Nicole Murray describes what she learned in her first week as a PDXWildlife intern-
- Pandas are way cuter in person and you might have a meltdown when you see your first one.
If you saw Hailey’s post, you already know that meeting your first panda is incredibly magical. My first sighting was An An, and even from a distance, I was stunned and immediately in love. It’s a bit surreal seeing such an adorable wild animal so close to you. I know all the interns feel incredibly lucky getting to work with an animal that many people will never meet in person.
- People in Ya’an are going to stare at you. A LOT.
But they don’t mean anything by it. One of the best parts of this experience is that you are in an area that is relatively sheltered from the vacations and visit of westerners. Some people in Ya’an spend the duration of their lives within city limits, so seeing a “Lao wai” can be an exciting spot! We have found that if you say hi and wave, you are usually met with a smile.
- Nothing goes to waste:
People in Ya’an do not waste ANYTHING, and it is seriously impressive. When we bring our trash down in the morning, people are collecting the bottles/plastic within minutes, presumably for some cash return. There is also no waste of food. Every cut and bit of meat is fair game, and somehow they manage to make most of it delicious.
- It’s not always easy to get your data.
Between feeding bears and cleaning their cages, studies are bound to get interrupted. These kinds of challenges have helped us to become creative and persevering when trying collect data.
- Dairy is not a hot commodity in Ya’an.
Many things will look like dairy products, but I can assure you that 99% are not. Most of the time, milk tastes like cheese and cheese tastes like nothing at all. However, we have managed to find Brie AND Camembert at the large grocery store, Geso, and it helps us survive.
- Panda sex is ungraceful and loud, but everyone gets really excited when it works!
From far away, mating sounds a lot like two pandas trying to murder each other while making dog and goat noises. The pandas can get very aggressive with each other and so the keepers are very attentive during breeding events. There is always an escape route to separate the pandas, and rewards are often offered on long sticks after mating, to keep the male and female away from each other. If the mating is successful, you know right away because you’ll hear cheers and see cigarettes lighting up. Congrats to our most recent lovers, Ge Ge and Wu Gang on their mating!
- You will become fast friends with your fellow interns.
Even if you don’t make friends very easily at home, it is hard not to bond under these circumstances. Between day-trips to Shengli and poorly flushing toilets, we have all gotten comfortable with each other very fast. I am extremely excited to spend the summer laughing hysterically and working hard with this squad.
