July 5, 2024 • 23 mins
The San Diego Zoo has a long history with the giant panda, and there are two pandas coming to the zoo soon! The zoo is working with partners in China to research and promote the sustained recovery of this bamboo-eating species, and Rick and Marco have so many questions about their return. Today they are speaking with Megan Owen, vice president of wildlife conservation science for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, to learn more about these magnificent bears. Tune in to find out how Yun Chuan and Xin Bao are connected to the other pandas that have spent time at the San Diego Zoo.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hi, I'm rich Schwartz.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
What is the world? I'm Marco went.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Welcome to Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of
wildlife from around the world and uncovered fascinating animal facts.
This podcast is a production of iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio and
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in international nonprofit conservation organization
which oversees the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Senor, I think it goes without say, right that the
news of the giant pandas coming back to the San
Diego Zoo has been the top story around here this year, right,
And I can't believe it's been about five years since
we've had giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo. I mean,
there's so much to do and there's so much to talk.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
About it, I know, I know, and our teams have
been so busy getting everything ready, and not just our
wildlife care team, our horticulture team, our construction and maintenance
teams have all been doing so much in preparation for
the giant pandas.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It truly takes a village, And you know, I think
it's worth mentioning just in case any of our young
listeners don't know. The San Diego Zoo has a long
history of caring for giant pandas. Thanks to a great
partnership with China, we had two giant pandas visit the
San Diego Zoo in nineteen eighty seven.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
That's so long ago, I know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
But then in nineteen ninety six, in partnership with China
Wildlife Conservation Association, bay Yun and Chishi came to stay
with us, and the rest is history.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Oh yes, and what a great history it is too.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Over the many years the giant pandas have been at
the San Diego Zoo, in collaboration with our partners, we
have learned so much about giant panda behavior, reproduction and conservation.
And I am thrilled to say we have been able
to schedule time with one of our giant panda conservationists
to learn more about these amazing black and white bamboo
eating bears.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh man, this is gonna be so great.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I have so many questions, like who exactly are the
two giant pandas that are going to call San Diego?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Oh yes?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And why do they eat mostly bamboo?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I mean they are a bear? Why bamboo? Wait?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Wait, wait, shouldn't we just go ask the conservation it's
these questions.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Oh yeah, that's a good idea. Let's go Mark, all right.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
I am Megan Owen.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I'm the vice president of Conservation Science for the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Thank you so much for joining us, Megan.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
This is a big episode for us, Mark and I've
been talking about across season getting ready for this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
It's been building, it's been building.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
They're big, black and white bears. So yeah, let's talk
about giant pandas.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
There is so much to talk about right in particular.
You know, first, what is a giant panda? I mean,
let's assume there's someone listening right now has no idea
what a panda is, right, So if you.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Could absolutely so, a giant panda is a bear species.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
They are, as Rick mentioned, black and white.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
They are incredibly beautiful, extremely charismatic, and they have all
sorts of unique adaptations that allow them to persist entirely
on a diet of bamboo. So when we think about bears,
you think of grizzly bears and polar bears and black bears,
and we don't think about bears sitting in a stand
of grass basically and making a living that way. But
(03:06):
that's what pandas do and there are exquisitely adapted to
that lifestyle. And if you get that opportunity to sit
and watch a panda eat bamboo, you will be Mesmarah.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's impressive too, because bamboo is not easy to break
and they're like chomping on Yeah. But I want to
go back mark when I talked to Page Howorth about
butterflies and moths, and came up in that episode that
there's a part of the season where a moth species
really helped certain brown bear sustain life. And we talked
a little bit then about how they are omnivorous. And
in past seasons we've talked about bear species that are
omnivorous and then polar bears that are seal hunters. Only
(03:40):
for the most part, pandas they're like, I'm going to
eat bamboo. What give us a little more on that, Like,
how does that happen? Even though you have a true
bear species, it's going to be like I'm seating grass.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Yeah, it's an amazing, amazing feat of nature actually, and actually, ironically,
giant pandas and polar bears have a lot more in
common and most people with things, so it's sort of
the same way. Polar bears are reliant on fatty ice
seals and they can make their living exclusively on those seals.
(04:12):
And related species giant pandas have also evolved this niche
within their ecosystem that allows them to persist on a
diet at bamboo, and they're not competing with other large
mammals for that bamboo. They don't have to chase down that.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
True bamboos like getting up and running away anytimes.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Absolutely so they can just basically roll over to their
next bite. It's incredibly energetically efficient. And then they have
a number of adaptations, both anatomical and physiological, that allow
them to get all that they need from bamboo, and
we typically say that they get about ninety nine point
five percent of their diet from bamboo, and because occasionally
(04:54):
they will take a bite of something else, and they
can and will eat other things, but it's not their
preferred food source.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It's not what makes panda's tick, and it's.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Not what allows them to reach their optimal health and
reproductive output and all of those things that make a
panda healthy and happy.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I mean amazing, bears are adapt I was reading the
nuances of some of things. They may be consuming some bugs,
some fruit carrying even as well, but again it's mainly
going to be bamboo, right, And we were talking about
this particular region in China. It's super unique. I mean
you mentioned other bears, like I'm thinking the Asiatic block
bear in the area, but this panda, this bears unique.
