If you hadn’t heard, Nate had to fly back to America for some environmental monitoring work.  Which left Dee and me in China on our own.  Which also meant she has to become a defacto panda scientist for our last month here.  I’m writing this as Dee tosses and turns on my office couch.  She’s such a good kid and is remaining completely silent as she peaks out from under her blanket at me.  It appears that nap times will be a little more challenging up here on the base but the fact that she laid down and tried to go to sleep for a good hour was encouraging!

Just like mom - super interested in the breeding bears

This morning went great and Dee was a trouper.  Once at the base things started to get nice and hectic but Dee was fabulous and just came along for the behavioral observations.  Just like me she’s fascinated with the pandas behaviors.  I think she likes watching them eat and drink the most though – it’s something she can identify with.

Dee wanted to record the behaviors too!

And finally she wanted to help collect the fecal samples (I just gave her gloves but didn’t let her actually get the poop – though that would be quite the photo op).

Getting ready to collect panda poop.

She’s now happily drinking green tea and watching a movie to relax after such a long day.  Only 2 more female panda bears to go and breeding season will be over here at Bi Feng Xia!

-Meg