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

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

Post by queenie » Wed May 09, 2018 4:07 pm

2018-05-09_175956.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ Xi Lun (left) Ya Lun (right)
Ya Lun and Xi Lun took a long time to become comfortable with being outside when they were still with Mom. Because of this, they had not yet had a chance to explore Habitat 2 (the bigger outdoor area) …until now!
Since being weaned, they have really enjoyed being outside in Habitat 1, so we decided to let them explore Habitat 2. We shifted them through a “tunnel” in the back of the building that all pandas walk through to get to Habitat 2. This was a brand-new space for them, so we expected lots of sniffing and a little bit of hesitancy. Xi Lun, the more timid of the two, took quite a bit of coaxing to go through the tunnel and into the habitat, where she was even more timid. Eventually, after about 10 minutes, she settled down and started eating some bamboo shoots. Her sister, on the other hand, had zero problem walking through the tunnel and exploring every inch of the outdoor space! She is known for being more bold and adventurous. She even made some pit-stops to eat bamboo shoots and decided to carry a piece around in her mouth as she explored!
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Fri May 11, 2018 8:44 pm

2018-05-11_224036.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Right now is the peak of bamboo shoot season. We are feeding Yang Yang, Lun Lun, Ya Lun and Xi Lun almost exclusively bamboo shoots! During shoot season, wild giant pandas only consume bamboo shoots, and can eat up to 80 pounds of them per day. Bamboo shoots are dense and packed with nutrition. We primarily feed shoots from the species Henon (Pyllostachys nigra ‘henon’), which you can see has filled up our bamboo cooler. Because the giant pandas do not eat the adult Henon bamboo very well, we can harvest the shoots instead. We do not want to harvest bamboo shoots of bamboo that the pandas eat regularly, because we need that bamboo to mature to feed the pandas in future years. Sadly, shoot season doesn’t last long, but the pandas sure do enjoy it while it lasts!
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Carnivores
(photo by Heather R.)
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Sun May 20, 2018 9:49 pm

2018-05-20_234537.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ Ya Lun on left~Xi Lun on right (up-swept eye-patch)
Shauna D
May 18, 2018
Where did this heat come from? I thought it was still spring for a little longer, but Georgia seems to have other plans. As we have mentioned before, giant pandas are built to handle the cold more than the heat. Luckily, we have to two indoor, climate-controlled spaces and a nice, air-conditioned behind-the-scenes space for them to keep cool. We try to rotate who spends the day behind-the-scenes, however. Yang Yang seems to enjoy it more so than the others, so he tends to get a few extra days back there each week. While behind-the-scenes, the pandas are seeing us even more often as we are constantly walking back and forth in front of them, so naturally, we talk to them and usually offer a few of their leafeater biscuits. Don’t tell the pandas, ;) but they are getting the same amount of leafeater biscuits, regardless of whether they are in the dayrooms or behind-the-scenes. :grlol;
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5-18-18 za luns boo.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
:huggie:
5-18-18 za luns boo 2.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Mon May 21, 2018 10:18 pm

:wave: Lonette, Debs, JudyB & IrishEyes & all :pan: PALS

:vid:5/21/18 ~ My Dear Friend Come To Me ~ 6.15 min. < Video link

5/21/18 ~ My Dear Friend Come To Me ~ 6.15 min.
Ya Lun is resting on the triangle-structure, while Xi Lun is wandering around the den out of cam view. Xi comes into view and heads through the open gate, and visits Keepers in the back room (maybe wanting some extra treats like the last ZA update said). She goes in and out a couple times while Ya periodically keeps an eye on her, and Xi goes to treat-window back in the den and even tries to climb in through it (raising her hind leg up to it) ~ she's a spunky girl! When they close the gate with Xi on the other side of it ~ this gets Ya's attention she is shut-out, alone, and so she slowly starts down the structure to follow Xi Lun, (it was time for the den-change).
click all bigger >
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2018-05-21_225619.jpg
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Tue May 22, 2018 5:25 pm