(05:34):
Can you describe this area in China?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
What makes it so awesome?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
This area of China is extraordinarily beautiful. So giant pandas
are found in a few provinces in south central China.
Sichuan Province is where the majority of pandas exist. I
think about two thirds of giant pandas are in Sichuan Province.
And the mountains are extraordinary. They are steep and they
are rocky, and they are covered in pine trees and
(05:59):
large as a bamboo with rivers and streams and an
incredible array of birds, of amphibians, of other mammals. It's
incredibly biodiverse. And actually giant pandas overlap and range with
Asiatic black bears, but they exist in very different types
of habitat and they rely on different food sources. So
(06:21):
giant pandas and their habitat are unique and beautiful and
extraordinary representation of the natural world. It's interesting too because
in recent years a national park has been established around
giant panda habitat, and over the past several decades, the
Chinese government has established about seventy nature preserves for giant
(06:44):
panda and this national park encapsulates all of that, and
so that is just an extraordinary benefit to the conservation
of giant pandas and all of the other wildlife and
animals and plants that coexist in that habitat.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
So really ordinary part of the world.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, one hundred percent for it. I mean we were
talking earlier the diversity of I mean some of those
other species like these are endangered by the where the
endangered golden monkey, We have the vulnerable talking You and
I have big talking fans, right, And of course I
got to bring up a bird crested eyebiss. You guys,
there were ten of these birds in the nineteen eighties.
Now we have a little over three hundred and thirty
adults out there. So it's a vibrant area, right, So
it is important to protect this really beautiful species of
(07:24):
black and white mammal to help encompass all these others, right,
So it's really great having this conversation.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
I mean people consider giant pandas and umbrella species, yes,
and that you know they range over relatively large areas,
and by protecting giant pandas, they create an umbrella of
safety for other wildlife species. And that's part of the
beauty of it. And we can engender support for conservation
through giant pandas. You know, people love giant pandas and
(07:50):
rightly so. But when you love giant pandas, you're also
expressing your love for all the other wildlife species that
share the habitat with.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Them, right, And that goes into the things we've talked
about for how the diversity within a habitat keeps it healthy.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
So if you're going to take.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Care of and preserve pandas, you've got to have that
healthy habitat, which means you have to have all these
other species in there to help keep that habitat and
ecosystem in good health. So I love the way you
put that. If you're loving pandas, you're loving the habitat,
you're loving everything the ecosystem all the birds, reptiles, mammals,
everybody else, because that's what's going to give the pandas
their home. So I really like the way you put that.
(08:25):
That is really really cool, and with talking about that
love with falling in love with in which we know,
we've all been with this organization for a long time.
We all know, and we've seen it in people's eyes.
We've seen it on their faces when they walk up
and see a panda for the first time, they fall
in love. You can't help but fall in love. I
remember when I first started working at the zoo twenty
(08:46):
four years ago, the first time I finally went down
to Panda Canyon and saw a panda.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
It's like, Okay, I got to see all the fuss
is about. I was like, oh, oh, that's immediately yeah,
And I was like, oh, come on, talk to.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Us about the new pandas that are coming to the
San Diego Zoo that our public will eventually get to
fall in love with.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
So I'm going to do my best to describe them
without using the word cute, but no guarantee that might
be impossible. But so, the two giant pandas that are
coming to San Diego are incredible young bears. Shinboo is
a four year old female, or she'll be four later
this summer.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
She is playful.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
I've kind of described her as mischievous. You know, she's
definitely thinking, and she's moving, and she's interested in her environment.
Just cannot wait to spend more time with her here
and watch her and her behavior as she develops. And
then you and Schwan is a young male who will
turn five years old later this summer. And he is
(09:48):
a beautiful, big young man bear and he loves his bamboo.
He's definitely a bit more laid back than Shinboo. Most
special fact about him is that he he is the
son of Juan Juan, who was born at.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
The San Diego Zoo.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
And he's also the grandson of Bayoun and Gao Gao
who were at the San Diego Zoo for many many years.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
He is a handsome young bear.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
And again, you know, we have really gone out of
our way to expand the size of the habitat. Now
the habitat goes up the hillside beyond where it did before,
which is very similar to the habitat they have in China.
