For my first post in February, I want to write a little about the different parenting styles of the mothers at Bifengxia. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise, but each mother interacts with her cubs differently and it is fascinating. Most of the mothers are currently at Leopard Mountain. The extra space and privacy allowed me to watch the bears in a more natural setting.

When the cubs were younger and smaller, the mothers concentrated more on grooming their cubs. Xi Dou and Qiao Qiao were the most diligent at this; I saw them licking their cubs every time I was studying them. Other mothers were content to let their children nap while they fed nearby, like Yang Hua and Cui Cui. They were more opportunistic and I usually saw them grooming their cubs only when the cubs were awake. Sometimes they even join their cubs in their morning naps.

With the cubs reaching almost six months old, those maternal behaviors have changed a bit. It was harder for the moms to groom their bigger and heavier children. Qiao Qiao’s cubs are full of energy and love following her around. Lately I saw them often take long walks around the enclosure as a trio. Mei Xi has her paws full with two naughty ones. Her twins like to spend lots of time in trees and Mei Xi frequently had to climb up to retrieve them. When they were together, Mei Xi’s twins liked play wrestling with Mei Xi or each other. In contrast, Yang Hua, Xi Dou, and Cui Cui’s cubs were less clingy and the three mothers let their cubs go off alone more.

The only thing that hasn’t changed yet is how hungry the baby panda can get. The only time they were quiet and settled was when they were suckling from their mother. It is interesting to watch and makes you question the factors that shape and influence these differences in parenting styles. Is it the mother’s personality? Is it the cubs? Could mothers be influenced by the way they themselves were raised? Hopefully these maternal studies can eventually answer those questions.

Thank you for reading my post and supporting me during my time here in China. My internship will end in the next few days, but I hope to check in once in a while. Happy Chinese New Year!