National Zoo Debuts New Panda Exhibit Associated Press - (APTN) 10/12/06 08:58am UTC An expanded giant panda habitat is just part of a new exhibit set to open at The National Zoo in Washington. (Oct. 12)

News from the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat

Panda Viewing
Tickets to see the Zoo's pandas are no longer required. We regret any disappointment Zoo visitors may experience if the pandas are not on view during their visit.

October 17: Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat Opens

We all have decided that giant pandas have the most amazing media karma. The staff get lots of credit for placing their bamboo and treats in very strategic places, but when the cameras appear, the pandas move into their places to make movie magic. They were in full form for the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat and Asia Trail press preview, last Wednesday. Tai Shan satisfied the first round of cameras by choosing to walk to the front of the exhibit and eat a carrot in a full frontal and seated repose. We then watched Tai Shan climb up the cork (Phyllodendron sp.) tree located front and center of the prime viewing area, to embrace it in deep sleep, his face resting on his crossed forepaws. To our amazement, Tai held this position facing the cameras, for over an hour! Prior to this event he had spent only a short minute climbing in this very tree. In order to respond to the needs to film a panda awake, Mei Xiang held an audience by the window across from red pandas, while dining on bamboo.

During several Good Morning America segments yesterday, both Mei Xiang and Tai Shan appeared, as if under remote control, to rest or sit in perfect panda poses and eat bamboo. It is particularly nice to see Mei and Tai through the glass, only inches away from our guests. They are used to people behind glass, about three feet away, in the indoor exhibit, and do not seem to mind that there are no guardrails outdoors. This morning, at the public grand opening of the new habitat, they performed admirably as well.

Currently, Mei and Tai are in the new yards from about 8 to 10:30, so they can return to their original exhibits to be viewed by our guests. Tian goes out from about 11 to 4. After all the Asia Trail debut events end this week, we will begin to rotate the pandas into the new yards on a less predicable—and thus more stimulating—schedule. Mei and Tai will continue to be kept separate from Tian. Male pandas are not involved in the care of their cubs. They may never encounter each other in the wild.

Tian Tian’s testosterone levels are beginning to rise so he is increasingly restless and needs to wander. Tian has unfortunately also developed a stereotypical behavior that involves rocking his mouth over his forepaws and foaming from the mouth. Stereotypical behaviors are not unusual in this species an may result from early weaning and unstimulating environments. We are hoping that his having new and varied yards to explore will reduce the frequency of this behavior. Tian will also get additional enrichment and daily training sessions. He will still be separated from Mei and Tai by the mesh windows, but he is able to socialize with them. Tian will also spend a lot of time investigating Mei’s and Tai’s scent marks. Recently, we watched Mei and Tai scent mark over almost all of Tian’s marks on the back wall of his original yard (Yard 1). Tai followed Mei and scent marked with his leg cocked just like his mother.