So it's going to be a treat for everybody. As
a researcher, I can't wait to study them and to
take the learnings that we get here with them and
(10:38):
apply them to our understanding of the species in the wild.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
There's so much to unpi. Oh my gosh, no, no, no,
don't be sorry. This is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Okay, I'm going to First of all, how cool is
it that the male coming to us he has history
here through genetics. I mean, that's such a cool tie
in to have that link back to Bayoune and Gaugao.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I think it's really important.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
You know, the program here at the San Diego Zoo
Wild Left Alliance started in nineteen ninety six, so this
was the first cooperative agreement with our Chinese colleagues. And
going back in time and thinking about the state of
things for giant pandas then there were fewer than a
thousand giant pandas on the planet, and at that point
in time too, conservation breeding or breeding under human care
(11:25):
for conservation was not worked out, and it was really
rare for that to happen. And in the twenty plus
years that our first program existed, Bayune showed us what
it meant to be a healthy, happy mom panda. You know,
she had six young pandas. Gaugao was the sire of
(11:47):
five of those, and that's an extraordinary legacy. So Bayune
was an incredible bear. Gaugao was an amazing bear to watch.
And then the work that the team did to support
learning about giant pandas, learning about what they needed to
survive and thrive, is something I'm very proud of. I
came to work at the San Diego Zoo as part
(12:08):
of the Giant Panda program. That was my first job
ever in a zoo and getting to step into that
kind of collaboration, getting to step into that conservation focus
program was.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
A real treat.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
So having Yun Schwan here as Bayoun and Gaugao's grandson
is it just continues that legacy. I think people are
going to really connect with him and that history.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah. Right, it speaks to like traditions, right yeah. I
mean this whole year, every time I go to the zoo,
I have guests coming up to me asking me about
the pandas, and you see like the excitement and they
tell me their personal stories and that makes me smile
because you're thinking, we always say conservation begins with people, right,
and so we're connecting our communities in San Diego with
the wonderful people in China as well, and this magical
animal that we all get to experience and really make
(12:54):
an impact for what you were describing, this beautiful, vibrant
area in China. So we're all very very excited about
And I had no idea this was your first job
here at saying the easy wild there full lines coming
into it for Pandas.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Yeah, it was. I feel very very lucky.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
And the other piece of it too is you know,
when we think about collaboration, we collaborate amongst the scientific staff.
You know, we collaborate really closely with the wildlife care
specialists and the wildlife care team. We collaborate with the
wildlife health team. We collaborate with our communications team, we
collaborate with our education team, we collaborate with our operational teams.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
It is all hands.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
On deck, everyone working together and getting people to rally
around giant Pandas is not hard, not hard at all.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You had mentioned in your previous answer to you're talking
a lot about their personalities, which I know you have
been to China multiple times, But.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Explain a little to our guests.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
What is that like to be able to travel all
the way to China to go meet them, and not
only meet them, but then obviously the counterparts have been
taking care of them over there in China and the
people on that side of it who are just as
passionate about the conservation for pandas as we are.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
What is that like for you to be able.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
To I don't know, for lack of a better term,
be the link between the two organizations and the many
different groups that are coming together to make this happen.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I feel extraordinarily lucky to be able to connect with
our colleagues in China around Giant pandas. It's not just me,
of course, you know, many many on our team have
developed relationships through this collaboration over the years and will
continue to do so into the future. But you realize
that this is, you know, on the other side of
the world. This is in the you know, the mountains
(14:34):
high and Sichuan Province of China. But we all care
about the same things. We all care about a healthy environment,
we all care about the individual pandas and the health
of the population of pandas. We all care about sustaining
this biodiversity conservation into the future and we're faced with
many challenges, but through working together, we have so much
(14:56):
more power to solve these problems. And having this opportunity
to share knowledge, to gain insights, to learn, and to
continue to plan for a brighter future is just an
extraordinary opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Very cool. Yeah, it's super exciting.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
And to incorporate, you know, all the wonderful guests I
can get the opportunity to take part in all these
conservation efforts. Hopefully in the future they can come in
the San Diego Zoo and see these two vibrant pandas,
you know, just being right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Just being with all the work that goes into this
and all the many people like you said, it's not
just you, definitely not just you. Can you explain or
expand a little more on our partnerships that we have
for this process and not just the process of the
panda's coming here, but then the long term look forward
at conservation and research for giant pandas.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Sure, so again you know, there's been a lot of
improvement in the status of giant pandas over the past
twenty five years, and again that improvement comes as a
product of collaboration. But we're not done yet, and there's
a lot of work that needs to be done to
ensure the sustained recovery of giant pandas and their habitat.
And so we've been working together and in consult with
(16:08):
our colleagues in China to develop a research strategy that
will continue to support the survival of giant pandas as
a species. And so this is going to be really
interesting for us. And we have talked a lot about
biodiversity conservation and the context of giant pandas, and so
one of the things that we want to do is
(16:29):
apply some of the technological innovations that we have developed
here in our conservation tech lab and with partners in
other places around the world, and apply this kind of
multidimensional biodiversity monitoring through technology in giant panda habitat. And
we've talked a bit about this with our colleagues there
and they're very excited about it. But I think it's
(16:50):
going to be an important new dimension to our research.
