8:22 p.m. 2003-09-27
The Bitch says: Panda Care
Ok, I lied yesterday. I did watch a movie but I didn't sleep. I finally fell asleep about 8am this morning. This is becoming a habit.
For those who don't know, I am a practictioner of an earth-based religion and am obsessed with the plight of animals in this world. Because of that I also am obsessed with The Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. Since I was awake again, I watched a really interesting program on the Animal Planet tonite.
It was filmed at the Wolong Nature Reserve and Breeding Center in China. They are doing amazing things for the pandas in China. Because of them the birthrate is up and the pandas are making somewhat of a come back.
I was really surprised to learn how fragile a pregnant panda is. Outside of the breeding center they push any trucks or tractors and talking near the center is restricted to whispers. It seems that a pregnant panda can miscarry due to almost any reason including noise.
If humans were like that we'd be endangered too.
The name panda means "giant cat bear" and they name them with double names (like Li-Li or Chin-Chin) as a sign of respect and affection.
They are using both artificial insemmination along with natural mating(for some of the females...some won't mate with the male) to boost the chances of the female becoming pregnant because they are only fertile 2 days out of the year.
A great many of the female pandas reject their cubs either from inexperience or just don't want them.....which is where the breeding center staff comes in and plays foster mosther and cares for the cubs.
What I thought was really cool was one first time mother...Lucy....had no idea how to care for her cub. She was close to rejecting him (yeah, male...pretty rare) and the staff showed her videotapes of panda mothers caring for their cubs....feeding them, cleaning them, the whole bit. She watched it a couple of times and then, she learned how to care for her baby and was doing a great job.
Maybe some human mothers and fathers would do good to watch a video but, they probably wouldn't learn as well as Lucy did.
Have a good evening.......
I"M OUTTA HERE