2018-05-22_191630.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Erin Day
May 21, 2018
Hello from Panda Land! While I got to spend some time with the giant pandas one day last week, it had been a while before that since I last worked this routine. Not only are Xi Lun and Ya Lun fully weaned, but we are also in the heart of bamboo shoot season. On top of that, we have new animal care interns starting to train in our areas. Added all up, it was a bit of a different (but rather nice) day! While Yang Yang wasn’t so sure about the shoots we offered him this morning, all of the ladies were content to eat and sleep the morning away. I’ve been a bit spoiled in much of my time in the giant panda area in that mostly the interns I’ve worked with have been previously trained by the primary giant panda care team. They know what they’re doing and jump in where needed. Today I got to show our new intern the ropes on her first day, and while I’ve done that for more interns than I can count in the carnivore area, this was a first for me here. While I know the primary team will definitely have more detailed information for her, our new intern and I had a good day while we cleaned, prepared diets, and weighed out a whole bunch of bamboo shoots. With a visit to see Idgie the red panda rounding out the afternoon, I think we had a pretty successful day.
Erin D.
Keeper II, Mammals
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Tue May 29, 2018 10:34 am

2018-05-29_123337.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Shauna D
May 25, 2018
All is pretty status quo with the giant pandas. We are still feeding them exclusively bamboo shoots, which makes for some fat and happy pandas. Yang Yang is hanging out around the 135-140 kilogram (297-308 pounds) mark. Lun Lun is hovering around the 110-115 kilogram (242-253 pounds) mark. The twins are around 46-49 kilograms, or 101.2-107.8 pounds, with Ya Lun being the heavier of the two.
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
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2018-05-29_123316.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Jen W
May 23, 2018
When it comes to bamboo shoots, the twins are 100 percent their mother’s daughters! These two have bottomless pits for stomachs when it comes to shoots! They literally ate for eight hours straight the other day before they fell asleep. Of course what comes in must come out later, so they’re leaving quite the mess for us to clean up as well. Sub-adult giant pandas are well-known for being less picky with their food, likely because they’re still growing and need all the calories they can get. These girls, however, take it to a whole new level! That being said, we sure are happy all of the-black-and-white bears are enjoying bamboo shoot season!
Jen W.
Keeper II, Mammals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zoo Atlanta‏ ~ May 28
Today on Memorial Day, we remember and honor all those who have lost their lives in the service of our nation. Enjoy and appreciate your family and loved ones today, and thank the members of our U.S. Armed Forces for all they do.
2018-05-29_124026.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Tue May 29, 2018 8:46 pm

Little Luns Today Around the Den :huggie:
5-29-18 za luns inside.jpg
^ 2X biggest ~ 5/29/18 :rh:
5-29-18 za luns inside 2.jpg
^ 2X biggest ~ 5/29/18 :cloud9:
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Mon Jun 04, 2018 9:17 am

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^ click 2X biggest
One of my favorite things about giant pandas is the fact that the more uncomfortable they look, the more comfortable they actually are! One of the best examples is when the pandas sleep. The twins are known for perching themselves in such awkward positions on the climbing structures that look anything but comfortable. Yet they will remain in that position for the duration of their nap! The adults are equally as quirky, but seeing as how they are much bigger, those awkward positions are usually on the ground. Yang Yang loves to squish himself between objects, like a log and the viewing windows of the dayrooms, or the side of his platform scale (permanent fixture in two of our night dens) and a wall. He has ample space available to him, yet he prefers to get all cozy in a corner. Side note: The giant pandas don’t like haybeds! We offer them on occasion, but they merely push the offending material out of the way and sleep on the cool floor. They are truly unique creatures of habit! (Pictured is Lun Lun, thinking about a nap …)
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5-31-18 za luns sleep and eat together.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ Luns Sleep (from update above) and Eat Together






`
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:29 pm

6/6/18~Ya Lun Eating Boo, & then Goes to Sleep Under Boo(other-Xi Lun under her asleep on the ground), & then Xi Lun Joins Her Up There :offtobed: :rh: :huggie: (still about update ^ above =how some positions that look uncomfortable, like under boo stalks are the most comfy for them)
6-6-18~za 1 lun eating boo, sleep under boo, lun joins her.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:24 pm