And then we're also really focused on the health of
individual giant pandas and the health of giant panda populations,
and so our Wildlife Health team is going to be
very actively involved in studying the pandas at the San
Diego Zoo, but also working with our partners in China
(17:12):
to understand population health for giant pandas. It's just critically
important for again the sustained recovery.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Of the species.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, so cool.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I know it's so exciting. But you know, we're talking
all these amazing projects that are going to be happening
in the future. But I kind of want to like
go back a little bit. I'm trying to picture like
little little baby Megan here, like like, were you were
you always a panda fan? You know into pandas? Is
there a certain memory that kind of comes up?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
No?
Speaker 5 (17:39):
I mean I did not have a predetermined interest in
pandas before I started working here. My pathway, my professional pathway,
was very indirect, and I actually started my post high
school career in art school, and then I explored more
social sciences and eventually wound up as an undergraduate focused
(18:00):
in biology.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
But for pre med.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Fast forward, I fell in love with wildlife biology, started
working in the Arctic and you know, just in the
great outdoors. But then I grew up in San Diego
and I decided that I wanted to try to come
home and work here, and this opportunity came up at
the San Diego Zoo working with Giant Pandas.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Wow, So I said, I'll give it a try.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
And you know, that was back in nineteen ninety seven,
so it's been a while, but it was really a
career defining moment for me because what I learned through
this program was that you have to maintain that laser
focus on your conservation objectives and you have to work together.
There is nothing gained to achieve something you know by yourself.
(18:47):
You will have a much greater impact if you work
with others and you gain from the knowledge and expertise
that's available both on the team that you're working on
and externally. So collaboration and has just woven through everything
I do in my work here and as an organization,
we really lean into that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
That's a great story.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
I know, I had no idea that to the Arctic
Asia Hub here at.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
We're so happy to long journey, I know, Well, thank
you so much for your time.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We really appreciate you hanging out with for a little
bit and talking about the Giant Pandas. We'll probably be
asking for more information for you as a year moves on.
I think we'll probably talk totally, But is there anything
we didn't mention that you'd like to share with our audience.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
That is a great question. I can talk about pandas you.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Knows, and hours and hours.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
It's really important for people to understand the impact they
have by supporting species like giant pandas. By coming here
and experiencing the giant pandas and the other wildlife species
that live at the San Diego Zoo, that connection that's fostered,
you know, becomes something that will inspire and drive them
(19:58):
towards more conservation minded activities and engagement. You might look
at butterflies in your own backyard differently after you get
that kind of close up experience with a giant panda
and think about, you know, how connected everything is. So
that web of biodiversity, that web of life, you know,
(20:20):
it's beautiful to see it embodied by the giant panda.
And I hope people experience that when they come to
the San Diego Zoo.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Oh, I love it. It's perfect. Thank you friend, Thank
you so much, Megan, appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
It's my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Wow, that was a lot of giant panda information, But
now I'm kind of excited for our next panda episode.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Marco.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I mean from being specialized bamboot eaters and the ongoing
conservation efforts and everything else.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Megan shured so much with us.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Oh yeah, and I really liked how Megan pointed out
that the conservation research for giant pandas was about understanding
the needs of a healthy individual bear and an understanding
what it takes to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Right, it is also connected.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Oh and speaking of connections, I still cannot get over
the fact that Yun Schwan is a son of Jenjen,
who was born right here at the San Diego Zoo
in two thousand and seven. It's really something special. It
kind of feels like a sort of a little nostalgic
homecoming of sorts.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Well, you know, it is special, and you're absolutely right, Rick,
it feels like a little family reunion. I mean, we
have so many staff members that were part of the
Giant pandas when they were here years ago. Like Mecan said,
it's the wildlife care team, the wildlife health team, the
horticulture team, the communications team, oh, the education team, and
so much more. Right, the entire familia's coming back together.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
As they say, it takes a village, right, and what
a difference the village has made over the years. I
was really impressed with the fact that the improvement in
the Giant Pani's conservation status is due to years of
collaboration and people from all over the world working together,
from the conservationists and care staff in China to the
conservationists and wildlife care staff here in San Diego, and
so much more.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
In speaking of the collaborations and many specialist from all
over the world working together, I think it's about time
we share with our listeners how all that works.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Right. Ooh, you know what, I think you're right. How
about instead of behind the scenes with the wildlife care specialist,
we go behind the scenes and see who does what
with all these conservation projects.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Ooh, I like how your brain works, friend, and I
think our audience will find it fascinating as well.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Well.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Then it's decided, be sure to subscribe and tune into
our next episode, in which we learn more about the
inner workings of the San Diego Zoo and the many
conservation projects and partners.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
All around the world. Al Marco went and I'm Rich Schwartz.
