I managed to work with the Pandas!
Not really. I just get to work for the pandas. I really am quite confused on why people were putting so much emphasis on Pandas while there were other animals in the zoo that needs attending to. The issue with this Zoo is that there is a shortage in Vet. Bringing to the point where there are two oryxes in the Savannah that needs attention had been ignored for such a long time. Poor things were moving about in their cages by using their front two knees. All that was needed to be done was to put them to a momentary sleep so that it was easier to trim their nails so that they would be able to walk properly again. I couldn't stand looking at them.. the animals had no choice but to adapt to what they have.
Okay. So these two pandas are the prized animals that symbolizes the friendship between Malaysia and China. The only thing I could do to help in the Panda section was to usher visitors, answer any questions they may have regarding the pandas, and then shoo them out of the observation area after 20 minutes. Those who were working here in the observation area had to stand from 9am up until 5pm daily with only one hour rest in between. It is probably the most tiring thing I have done in this zoo as it involves human interaction and you have to be really patient with the visitors that come by for visits.
The complaints that visitors give were the fact that they only get to see the pandas for 15 minutes and 98% of the time, the pandas were sleeping. While they are in the observation area, we had to constantly remind every batch of visitors to keep quiet and turn off their flash on their cameras. I am not sure if these two factors really does cause some discomfort to the pandas, but I'd understand that the sound would echo and could be irritating to the pandas.
Some facts about the pandas; they eat about 30kg of selected bamboo per day. They require 24 hours care from the keepers (I don't understand why. The pandas seem pretty fragile in that sense). Five keepers and two vets would take turns with the around the clock observation of the pandas The keepers can be seen in the observation deck observing the pandas. BUT there was pretty much nothing to see, because the panda was either eating or sleeping. For the whole working hours I had there, the pandas would only be awake about 3 to 4 times per day and that would only last for about 10 to 20 minutes before they end up dozing off again. This observation/enclosure building is air conditioned, to provide the pandas a close imitation of the temperature at their home. Sometimes the pandas are fed with apples, carrots and bamboo cakes (some formulated cake with blended bamboo and added nutrients for the pandas). What else? Their poo is yellow and dry, which explains that their diet, the bamboo isn't really that nutritious for the pandas, as it could not be digested. Which sort of explains why they would spend their time sleeping most of the time, and would only be seen active when they are feeling hungry and would eat.
Pandas have the ability to give birth to twins. The only problem is that the mother does not have the ability to take care of two babies at once, hence only one baby would survive each time. What the conservation does is that they would take one of the baby into their care and would swap this baby with the one the mother is caring from time to time, so that the mother will be able to care for both babies at the same time.. which increases the chances of the baby survival. Pandas are also territorial animals, whereby they will pee and mark their territory for two reasons; 'I am here, don't bother coming here' or 'I am a female'. The pandas here in this zoo are separated.. But since they have only been here for a month, they have passed their mating season which is from March to May. I don't know if they will be put together after they are completely settled down here. But until then, they will definitely be separated. These pandas sort of acknowledge the keepers when they are being called, but I guess they could be lazy and refused to listen from time to time depending on their moods. Most of the time they oblige and listen to the keepers because they know they will be rewarded, and apples are sort of their treat.
There was this volunteer in Zoo Negara who apparently adopted the female panda for quite sometime now. She is an avid supporter of the panda conservation, which is something I respect. She got interested about pandas, begin researching about pandas and found www.pandasinternational.org. She initially funded Feng Yi's twin brother who had developed some kind of disease which was rare in the panda population but died soon after, she then decided to transfer her adoption to Feng Yi (the female panda in Zoo Negara). Her name is Chet Chen, if I am not mistaken. A fellow Malaysian who has traveled to China more than a couple of times, just to be involved and to help the pandas conservation in whatever way she could think of.
Back to the visitors.. They get really amused when the panda decides to change position when it sleeps. They would clap out of amusement. There was no way in stopping them from being excited, we could only remind them to relax and keep quiet. People would complain saying that they paid so much and all they get to see was pandas sleeping, they feel as though their money was cheated. There was one visitor who I met asked me if the pandas would do shows for the people to see. It does sadden me how people don't really know what animals are, they would think that animals are just another thing on the earth that is there but serves no real purpose in life. They say how lazy these pandas are, only eating and sleeping all day. Then one or two lucky groups get to watch the pandas feed and they wouldn't want to leave the observation room when they were being asked to leave.. even when the pandas were sleeping, it was hard to get them to leave. Hrmm.. people are confusing.
No doubt about it, Pandas are adorable.
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