Pambassador @ Zoo Madrid – March 12 & 13, 2011
I visited Zoo Madrid on March 12 &13. The cubs still are growing so fast. Po & De De play frequently with some enrichment toys, which is good for their development. They both like to play with their toys and they even have a small piece of bamboo, so they can learn how to hold their future favorite food.
As for now, their favorite food is still milk. The Chinese keepers have returned home, so the Spanish keepers are taking care of the cubs now. Gustavo Fernandez Duque was giving a bottle to Po. But first Po needed to be weighed. They now have a bigger scale to weigh the cubs, which makes it easier to keep them still. Although I must say that it isn’t always easy to ask a 6 month old panda cub to sit down. Po weighed 11 kg.
While Po received his bottle, De De stayed with their mother Hua Zui Ba.
After his time with Hua Zui Ba, De De was weighed to see how much weight he gained. Depending on this he will receive some extra milk from the keeper. De De weighed 10,9 kg and received a small bottle from Gustavo. Both De De & his keeper like it! It is wonderful to see so much dedication on the keepers face.
Bing Xing was going true some special days. Keeper Eduardo Del Val offered him an apple on a stick. It is a common panda training exercise at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. For breeding purposes, it is very important that the pandas use their behind legs. And now that we are talking about panda breeding, Bing Xing was showing some breeding behavior. He was scent-marking many times.
Hua Zui Ba, who normally will not go into oestrus this year, noticed Bing Xing’s behavior when she came out in the afternoon. This resulted in some hormonal reactions.
Keeper Rebeca Ortega is learning Po & De De how to drink water from a bowl. Not an easy job, since Po & De De think that it is much more fun to play with the water.
Zoo Madrid has prepared their outside enclosure for Po & De De. The yard is now cub-proof and they are getting used to the outside temperature. The keepers will learn the cubs how to play safely in the yard.
Po & De De will make their outside debut soon…
Grtz Pambassador Jeroen Jacobs