Thanks for listening.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
For more information about the San Diego Zoo and San
Diego Zoo Safari Park, go to SDZWA dot org. Amazing
Wildlife is a production of iHeartRadio. Our supervising producers are
Nikkia Swinton and Dylan Fagan, and our sound designers our
cer A Screen and Matt Russell. For more shows from iHeartRadio,
check out the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
(23:07):
listen to your favorite shows.
Hi, I'm rich Schwartz.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
What is the world? I'm Marco went.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Welcome to Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of
wildlife from around the world and uncovered fascinating animal facts.
This podcast is a production of iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio and
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in international nonprofit conservation organization
which oversees the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Senor, I think it goes without say, right that the
news of the giant pandas coming back to the San
Diego Zoo has been the top story around here this year, right,
And I can't believe it's been about five years since
we've had giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo. I mean,
there's so much to do and there's so much to talk.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
About it, I know, I know, and our teams have
been so busy getting everything ready, and not just our
wildlife care team, our horticulture team, our construction and maintenance
teams have all been doing so much in preparation for
the giant pandas.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It truly takes a village, And you know, I think
it's worth mentioning just in case any of our young
listeners don't know. The San Diego Zoo has a long
history of caring for giant pandas. Thanks to a great
partnership with China, we had two giant pandas visit the
San Diego Zoo in nineteen eighty seven.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
That's so long ago, I know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
But then in nineteen ninety six, in partnership with China
Wildlife Conservation Association, bay Yun and Chishi came to stay
with us, and the rest is history.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Oh yes, and what a great history it is too.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Over the many years the giant pandas have been at
the San Diego Zoo, in collaboration with our partners, we
have learned so much about giant panda behavior, reproduction and conservation.
And I am thrilled to say we have been able
to schedule time with one of our giant panda conservationists
to learn more about these amazing black and white bamboo
eating bears.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh man, this is gonna be so great.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I have so many questions, like who exactly are the
two giant pandas that are going to call San Diego?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Oh yes?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And why do they eat mostly bamboo?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I mean they are a bear? Why bamboo? Wait?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Wait, wait, shouldn't we just go ask the conservation it's
these questions.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Oh yeah, that's a good idea. Let's go Mark, all right.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
I am Megan Owen.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I'm the vice president of Conservation Science for the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Thank you so much for joining us, Megan.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
This is a big episode for us, Mark and I've
been talking about across season getting ready for this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
It's been building, it's been building.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
They're big, black and white bears. So yeah, let's talk
about giant pandas.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
There is so much to talk about right in particular.
You know, first, what is a giant panda? I mean,
let's assume there's someone listening right now has no idea
what a panda is, right, So if you.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Could absolutely so, a giant panda is a bear species.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
They are, as Rick mentioned, black and white.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
They are incredibly beautiful, extremely charismatic, and they have all
sorts of unique adaptations that allow them to persist entirely
on a diet of bamboo. So when we think about bears,
you think of grizzly bears and polar bears and black bears,
and we don't think about bears sitting in a stand
of grass basically and making a living that way. But
(03:06):
that's what pandas do and there are exquisitely adapted to
that lifestyle. And if you get that opportunity to sit
and watch a panda eat bamboo, you will be Mesmarah.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
It's impressive too, because bamboo is not easy to break
and they're like chomping on Yeah. But I want to
go back mark when I talked to Page Howorth about
butterflies and moths, and came up in that episode that
there's a part of the season where a moth species
really helped certain brown bear sustain life. And we talked
a little bit then about how they are omnivorous. And
in past seasons we've talked about bear species that are
omnivorous and then polar bears that are seal hunters. Only
(03:40):
for the most part, pandas they're like, I'm going to
eat bamboo. What give us a little more on that, Like,
how does that happen? Even though you have a true
bear species, it's going to be like I'm seating grass.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Yeah, it's an amazing, amazing feat of nature actually, and actually, ironically,
giant pandas and polar bears have a lot more in
common and most people with things, so it's sort of
the same way. Polar bears are reliant on fatty ice
seals and they can make their living exclusively on those seals.
(04:12):
And related species giant pandas have also evolved this niche
within their ecosystem that allows them to persist on a
diet at bamboo, and they're not competing with other large
mammals for that bamboo. They don't have to chase down that.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
True bamboos like getting up and running away anytimes.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Absolutely so they can just basically roll over to their
next bite. It's incredibly energetically efficient. And then they have
a number of adaptations, both anatomical and physiological, that allow
them to get all that they need from bamboo, and
we typically say that they get about ninety nine point
five percent of their diet from bamboo, and because occasionally
(04:54):
they will take a bite of something else, and they
can and will eat other things, but it's not their
preferred food source.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It's not what makes panda's tick, and it's.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Not what allows them to reach their optimal health and
reproductive output and all of those things that make a
panda healthy and happy.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I mean amazing, bears are adapt I was reading the
nuances of some of things. They may be consuming some bugs,
some fruit carrying even as well, but again it's mainly
going to be bamboo, right, And we were talking about
this particular region in China. It's super unique. I mean
you mentioned other bears, like I'm thinking the Asiatic block
bear in the area, but this panda, this bears unique.
