With summer nearly over, we find our boy Gao Gao spending his days eating his favorite variety of bamboo,
Bambusa beechyana. This variety of bamboo is a big favorite with all our pandas.
After a nice breakfast, he heads for the nearest shady area of his exhibit and takes a nice long nap. Sometimes he will sleep through lunchtime but as we fondly say, he is on “Gao time.” He will wake up—and eat—when he is good and ready!
Life is nice and easy for him these days. He enjoys his solitude and visits with his keepers, and when the weather becomes hot, he has access to an air conditioned bedroom, equipped with a special bed filled with fragrant pine shavings.
We look forward to the upcoming fall/winter season with our boy. The colder weather brings out the playfulness and more active Gao Gao, an we hope to share his activities with you. Stay tuned!
Kathy Hawk is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
