every day! Lun Lun spent the majority of yesterday afternoon sleeping, and the girls munched down a bunch of bamboo shoots yesterday morning, so they also spent most of the day napping. As always, the best piece of bamboo (or shoot) in their habitat is the one their sister already has, so they wore themselves out wrestling as well.
Yang Yang was up when I arrived, and when I went near his den to tell him good morning, he jumped up, grabbed his pseudothumb in his mouth, and shook his head back and forth. In Yang Yang language, that means he wants to play! After reading Kenn’s recent update, I was hopeful Yang Yang would still be in a playful mood when I was in the giant panda building this week. We spent a good bit of time playing chase, peek-a-boo, and tug-of-war (all with a protective barrier between us, of course) while the lady pandas slept in. For some different play, we also created a very light mist of water in Yang Yang’s den, and opened up the door to a neighboring area so he could choose to go away from the water easily if he wanted to. We were happy to see that Yang Yang loved the mist and immediately began self-anointing in the water. Once he had enough of that, we got out the bubble machine, and he had a good time chasing bubbles and popping them in his mouth. These play sessions with Yang Yang are one of my absolute favorite parts of my job. I’m telling you, nothing puts a smile on your face quite like starting your Monday off with that goofball.
It was safe to say that Yang Yang was ready for a snack and a long nap after his playful morning. He was pretty worn out!
Danica W.
Swing Keeper I, Mammals

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From ZA Facebook ~ Photo & Some Comments >
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^ Daddy Yang ~ click 2X biggest
Karen Strickland Yang always puts a smile on my face, whether he’s eating, sleeping or turning flips. 😁 Thanks for this fun update, Danica!

Jeanette Deines Love this update! He is still so playful and interactive!! 😍🐼😍

Patty Tomolonis I would love to see a video of that interaction!! Once time they did post a short video of tug of war and it was adorable!!
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5/4/18 za ~ Xi Lun Down Rest-Eating :cloud9: & Ya Lun Up Rest-Sleeping :offtobed:
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