(05:34):
Can you describe this area in China?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
What makes it so awesome?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
This area of China is extraordinarily beautiful. So giant pandas
are found in a few provinces in south central China.
Sichuan Province is where the majority of pandas exist. I
think about two thirds of giant pandas are in Sichuan Province.
And the mountains are extraordinary. They are steep and they
are rocky, and they are covered in pine trees and
(05:59):
large as a bamboo with rivers and streams and an
incredible array of birds, of amphibians, of other mammals. It's
incredibly biodiverse. And actually giant pandas overlap and range with
Asiatic black bears, but they exist in very different types
of habitat and they rely on different food sources. So
(06:21):
giant pandas and their habitat are unique and beautiful and
extraordinary representation of the natural world. It's interesting too because
in recent years a national park has been established around
giant panda habitat, and over the past several decades, the
Chinese government has established about seventy nature preserves for giant
(06:44):
panda and this national park encapsulates all of that, and
so that is just an extraordinary benefit to the conservation
of giant pandas and all of the other wildlife and
animals and plants that coexist in that habitat.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
So really ordinary part of the world.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, one hundred percent for it. I mean we were
talking earlier the diversity of I mean some of those
other species like these are endangered by the where the
endangered golden monkey, We have the vulnerable talking You and
I have big talking fans, right, And of course I
got to bring up a bird crested eyebiss. You guys,
there were ten of these birds in the nineteen eighties.
Now we have a little over three hundred and thirty
adults out there. So it's a vibrant area, right, So
it is important to protect this really beautiful species of
(07:24):
black and white mammal to help encompass all these others, right,
So it's really great having this conversation.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
I mean people consider giant pandas and umbrella species, yes,
and that you know they range over relatively large areas,
and by protecting giant pandas, they create an umbrella of
safety for other wildlife species. And that's part of the
beauty of it. And we can engender support for conservation
through giant pandas. You know, people love giant pandas and
(07:50):
rightly so. But when you love giant pandas, you're also
expressing your love for all the other wildlife species that
share the habitat with.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Them, right, And that goes into the things we've talked
about for how the diversity within a habitat keeps it healthy.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
So if you're going to take.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Care of and preserve pandas, you've got to have that
healthy habitat, which means you have to have all these
other species in there to help keep that habitat and
ecosystem in good health. So I love the way you
put that. If you're loving pandas, you're loving the habitat,
you're loving everything the ecosystem all the birds, reptiles, mammals,
everybody else, because that's what's going to give the pandas
their home. So I really like the way you put that.
(08:25):
That is really really cool, and with talking about that
love with falling in love with in which we know,
we've all been with this organization for a long time.
We all know, and we've seen it in people's eyes.
We've seen it on their faces when they walk up
and see a panda for the first time, they fall
in love. You can't help but fall in love. I
remember when I first started working at the zoo twenty
(08:46):
four years ago, the first time I finally went down
to Panda Canyon and saw a panda.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
It's like, Okay, I got to see all the fuss
is about. I was like, oh, oh, that's immediately yeah,
And I was like, oh, come on, talk to.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Us about the new pandas that are coming to the
San Diego Zoo that our public will eventually get to
fall in love with.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
So I'm going to do my best to describe them
without using the word cute, but no guarantee that might
be impossible. But so, the two giant pandas that are
coming to San Diego are incredible young bears. Shinboo is
a four year old female, or she'll be four later
this summer.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
She is playful.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
I've kind of described her as mischievous. You know, she's
definitely thinking, and she's moving, and she's interested in her environment.
Just cannot wait to spend more time with her here
and watch her and her behavior as she develops. And
then you and Schwan is a young male who will
turn five years old later this summer. And he is
(09:48):
a beautiful, big young man bear and he loves his bamboo.
He's definitely a bit more laid back than Shinboo. Most
special fact about him is that he he is the
son of Juan Juan, who was born at.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
The San Diego Zoo.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
And he's also the grandson of Bayoun and Gao Gao
who were at the San Diego Zoo for many many years.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
He is a handsome young bear.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
And again, you know, we have really gone out of
our way to expand the size of the habitat. Now
the habitat goes up the hillside beyond where it did before,
which is very similar to the habitat they have in China.
So it's going to be a treat for everybody. As
a researcher, I can't wait to study them and to
take the learnings that we get here with them and
(10:38):
apply them to our understanding of the species in the wild.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
There's so much to unpi. Oh my gosh, no, no, no,
don't be sorry. This is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Okay, I'm going to First of all, how cool is
it that the male coming to us he has history
here through genetics. I mean, that's such a cool tie
in to have that link back to Bayoune and Gaugao.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I think it's really important.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
You know, the program here at the San Diego Zoo
Wild Left Alliance started in nineteen ninety six, so this
was the first cooperative agreement with our Chinese colleagues. And
going back in time and thinking about the state of
things for giant pandas then there were fewer than a
thousand giant pandas on the planet, and at that point
in time too, conservation breeding or breeding under human care
(11:25):
for conservation was not worked out, and it was really
rare for that to happen. And in the twenty plus
years that our first program existed, Bayune showed us what
it meant to be a healthy, happy mom panda. You know,
she had six young pandas. Gaugao was the sire of
(11:47):
five of those, and that's an extraordinary legacy. So Bayune
was an incredible bear. Gaugao was an amazing bear to watch.
