From Cub Confidential re Po and Xi LanPo"Rebecca Snyder, PhD, Curator of Mammals, received news on how Xi Lan and Po are adjusting at the Chengdu Research Base. She wanted to share this exclusive update with Cub Confidential:
“Xi Lan and Po are doing very well in their new home. Po has settled down. She is calmer now and eating more of the local cuisine, which includes the Research Base’s own biscuit recipe and different species of bamboo. Xi Lan was mostly unfazed by the whole experience and has continued to eat well and be his usual easygoing self. We are missing them, but we are also happy that they are entering an important new phase in their lives. I am already looking forward to next spring when I hope both of them will have the opportunity to meet potential mates.
We have received some questions about the Chengdu Research Base recently. One recurring question is if the Research Base has reintroduced any giant pandas to the wild. The Research Base staff has not done this, yet, but they are working toward it. A new facility has been built about an hour outside of Chengdu. Part of this facility houses giant pandas born at the Chengdu Research Base who will continue to be part of the captive breeding population. This part of the facility is open to the public. Another much larger part of the facility is not open to the public. The Research Base staff are planning to prepare young giant pandas for reintroduction there. The planning is underway, but there aren’t any giant pandas in this part of the facility, yet.”
Thanks, Rebecca! We can’t wait to hear news about Mei Lan, Xi Lan and Po potentially breeding!"
Xi Lan