SNN (ScrollingNetworkNews) ✿ ✿ Our Mel and Sydney returned to their nesting box with plenty of bonding occurring..but after 2.5 months of Sydney in the box from Dec 2013 to mid Feb 2014, the lack of prey gifts from Mel ( perhaps due to the severe and historic drought underway in California)and they have forgone the nesting process this year as many other raptors ✿ Compared to other owls of similar size, the Barn Owl has a much higher metabolic rate, requiring relatively more food. Pound for pound, Barn Owls consume more rodents – often regarded as pests by humans – than possibly any other creature. ✿ We remind viewers that sometimes owlets may not survive - the parents will dispose of things in "The Owl Way" -viewer discretion is advised, this is nature and the "Owl way". ✿ ~ ✿ “Animals, like us, are living souls. They are not things. They are not objects. Neither are they human. Yet they mourn. They love. They dance. They suffer. They know the peaks and chasms of being.” ― Gary Kowalski, The Souls of Animals ✿ Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." ~ E.O. Wilson

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

What do you call a cub that’s black and white and cute all over?


Xiao Liwu, which means Little Gift!
By Chinese tradition, giant pandas are not named until they have been alive for 100 days.

His mother is Bai Yun (white cloud) and his father is Gao Gao (big big).

He is the sixth panda born at the San Diego Zoo and the third male.
He has one half sister, Hua Mei (China USA)
Two brothers, Mei Sheng (born in the USA or beautiful life)
and Yun Zi (son of cloud)
Two sisters, Su Lin (a little bit of something very cute) and Zhen Zhen (precious).


The finalists, culled from more than 7,000 name suggestions received in September, were:
 -- Qi Ji, which means Miracle - 奇迹
 -- Yu Di, which means Raindrop - 雨滴
 -- Da Hai, which means Big Ocean or Big Sea - 大海
 -- Xiao Liwu, which means Little Gift - 小礼物
 -- Yong Er, which means Brave Son - 勇儿
 -- Shui Long, which means Water Dragon - 水龙

"There were some names submitted as jokes," she said.
They did not consider names such as Oreo, for which there was no Chinese translation. They also didn't consider those without a clear definitions.
They looked for names that would be respectful." Another consideration in narrowing down the names was to avoid choosing any names that sounded too similar to those of the other pandas at the zoo.

"When we call the pandas, they do know their names," Mahlow said. "They're very intelligent."

The cub and his mother will remain together for 18 months, but will likely be on exhibit to the public sometime in January.

Around 1,600 are believed to be left in the wild in their native China.
The announcement was streamed live on Ustream