2018-06-11_152413.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Erin Day
June 8, 2018
Bamboo shoot season is coming to a close, and I’m glad I was scheduled in the giant panda area once more before it disappears and it’s back to regular bamboo for the pandas. I’m still getting the hang of figuring out all the different species of bamboo, so feeding out so many shoots made the routine easier for me. The adult pandas have been getting a bit pickier about eating the shoots, but we had a fairly good day the other day. I got to close the area and have a little quiet time with the giant pandas at the end of the day.
Erin D.
Keeper II, Mammals
2018-06-11_153438.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ ZA full photo from above
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:55 pm

2018-06-11_185126.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
One of the giant pandas’ favorite non-food enrichment items are various scents. We have tried many smelly substances over the years. Some scents elicit no response, but we have found quite a few that the pandas respond to every time we offer them. Any scents offered to the giant pandas (and to all other species at the Zoo) are of course pre-approved first by our Veterinary Team as being safe for use.
When the giant pandas enjoy a scent, they like to roll in it and rub it on themselves. We call this behavior “self-anointing.” Many of these scents are well-known among our panda’ fans – cinnamon, vanilla extract, Tabasco sauce – but others may be a surprise. The giant pandas also enjoy the scents of isopropyl alcohol, white vinegar, and allspice. Here you can see Yang Yang’s reaction when he discovered some Tabasco on his weeble.
Heather R.
Senior Keeper, Mammals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
https://twitter.com/i/status/1006280067213905920 41 seconds of Yang anointing himself on a weeble ball :grlol;
Zoo Atlanta
‏Pandas sure do like some interesting smells, especially Yang Yang!
6-11-18 yang scent video 41sec.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ Yang enjoying scent and anointing himself with his favorite scent, probably Tabasco, from above video
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by JudyB » Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:07 pm

Wonderful reports and pictures - thanks so much, queenie!

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

Post by queenie » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:32 pm

:wave: Judy :ty: They are all such characters, hope I get to see these adorable twins before too long at the zoo, and been missing Daddy Yang & Mama Lun too :rh:
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:55 am

2018-06-15_115204.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Shauna D
June 13, 2018
Well, it’s official. Bamboo shoot season is over. With the end of shoot season comes the transition back to adult bamboo. Going from shoots that are much more nutritious and desirable to adult bamboo is always a tough transition for everyone involved. Starting at our fantastic Bamboo Team who now have to search all around North Georgia for stands of bamboo that meet the giant pandas’ strict standards. All the way to the pandas who don’t seem to understand that shoots are only available for a limited amount of time. During this transition stage we can do a number of things to encourage eating, including increasing the frequency that they are fed. In a few days, when the transition is complete, the pandas will forget all about shoots and will be eating bamboo like champs again.
Shauna
Keeper II, Mammals
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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Re: Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta ~ Lun Lun-Yang-Ya Lun & Xi Lun Family

Post by queenie » Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:32 am

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^ click 2X biggest
As expected, the giant pandas accepted that bamboo shoot season was over and settled down and became satisfied with “regular bamboo.” The twins took the longest to start liking regular bamboo, but now everyone is finally content. Whew!
We knew bamboo shoot season would end, of course, because it’s only one short season a year. The first few days of transitioning back to regular bamboo are always a bit challenging, because the pandas don’t understand that we’re out of the delicious shoots. But after about a week, they settle down with a species or two of bamboo. During this transition, we make good use of our “bamboo” cue, by which we ask the bears to take a bite of bamboo for a leafeater biscuit. It’s one way to ensure that they’re eating their natural diet.
Jen W.
Keeper III, Mammals
2018-06-20_093726.jpg
^ click 2X biggest ~ another ZA photo on facebook for above ^ update
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Wake-Up There's Boo in the Next Den
6-15-18 za wake-up boo in next den.jpg
^ click 2X biggest
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? ~ ASV Matt. 6:26
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