pandaspandas

Bai Yun ( 白云 or 白雲) is a female giant panda, currently living at the San Diego Zoo.

Her name means ” White Cloud”.

Bai Yun was born on September 7th, 1991.

Bai Yun’s mother, Dong Dong, was wild caught and was at the Panyu Xiangjiang Wild Animal World in Guangzhou at the time of her death in 2011. Bai Yun’s father is Pan Pan (he’s also a father of Tian Tian, a male panda, living in the National Zoo in Washington).

(Dong Dong, Bai Yun’s mother).

(Pan Pan, Bai Yun’s father).

Bai Yun has been at the San Diego Zoo since September 10, 1996.

In the spring of 1999, Bai Yun was artificially inseminated from Shi Shi, the male panda at the zoo at that time. On August 21, 1999, Bai Yun gave birth to her first cub, Hua Mei, who is also the first giant panda born in the United States to survive to adulthood.

(The panda on this famous photo is, actually, that very Hua Mei :) )

Bai Yun has since given birth to five other cubs, Mei Sheng (2003), Su Lin (2005), Zhen Zhen (2007), Yun Zi (2009), and new male cub Xiao Liwu on July 29, 2012.

^{(Bai Yun and Mei Sheng, male cub)}

(Bai Yun and Su Lin, female cub)

(Bai Yun and Zhen Zhen, female cub)

(Bai Yun and Yun Zi, male cub)


(Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu, male cub. * He still hasn’t made his public debut, that’s why only web cam photos of mother and a cub together avaliable for now)

Bai Yun and these cubs’ sire, Gao Gao, are considered to be the most reproductively successful panda parents in captivity.

Bai Yun became the second oldest panda on record to give birth. Her cubs are considered to be the most surviving pandas born at a breeding facility outside the endangered species’ native China.

Bai Yun seems to be a lovely panda and a very caring mother for her cubs.

But once there happened quite an accident, involving her. She attacked her keeper, or, being more specific - she barged through a gated area at the San Diego Zoo during her morning feeding and bit a caretaker on the arm.

This behaviour may seem a bit harsh, BUT we shouldn’t forget that pandas are actually BEARS. What’s more, they’re wild animals. They have very strong teeth. So, biting for them is pretty a natural thing! Even though they look so cuddly.

But still, they are perfect. And charmy. And…oh wait, I should speak about Bai Yun’s life here!

These days Bai Yun is pretty busy with her 4 months old male cub, Xiao Liwu. He’s developing really good, being in a healthy weight of 12.5 pounds (5.7Kg) and 26.7 inches (68 cm) from nose to tail. Xiao is practicing his walking skills now. As soon as he will be strong enough for climbing, he’ll make his public debut.

(Xiao Liwu during his latest exam, Dec.4th 2012)

Being honest, I can’t wait for the day when Xiao and Bai will make their public debut together! So let’s hope it’s going to happen sometime soon!

Here is Bai Yun’s and Xiao Liwu’s PANDA CAM, where you can watch them together live (except for the time when they’re sleeping).

*I do not own any pictures or pieces of information presented there. Everything is found on different Internet sources. If you see some material that belongs to you, please let me know so that I could give accurate credits.*