Answers to your panda questions

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I am the proud parent of two great children; my youngest, Caitlinn, has loved pandas since she was 2 1/2 years old, when she wanted to be a panda bear herder. She is now 8, and wants to be either a veterinarian or zookeeper. Do you have any suggestions or ideas, or know of any resources, that I can use to help her reach her dream? How much, and what types of, science should I be encouraging her to read and experiment in?

Vanessa’s response: Thank you for your interest in my research.  It is wonderful to hear about young people like Caitlinn developing such a strong love of animals.  I think I serve as evidence that her dream is absolutely possible.  Growing up, I really did not have any rigorous preparation or training for what I am doing now.  Some of the experiences from my youth that I see as being instrumental in paving the way for my current endeavors include my relationship with my pets, who taught me more about animal behavior and respect for other creatures than anyone else could have and my exposure to the beauty of the outdoors through attending summer camps, camping, going on walks through the woods, and just regular outdoor play.  My parents were the ones who always encouraged me to develop my interest in animals and giant pandas in particular through providing me with an endless supply of stuffed animals, books, and also open ears to hear about what I was learning.  One book series that I remember in particular is one called Eyewitness Books.  I’m not sure if they are even published anymore, but I learned a lot about science through them.

The first panda item I ever bought was at a museum, a place that I think can foster great learning opportunities for kids.  Lots of areas now have outdoor nature centers, which I think are fabulous places to get hands-on learning about wild animals.  They might even have special programs there for kids to participate in.  Visits to zoos also helped me in keeping motivated towards my work when I was younger.  Many zoos have volunteer programs for kids to help the zookeepers, which I think are great.  I volunteered while in college and loved it, but a lot of times the volunteers can be as young as middle school age.  Farms are great places to get your hands dirty working with animals, although I was not exposed as much until later in my life.  I hear of 4-H programs being great sources of learning animal care for kids, although I myself never participated.  I also think that Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel are great sources of information for people of all ages. 

As far as school is concerned, I got a lot out of regular science class in elementary and middle school.  I remember projects that I worked on in 6th grade biology very vividly to this day and think it is important for kids to just feel free to explore science creatively.  For examples, I did my own experiment with growing plants at home, I made a replica of an animal cell using my favorite food items, and I built a giant human body with art supplies.  In high school, I would recommend taking biology and environmental science coursework, if it is offered.  When I was an undergraduate, I majored in Animal Behavior.  Other possible fields to pursue for this type of work include Zoology, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Wildlife Sciences, or a Pre-veterinary program.  But again, I really did not have any rigorous training for what I do until college, with some at the end of my high school career.  I think it is important to encourage kids to engage in their science classes at school, but it is perhaps more important that they learn through personal experiences with animals and out in nature followed up by reading or experimenting on their own about things they see and feel.  

That’s about all I can think of at the moment.  Thank you again for your interest in what I am doing.  I have attached a picture of myself and a panda for your daughter to show her that anything is possible.

Regards,
Vanessa

Olivia, a fourth grader from Tennessee, asks Vanessa about the ecosystem where pandas live:

Dear Ms. Hull, 

I’m a fourth grader in Nashville, Tennessee. My teacher told me to write a report about an ecosystem. I want to write about the ecosystem where pandas live. I was so excited to find out about you. I have always liked pandas. I have three stuffed pandas!

I’m having some trouble finding all of the information I need in books. I’ve learned a lot about the consumers and producers in China's mountains, but I can’t find any information about decomposers in the forests where pandas live. Can you help me?

Would it be okay if I tell my class about your research about pandas as part of my report? If you can help, please write back to me by Feb. 4?

Thanks a bunch,
Olivia

Vanessa’s response:

Hi Olivia,

It is wonderful to hear about your project! I am happy to hear when kids get excited about pandas and their ecosystem. Pandas are such beautiful creatures and we need lots of support and interest from kids like you to help conserve them. You can feel free to talk about my research as part of your project- I would be honored.

It's great that you were able to find out information about the consumers and producers. You are right that the decomposers are hard to find information about. Maybe it is because they are often small and not always pretty so people don't pay as much attention to them. In the panda's ecosystem, the decomposers that I think about often are the mushrooms. There are so many different kinds of mushrooms here. Sometimes people go and climb the mountains and pick mushrooms to eat and sell. They are important in this ecosystem because they break down the dead material from logs, bamboo, and leaves and put it back into the ecosystem, almost like recyclers. I often find them growing on trees and it is said that they help the trees grow because of their recycling ability. I have attached a picture of some mushrooms that I found in the mountains one day...they were growing in a circle. You can use it for your project if you wish.

Keep up the good work!
Vanessa

About panda social life – are they are solitary creatures?

Vanessa’s response: “They have always been considered solitary but there is evidence to suggest that while they don't all hang out together in the way that we think of as being “social,” they do move with respect to one another and know where others are through scent communication.  Once this summer, my field assistants stumbled upon four pandas all in one location. Not sure what they were doing, but it makes you think.

Jack Liu adds: Pandas are often considered to be solitary. Like all other mammal species, pandas stay together at least during two stages. When a panda is young, it stays together with its mother for survival. After a panda is mature, it may find a mate for courtship and mating. Most mating takes place from mid-March to mid-May. During other times, occasional meetings among pandas also take place because their home ranges may overlap. The duration of meetings ranges from a few minutes to an hour or more. When they meet, they may vocalize vigorously and may moan.

Although they do not meet often, pandas do communicate by sight, sound, and smell. They rely mainly on olfactory signals to keep contact with other pandas. Pandas leave much visible evidence of their passing through droppings and food remnants. They also mark the environment through tree biting, bark stripping, tree clawing, ground pawing, rubbing and rolling, and tree scenting.

One follower wonders how long the pandas will wear the GPS collar.

Vanessa responds that that it will depend on how long the collar’s batteries last. They’re guess is it will be between one and a half and two years. If the collars seem to be causing the pandas any distress, they are equipped with a quick release button.

Does Vanessa have an extra pair of boots?

She had been sharing her boots with one of her research assistants, whose boots were damaged as they cleared paths in the woods. They've since then secured enough boots for everyone.