And then the work that the team did to support
learning about giant pandas, learning about what they needed to
survive and thrive, is something I'm very proud of. I
came to work at the San Diego Zoo as part
(12:08):
of the Giant Panda program. That was my first job
ever in a zoo and getting to step into that
kind of collaboration, getting to step into that conservation focus
program was.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
A real treat.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
So having Yun Schwan here as Bayoun and Gaugao's grandson
is it just continues that legacy. I think people are
going to really connect with him and that history.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah. Right, it speaks to like traditions, right yeah. I
mean this whole year, every time I go to the zoo,
I have guests coming up to me asking me about
the pandas, and you see like the excitement and they
tell me their personal stories and that makes me smile
because you're thinking, we always say conservation begins with people, right,
and so we're connecting our communities in San Diego with
the wonderful people in China as well, and this magical
animal that we all get to experience and really make
(12:54):
an impact for what you were describing, this beautiful, vibrant
area in China. So we're all very very excited about
And I had no idea this was your first job
here at saying the easy wild there full lines coming
into it for Pandas.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Yeah, it was. I feel very very lucky.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
And the other piece of it too is you know,
when we think about collaboration, we collaborate amongst the scientific staff.
You know, we collaborate really closely with the wildlife care
specialists and the wildlife care team. We collaborate with the
wildlife health team. We collaborate with our communications team, we
collaborate with our education team, we collaborate with our operational teams.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
It is all hands.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
On deck, everyone working together and getting people to rally
around giant Pandas is not hard, not hard at all.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You had mentioned in your previous answer to you're talking
a lot about their personalities, which I know you have
been to China multiple times, But.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Explain a little to our guests.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
What is that like to be able to travel all
the way to China to go meet them, and not
only meet them, but then obviously the counterparts have been
taking care of them over there in China and the
people on that side of it who are just as
passionate about the conservation for pandas as we are.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
What is that like for you to be able.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
To I don't know, for lack of a better term,
be the link between the two organizations and the many
different groups that are coming together to make this happen.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
I feel extraordinarily lucky to be able to connect with
our colleagues in China around Giant pandas. It's not just me,
of course, you know, many many on our team have
developed relationships through this collaboration over the years and will
continue to do so into the future. But you realize
that this is, you know, on the other side of
the world. This is in the you know, the mountains
(14:34):
high and Sichuan Province of China. But we all care
about the same things. We all care about a healthy environment,
we all care about the individual pandas and the health
of the population of pandas. We all care about sustaining
this biodiversity conservation into the future and we're faced with
many challenges, but through working together, we have so much
(14:56):
more power to solve these problems. And having this opportunity
to share knowledge, to gain insights, to learn, and to
continue to plan for a brighter future is just an
extraordinary opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Very cool. Yeah, it's super exciting.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
And to incorporate, you know, all the wonderful guests I
can get the opportunity to take part in all these
conservation efforts. Hopefully in the future they can come in
the San Diego Zoo and see these two vibrant pandas,
you know, just being right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Just being with all the work that goes into this
and all the many people like you said, it's not
just you, definitely not just you. Can you explain or
expand a little more on our partnerships that we have
for this process and not just the process of the
panda's coming here, but then the long term look forward
at conservation and research for giant pandas.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Sure, so again you know, there's been a lot of
improvement in the status of giant pandas over the past
twenty five years, and again that improvement comes as a
product of collaboration. But we're not done yet, and there's
a lot of work that needs to be done to
ensure the sustained recovery of giant pandas and their habitat.
And so we've been working together and in consult with
(16:08):
our colleagues in China to develop a research strategy that
will continue to support the survival of giant pandas as
a species. And so this is going to be really
interesting for us. And we have talked a lot about
biodiversity conservation and the context of giant pandas, and so
one of the things that we want to do is
(16:29):
apply some of the technological innovations that we have developed
here in our conservation tech lab and with partners in
other places around the world, and apply this kind of
multidimensional biodiversity monitoring through technology in giant panda habitat. And
we've talked a bit about this with our colleagues there
and they're very excited about it. But I think it's
(16:50):
going to be an important new dimension to our research.
