CRI听力:Panda Keepers in DC React to Rumors

Panda keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have issued a special statement about their panda program in response to a story circulating on Chinese social media about pandas being mistreated at the venue.

Luo Laiming reports from Washington DC.

Over the weekend a story surfaced on Chinese social media claiming the giant pandas on loan at the National Zoo in Washington DC had been mistreated. The story roiled animal lovers in China and triggered massive wave of complaints and pleas for the animals to be returned.

One version of the story describes the pandas as being deliberately separated from each other; another post features a video of a panda eating bamboo, but against sad background music to suggest it is being starved.

Laurie Thompson, assistant curator of giant pandas at the Zoo, explains some of the so-called anomalies that people see on panda cams. For instance, being separated from their mother is part of the process for a young cub as it grows up.

"It is important for the cub to move on after the weaning. Just like the mom, the cub will grow up on its own. Giant pandas are not social animals, they tend to live by themselves, so he has to be comfortable finding food, occupying his own time, seeking out food and doing the things that he needs to do. And he can't do that if mom is always with him."

As the pandas go into mating season, hormone changes also lead to certain erratic behaviors and reduced appetite.

"She is given around 24 kilos of bamboo overnight, which is way more than she needs at night. So the food amounts did not change, but during this period of time when she goes into estrous, the male and the female reduce their food intake, so we still provide them with the food, but they just get very restless during that time. It doesn't have anything to do with food, it is just the hormones that are causing them to be more restless at that time. And she is getting less and less restless as her hormones go back to normal."

As for reports about snakes in the panda enclosure, Laurie says they are common at the Zoo but they are not poisonous. Snakes exist in the natural habitat of wild pandas, so they are nothing a giant bear can't handle.

Bryan Amaral, senior curator of Mammals, says there is no need for concern on the part of Chinese fans and that his fellow zoo keepers are in fact trying to do a good job taking care of the pandas.

"This is what we do, and we are glad to do it, we are happy to do it, we are passionate about it, so believe me if you have concerns, we probably had some concerns, we've had concerns that maybe people aren't aware of. But rest assured that we have the best interest of the pandas on the front of our mind all day, every day."

The Smithsonian National Zoo has been cooperating with Chinese panda experts for more than 40 years, but according to Pamela Baker-Masson, associate director of Communications and Exhibitions, it might be a good idea to improve communications with Chinese panda fans as well, to bolster understanding and avoid misinformation.

For CRI, this is Luo Laiming reporting from Washington DC.