2006 Panda News Archives

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An active exam! (January 4, 2006)

Su Lin is now so active and playful that keepers had to give her various toys to play with during her weekly exam on January 4. It took a cardboard box, an apple, and some hard plastic Boomer balls to keep her in one place! Our little panda now weighs 16.2 pounds (7.3 kilograms).

Weighing time is play time!
(January 25, 2006)

Keepers report that Su Lin considers her weigh-in time as one big play session, putting everything she can get ahold of into her mouth! She has outgrown the baby scale and is now weighed on the same scale used for the other pandas. Our growing panda cub is now 19.4 pounds (8.8 kilograms) and measures 34 inches (86.5 centimeters) long.

Climbing high! (February 3, 2006)

Su Lin has become quite the little daredevil! Now six months old, our panda cub has been exploring more nooks and crannies higher up in the trees of the exhibit she shares with her mother, Bai Yun. Don't worry, though. Her keepers say she is a careful climber, thinking before each move. She's also getting good at grasping bamboo and branches. Su Lin is spending most of her time in the trees, but can occasionally be coaxed down by a keeper shaking a piece of bamboo (she likes the sound!) and the promise of a special treat: honey and pureed apples have worked so far!

Life in the trees (February 16, 2006)

Panda youngster Su Lin, now almost seven months old, has become quite the tree dweller, spending almost all day and all night resting in her favorite branches. This is quite common for panda cubs at this age. She will come down two to four times each day to nurse, with each nursing session lasting about 15 minutes, then right back up the tree she goes! During a rare time down, keepers were able to weigh and measure the cub. She weighed 22.3 pounds (10.1 kilograms) and was 33.8 inches (86 centimeters) long.

A day in the mud (February 28, 2006)

When the rains finally came to San Diego, keepers left a pile of organic top soil in the shelter of the giant panda exhibit in anticipation that the pandas would enjoy a good roll in it while they escaped the downpour. When Su Lin finally came down from her perch in the trees to escape the intensifying storm, she did not dissapoint them as she dove in with great gusto when she discovered the huge, fresh pile. When mother Bai Yun saw her muddy youngster, she ran in for a good roll herself.

Catch as catch can (March 9, 2006)

Keepers were able to weigh and measure 7-month-old Su Lin when she briefly came down from her perch in the tree. She weighed 25 pounds (11.4 kilograms) and measured 36 inches (92 centimeters). Read about how challenging it is to measure an active panda cub!

Snagged! (March 14, 2006)

Su Lin has been spending all day up in the trees, so keepers were surprised when she came down at midday to see what her mother, Bai Yun, was up to. Wasting no time, keepers were able to bring the growing cub inside for a quick measurement session before returning her to the exhibit. Su Lin played with a large red plastic ball and some bamboo. Weight: 25.6 pounds (11.6 kilograms); length: 38.5 inches (98 centimeters).

A fruitsicle reward (March 20, 2006)

After a morning of vigorous play, Su Lin was coaxed inside for a weigh-in session (27 pounds or 12.3 kilograms). Because she had played so hard, Su Lin wasn't quite so squirmy this time. Her reward for cooperating with keepers? A yummy fruitsicle!

Playtime with keepers (April 25, 2006)

Much to the delight of our keepers, Su Lin is now coming down from her tree more often to play with them. Her idea of a good time right now is to grab onto a keeper's leg. To give the playful 8-month-old another outlet for her energy, the keeper will bring a special treat: perhaps a small plastic bucket with a drop of honey or a mini pureed apple fruitsicle. Apparently, Su Lin has quite the sweet tooth these days! When she's ready to climb back up her tree, Su Lin is given a stalk of bamboo to take with her, which she uses to practice her bamboo-handling skills.

Setting up a routine (May 5, 2006)

Su Lin's keepers are trying to get the 9-month-old cub into a morning routine of coming down from her tree for a bit. Her reward could be a bit of honey, a small fruitsicle, or a back scratch! We hope to have snow for Su Lin to play in May 14, so she needs to learn to come down from the tree and into her bedroom so the snow can "fall!"

Playtime with mom (June 12, 2006)

Su Lin has been coming down from her tree each day to play with her mother, Bai Yun. These rambunctious play sessions include wrestling, play biting, and chasing. Bai Yun also likes to flip Su Lin over! Playtime usually happens early morning or early afternoon. Our little girl is also becoming more interested in her mom's bamboo, and can sometimes be seen next to Bai (in the bamboo pile) mouthing bamboo. Su Lin, now 10 months old, weighs 40 pounds (18.2 kilograms).

Bamboo tastings (June 16, 2006)

Our volunteer observers note bamboo feeding from the Su Lin every now and then, when they catch her awake. She also enjoys snacking on her mother’s leaf eater biscuits or veggies when she can get them. However, she is not yet capable of sustaining herself without milk. In the next few months she’ll develop greater proficiency with bamboo, and by 18 months she’ll be ready to wean.

Cooling off (July 7, 2006)

Su Lin, now 11 months old, loves playing in a mist from the hose the keepers use when cleaning her exhibit. She loves to swat at the spray and drink from it, and she loves to have her belly sprayed to soaking on warm days. Not only is she making better attempts at consuming bamboo, she is slowly but surely eating some of the leaf eater biscuts as well. Su Lin now weighs 47 pounds (19.9 kilograms).

Happy Birthday, Su Lin! (August 2, 2006)

Our "little bit of something very cute" celebrated her first birthday in style today with a special ice sculpture cake and her name spelled out in big iced letters. Both Su Lin and mom Bai Yun enjoyed the cool treats and extra attention. The birthday girl weighs 48.3 pounds (21.9 kilograms).

A busy young panda (August 30, 2006)

Now that she's one year old, Su Lin has become much more active, spending less time in the trees and more time playing with her mom's enrichment items: the spin feeder and burlap sacks. She is still nursing, but continues to show interest in that bamboo stuff. However, her favorite treat continues to be fruitsicles made with apple puree! Keepers note that Su Lin, is becoming more independent, yet enjoys late afternoon play sessions with Bai Yun. Su Lin now weighs 50.7 pounds (23 kilograms).

At home in the trees (October 10, 2006)

Su Lin has decided that nighttime is for playtime and daytime is for taking long, luxurious naps in the trees. Her keepers note that she continues to eat more bamboo while still nursing a couple of times a day. The 14-month-old cub weighs 56 pounds (25.4 kilograms).

Training begins (December 22, 2006)

Leaf eater biscuits have been added to Su Lin's diet and she loves them! This is great for the keepers, too, as they can use the biscuits as rewards during Su Lin's basic training. The 16-month-old panda is learning to respond to the sound of a clicker: when she hears the clicker, she gets a treat. This is great fun! Our panda youngster now weighs 69 pounds (31.3 kilograms).