And then we're also really focused on the health of
individual giant pandas and the health of giant panda populations,
and so our Wildlife Health team is going to be
very actively involved in studying the pandas at the San
Diego Zoo, but also working with our partners in China
(17:12):
to understand population health for giant pandas. It's just critically
important for again the sustained recovery.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Of the species.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, so cool.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I know it's so exciting. But you know, we're talking
all these amazing projects that are going to be happening
in the future. But I kind of want to like
go back a little bit. I'm trying to picture like
little little baby Megan here, like like, were you were
you always a panda fan? You know into pandas? Is
there a certain memory that kind of comes up?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
No?
Speaker 5 (17:39):
I mean I did not have a predetermined interest in
pandas before I started working here. My pathway, my professional pathway,
was very indirect, and I actually started my post high
school career in art school, and then I explored more
social sciences and eventually wound up as an undergraduate focused
(18:00):
in biology.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
But for pre med.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Fast forward, I fell in love with wildlife biology, started
working in the Arctic and you know, just in the
great outdoors. But then I grew up in San Diego
and I decided that I wanted to try to come
home and work here, and this opportunity came up at
the San Diego Zoo working with Giant Pandas.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
Wow, So I said, I'll give it a try.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
And you know, that was back in nineteen ninety seven,
so it's been a while, but it was really a
career defining moment for me because what I learned through
this program was that you have to maintain that laser
focus on your conservation objectives and you have to work together.
There is nothing gained to achieve something you know by yourself.
(18:47):
You will have a much greater impact if you work
with others and you gain from the knowledge and expertise
that's available both on the team that you're working on
and externally. So collaboration and has just woven through everything
I do in my work here and as an organization,
we really lean into that.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
That's a great story.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
I know, I had no idea that to the Arctic
Asia Hub here at.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
We're so happy to long journey, I know, Well, thank
you so much for your time.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
We really appreciate you hanging out with for a little
bit and talking about the Giant Pandas. We'll probably be
asking for more information for you as a year moves on.
I think we'll probably talk totally, But is there anything
we didn't mention that you'd like to share with our audience.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
That is a great question. I can talk about pandas you.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Knows, and hours and hours.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
It's really important for people to understand the impact they
have by supporting species like giant pandas. By coming here
and experiencing the giant pandas and the other wildlife species
that live at the San Diego Zoo, that connection that's fostered,
you know, becomes something that will inspire and drive them
(19:58):
towards more conservation minded activities and engagement. You might look
at butterflies in your own backyard differently after you get
that kind of close up experience with a giant panda
and think about, you know, how connected everything is. So
that web of biodiversity, that web of life, you know,
(20:20):
it's beautiful to see it embodied by the giant panda.
And I hope people experience that when they come to
the San Diego Zoo.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Oh, I love it. It's perfect. Thank you friend, Thank
you so much, Megan, appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
It's my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Wow, that was a lot of giant panda information, But
now I'm kind of excited for our next panda episode.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Marco.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I mean from being specialized bamboot eaters and the ongoing
conservation efforts and everything else.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Megan shured so much with us.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Oh yeah, and I really liked how Megan pointed out
that the conservation research for giant pandas was about understanding
the needs of a healthy individual bear and an understanding
what it takes to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Right, it is also connected.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Oh and speaking of connections, I still cannot get over
the fact that Yun Schwan is a son of Jenjen,
who was born right here at the San Diego Zoo
in two thousand and seven. It's really something special. It
kind of feels like a sort of a little nostalgic
homecoming of sorts.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Well, you know, it is special, and you're absolutely right, Rick,
it feels like a little family reunion. I mean, we
have so many staff members that were part of the
Giant pandas when they were here years ago. Like Mecan said,
it's the wildlife care team, the wildlife health team, the
horticulture team, the communications team, oh, the education team, and
so much more. Right, the entire familia's coming back together.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
As they say, it takes a village, right, and what
a difference the village has made over the years. I
was really impressed with the fact that the improvement in
the Giant Pani's conservation status is due to years of
collaboration and people from all over the world working together,
from the conservationists and care staff in China to the
conservationists and wildlife care staff here in San Diego, and
so much more.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
In speaking of the collaborations and many specialist from all
over the world working together, I think it's about time
we share with our listeners how all that works.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Right. Ooh, you know what, I think you're right. How
about instead of behind the scenes with the wildlife care specialist,
we go behind the scenes and see who does what
with all these conservation projects.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Ooh, I like how your brain works, friend, and I
think our audience will find it fascinating as well.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Well.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Then it's decided, be sure to subscribe and tune into
our next episode, in which we learn more about the
inner workings of the San Diego Zoo and the many
conservation projects and partners.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
All around the world. Al Marco went and I'm Rich Schwartz.
Thanks for listening.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
For more information about the San Diego Zoo and San
Diego Zoo Safari Park, go to SDZWA dot org. Amazing
Wildlife is a production of iHeartRadio. Our supervising producers are
Nikkia Swinton and Dylan Fagan, and our sound designers our
cer A Screen and Matt Russell. For more shows from iHeartRadio,
check out the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
(23:07):
listen to your favorite shows.
Hosts And Creators
Rick Schwartz
Marco Wendt
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.