Vacation @ Chengdu Panda Base-20

Hello everyone!

Today, I went to the Sunshine Nursary
to take care of the 7 new born babies!
Dr. Zhang Zhihe, director of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
kindly gave me the permission to go inside and take pictures.

This is 二喜(ErXi), born 2010 July 26.
Today I will only upload pictures of 二喜(ErXi).
Would you like to know why?
It's because 秋浜(QiuBang) is the father!!!!
Isn't this great news?二喜(ErXi) is 秋浜(QiuBang)'s
first baby!! Congratulations 秋浜(QiuBang)！

二喜(ErXi) looks into my camera lense because he is curious
about everything he sees. 

I was following him all afternoon. And although the
babies have grown so big in the past few weeks,
they are still babies. They need to sleep a lot, especially
when it is a warm and nice weather like today.

When he sleeps, he snores and mumbles and talks.
I will upload movies when I go back to Japan.

After taking a short nap, he starts to move around
climbing tree trunks and walking around. His eyes are
sparkling, and he is very strong and active!!

He tries to stand up.
But whenever he lets go of the tree trunk,
he falls down, bumping his head on the
ground.

"Do I have resemblance to my dad 秋浜(QiuBang)?"

二喜(ErXi) bumps into my camera lense
several times! He likes playing with me.

I was so happy to hold him!
But he is so strong, he bites me and smacks me and
scratches me just like the one year old cubs!
I hope he wouldn't be too strong the next time
I come back to the Panda Base...

7 babies and me together in one picture.
二喜(ErXi) rips off my mask and talks to me in
Pandanese.

二喜(ErXi) is more than 10kg now!!
Quite heavy, but warm and fluffy.

And now I would like to introduce you
二喜(ErXi)'s father 秋浜(QiuBang).
He came to say Hi to me today with a pretty smile on his face.
He is still like a baby, and I still can't believe
that he is a father!

Tomorrow will be my last day at the Panda Base.
I will miss the Pandas so much!

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

Vacation @ Chengdu Panda Base-19

Hello everyone!

Today, I went to the Young Cubs Enclosure.
First we collected all the feces, and disinfected the floor and
equipment for the Pandas safety. My favorite keeper Mr. Tang
told me that he does this every 2~3 days, which is
hard work! It took us 2 hours to finish all the work!

After cleaning the inside enclosure,
it's everyone's favorite Show time!
It was a nice weather today,
and the tourists rushed to the Young Cub's Enclosure
as soon as Mr. Tang called the Pandas names
in a clear loud voice.
YuenZi is always aggressive, and pushes all his
friends away to get the apple.

It's good for them that they stand up a lot.
Sometimes they smack other Panda's face and
bites their feet to get rid of their rival.
I will upload movies when I go back to Japan.

From left to right, YaLin, YuenZi, ShuYun and ShuangQing.

Now it's ShuanQing's turn to be aggressive!

QuJing took a picture for me.

Next we move the 4 Pandas to another spot to
give them Panda Cakes. They follow Mr. Tang,
tripping over each other.

In the afternoon, we called them to come inside
so that we could clean the outdoor enclosure and
put out fresh bamboo. 

We gave them their afternoon shower. Mr. Tang says
that the 4 Pandas love taking a shower, but it seems that
the Pandas are trying to escape from water...
I'll have to ask the Pandas next time if they really like it
or not.

Mr. Tang with the 4 Pandas that he is taking care of.

YuenZi learned to grind his teeth using the bars.

YuenZi again, trying to get his friend YaLin's apples.

Wet 3 Pandas. YaLin missing in the back.

We collected all the left over and dry bamboo,
and brought fresh bamboo inside. On sunny days
like this, we only put a small amount of bamboo
at a time, because it will all dry so quickly.
This means that Mr. Tang does it several times
a day, so that the Pandas can enjoy fresh bamboo
all day!

This is ShuRong on the left and XiangBing on the right.
They're also Mr. Tang's Pandas.

ShuRong doing her afternoon excercise.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

Vacation @ Chengdu Panda Base-18

Hello everyone!

Today, in the afternoon I went to the
no 14 Enclosure to take care of
幸浜(XingBang) and 秋浜(QiuBang).
As I called 幸浜(XingBang)'s name, he came skipping
towards me as usual! It's his favorite Panda Cake time!

"Are you ready to give me some Panda Cakes?"

So I gave him his afternoon exercise.
The keeper Li Han told me that 幸浜(XingBang) is a
candidate for naxt years breeding program,
and in order to keep him fit and strong to be ready for
natural mating, they are going to give him excercise everyday!
WOW, to me 幸浜(XingBang) is still like a baby,
and I can't believe he is preparing to be a father!

幸浜(XingBang) is very strong and healthy,
he can stand up easily. This is not normal with every Pandas,
and some cannot stand up properly.
I am always so proud of him, and all the
tourists are happy to take pictures of 幸浜(XingBang)
when we are doing this activity.

"HAHAHA, Yummy!!"
He looks so happy with his favorite
Panda Cakes. He closes his eyes to
enjoy the taste of the Panda Cake.

"Can I have some more??"

Look at his beautiful standing pose.

"I can keep balance!"

"And I can stand straight!"

"I've had 4 Panda Cakes,
so is this all you have for me today?"

"Then I'm going to sleep"

This is also 幸浜(XingBang)'s favorite spot.
He sleeps like this. I wonder if it's comfortable...

And like this.

This is 秋浜(QiuBang) in the afternoon.
As I have mentioned in my previous blog,
his door outside is broken, and the workers
have repaired it several times.
However, 秋浜(QiuBang) got so excited,
he broke it again, and the hole was much
bigger than last time!! I think he's planning to
escape some day, to search for his girlfriend.

Today the workers were fixing 秋浜(QiuBang)'s
inside enclosure too. No 14 is so old, and they need to
repair and fix many places.

秋浜(QiuBang) with his pretty face.
"HELLLLLLOOOOOOO!! Are you ready
to give me Panda Cakes? I heard that 幸浜(XingBang)
already had his!!"

"HAHAHA, Yummy!!"

"Can I have some more??"

"This is so good!! Delicious!!"

The expression on his face makes me smile
every time. He is adorable!

I have great news about 秋浜(QiuBang),
and I will let you know before I leave Chengdu on
DEC 10.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara