2009/01/13 (Tue) 關於永巴的一小段Update~

沒錯~
小魔就是無聊閑得慌，在這個金融危機人人自危的時候還去管住一只熊貓~
不服氣咩？小魔就是喜歡熊貓圓滾滾的~~~哼哼~

以下是一位長期參與熊貓飼育工作的美國人關於永巴的一些問題的回答~

==========

I am an American veterinarian working with wildlife in China. Dr. Sarah Bexell forwarded me your questions about Yongba. My answers are in blue below. Please let me know if you have further questions.

Thank you for raising the issue about Yongba to the public. Yongba is an example of the thousands of animals that are suffering in zoos throughout China (not only pandas). Their lives can only improve through the voice of people like yourself.

1. What weight is appropriate for a panda, like Yongba, at her 26 ages?

This varies with the size of the animal. The normal weight of an adult panda may be anywhere from 80kg to 150kg.

2. Based on what Shenzhen National Park said, ascites is normal for old pandas. So, is Panda Yongba's extraordinary huge stomach normal, comparing with her age and weight?

This is incorrect. Ascites is not normal in any animal, and certainly Yongba looks very ill indeed. He requires a complete medical diagnostic evaluation from experienced and knowledgeable veterinarians. Anyone who says that this panda is "normal" is not qualified to care for the animal.

3. What nutrition facts and what kind of foods are necessary and enough for a panda like Yongba for a day?

Pandas require as much as 25kg of fresh bamboo every day. The bamboo must be of the correct species that the panda needs at that particular time of year. Pandas living in captivity do not have access to the many species of bamboo that they eat in the wild, so they may also need a small amount of supplemental food made of cooked grains, vitamins and minerals. These requirements are known by western zoos who are very happy to share their knowledge and recipes with anyone in the world. Old pandas may have dental disease which makes it difficult or painful for them to chew their food, particularly bamboo. The veterinary staff must provide good dental care to the animal to make sure that it can eat properly. An animal with dental disease can quickly become malnourished or even starve to death.

4. How many hours sleeping are enough and appropriate for panda in this age?

Pandas may sleep 12-14 hours or more per day. The more interesting their environment is, the more they are awake and active. It is the job of zoo keepers to make sure that the environment of every animal is sufficiently interesting so that the animal can express its natural behavior. If an animal is bored or anxious, it may sleep too much or too little.

If you can pullout some time, could you please send me some more information on this kind of technical problems?

Sorry, I am not sure what you mean by technical problems. If you are interested, I can send you a document that I wrote that discusses the requirements for the care of every animal in every captive facility such as a zoo.

==========

就當是閲讀理解來看好了~
挺科普的~


Ciao！

：）：）：）