Edinburgh's Head Panda Keeper @ BFX
Edinburgh Zoo’s head of Giant Pandas, Alison McLean, is currently over in Bifengxia Panda Base getting to know two VIPs – very important pandas – Tian Tian and Yang Guang. Here are some updates:
“Day 2 working with the Pandas and their keeper. On both days i have been shadowing their keeper and helping him to look after them. They are both active in the early mornings when fresh bamboo is given and after 11 both go off to sleep for a while, usually until the next feed at 2pm. The male Yang Guang is a gentle giant and good at his training. The female Tian Tian is quiet and reserved and eates all her food very delicately. Their keeper spends all day with them from start to finish and records all their feeding and behaviour so they know him (and hopefully, soon me too,) very well and come to him when he calls.”
“Today was quite an exciting day for me as it was the first day since I’ve been working with the pandas that they were weighed. The female took a little bit of coaxing to get on the scales but its amazing what a small piece of apple will do. Both the pandas decided on a lazy day today and after each feed either lay down outside or climbed into their baskets for a sleep, and i spent most of the day just observing them. This was also the first day that Tian Tian, the female, allowed me to place a carrot directly into her paw and she then curled her paw around it and munched away happily. She was not, however very impressed with the bamboo that was delivered so Scott (her keeper) and i trekked over the hill to find and cut a particular bamboo that he knew she would like.”
“Today was also kinda sad for me as i had to say goodbye to some volunteers that i had gotten to know since i came here. They all work or are affiliated with Pandas in some way and many had come to see Pandas that had been born in their zoo, and had then gone back to the centre. We all swapped emails etc and some have said they will make the trip to Edinburgh to see our pair at some point in the future. Its nice when so far away from home, to meet so many like minded people.”
“Today it rained continuously at the centre, which is hardly surprising since Ya’an means the ‘rainy city’. It was not the torrential rain i expected but a drizzly, mist soaked rain that made everything damp very quickly. It also got very cold in the afternoon when the mist came down into the gorge where the panda centre is situated. It did not, however, affect the pandas one bit, and thinking about it realistically, why should it. They went about heir normal business of chomping bamboo, sleeping, pooping (absolutely loads…as anyone who knows pandas will relate to) . Both were in fine spirits and came in to see what i was up to every time i entered the house. After lunch myself and their keeper went on a bamboo hunt through the gorge to try to find some special bamboo for the female Tian Tian. By the time we returned we were soaked but happy that we had found some to her liking.”
Source: Edinburgh Zoo
