PANDAS ~ 2011 & 2013

bev. · **Posted:** Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:37 pm

I remember years ago when i watched my first Panda cub. How i loved it, now life too busy.

I am going to have to fix that part of my life.

Beth · **Posted:** Sat Jul 20, 2013 8:47 pm

So darn cute-thanks everyone for all the news!!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

7/22 Update:

Can Lun Lun tell the cubs apart?

I don’t think Lun Lun can tell the cubs apart and I don’t think she realizes that she is caring for two cubs. Giant pandas do not seem to have a mechanism for differentiating between cubs. They do not even differentiate between their own cubs and cubs from other females. Our colleagues in Chengdu have been able to take great advantage of this. Because they have several females who give birth around the same time, if one mother does not care for her cub it can be given to an experienced mother who will care for it just like her own cub. I have watched mothers in Chengdu care for two cubs of their own and two cubs from another female. All four cubs were alternated with the mother. The cubs can even be quite different in size and age and the mother will still accept them. This surrogate method has helped many cubs survive and be raised by a mother rather than humans.
It may seem strange that a female would waste energy caring for cubs that aren’t hers. But it makes sense that giant pandas would not have evolved a mechanism to differentiate between cubs. They are solitary in the wild and a mother would normally never come in contact with another female’s cub. So, there is no reason for the ability to tell cubs apart to have evolved. That ability is common in social living species but not in solitary species. There have been studies on wild polar bears that have found mothers accompanied by yearling cubs that were unrelated to the mothers. So, polar bear mothers also don’t seem to have the ability to differentiate their cubs from another female’s cubs. The authors think that the mix up occurred when polar bear mothers congregated around found sources, like a garbage area, the cubs would sometimes leave with the wrong mother and the mother didn’t notice. Like giant pandas, polar bear mothers are normally alone with their cubs and would not encounter another female’s cubs. But with changes to the polar bears’ environment and the need to exploit other food sources, some polar bears are coming into contact with each other more than is typical for the species.

When Lun Lun’s twins are around four months old, they will be able to walk and follow Lun Lun. From then on, they can be with Lun Lun at the same time. Then I think she will realize there are two cubs. I don’t think that will faze her one bit. She will take it all in stride, like she has everything else, and continue to be an outstanding mom.
Rebecca Snyder, PhD
Curator of Mammals

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:10 pm

Thank you SGB!

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:57 pm

Westend old bird · **Joined:** Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:01 pm **Posts:** 958

Thank You Carly and SGB on the updates.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

Thanks Carly!!!

gigi · **Posted:** Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:13 pm

Panda cubs have such long tails! Keeper Jennifer Andrew helps us understand why:

"Newborn pandas have long tails relative to their body length.
As a panda cub grows, the rest of the body will grow at a faster rate than the tail does.
This means that the tail becomes proportionally smaller as the rest of the body gets larger.
Over time, the proportion changes, and the tail length compared to the body size will be normal.
In other words, they just need some time to 'grow into' their tails!"

Thanks, Jennifer! Can't wait to see the cubs grow into their tails!

Rebecca Snyder, PhD, Curator of Mammals, has been monitoring Lun Lun’s behavior:

“Lun Lun started putting the cubs down two nights ago.
The smaller cub let his mom know that he wasn’t ready for that and called loudly until she picked him back up.
The larger cub was okay with this next step in his development.
He was quiet when Lun Lun put him down and she was able to leave him briefly.
This is a sign to us that Lun Lun is ready to leave the cubs for short periods of time to eat.
Today we started putting her food in the adjacent den.
She now has access to this den and can choose to go over there to eat whenever she is hungry.
We have done this when Lun Lun was caring for her previous cubs, and it works quite well.
The cubs will get used to being put down and left for short periods.
Then Lun Lun will gradually increase the time that she spends away from the cubs.
This is normal giant panda maternal behavior.
This makes cub swapping easier, too.”

Thanks, Rebecca! It’s good to hear that Lun Lun and the cubs are doing well.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

Cute overload....thanks gigi!!! :flirty:

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:16 am

Thanks guys for all the wonderful updates and pics...
To much cuteness :flirty:

Beth · **Posted:** Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:12 pm

Thanks Carly-ohmygosh = cute!!

gigi · **Posted:** Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:52 pm

I never thought of the little guys being referred to as litter mates rather than twins. Interesting.
And oh are they cute and looking more like pandas everyday. :flirty:

Thanks for the update carly!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

Thanks for the update, Carly....they are looking so cute!!!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

The latest Cub Confidential...with some adorable pics:

gigi · **Posted:** Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:26 pm

Loved the picture of cubby being handed back to LunLun. Really gives the size perspective. :flirty:

mwplay · **Joined:** Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:15 am **Posts:** 10249

National Zoo panda may be pregnant

One of Washington’s most famous couples may be expecting.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is hoping Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, their giant pandas, may have a new cub on the way. Mei Xiang began showing hormonal changes and sensitivity to noise that may indicate she is pregnant — or experiencing a false pregnancy, which is common for pandas.

"You can't tell from her behavior,” said Rebecca Snyder, curator of mammals for Zoo Atlanta. “The only sure way to tell is, she either gives birth or if you get lucky, you may get an ultrasound image."

The zoo closed the area around Mei Xiang’s den to the public to help keep that part of the panda house quiet to accommodate her noise sensitivity.

National Zoo vets, who had Mei Xiang artificially inseminated in March, noticed a spike in her hormones last Friday. They will continue to conduct ultrasounds regularly on her but giant panda fetuses do not start developing until the final weeks of gestation, the zoo said in a statement.

Gestation for a giant panda takes 40 to 50 days.

Mei Xiang has given birth to two cubs, one in 2005 and another one that died last September a week after it was born.

Only four American zoos have endangered giant pandas, all of them on loan from China. The San Diego Zoo's panda Xiao Liwu celebrated his first birthday Monday with a giant cake.

Two weeks ago, Zoo Atlanta celebrated a rarity when they welcomed baby panda twins.

"There haven't been twins born in the US for 25 years,” Snyder said.

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 63650

Thanks for that info, Mwplay....I sure do have my fingers crossed for them...It was so sad to have lost the cub last year..

gigi · **Posted:** Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:24 pm

Maybe a triple :loveshow:

panda-play this year! How fun. Thanks Mwplay!

gigi · **Posted:** Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:21 pm

And just look at those teeny tiny claws :flirty:

Beth · **Posted:** Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:05 am

I just love these two sweethearts = A & B :))!!

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