‘Panda-monium’ to Start Nov. 1 at Zoo

Shi Shi and Bai Yun, the only pair of giant pandas in America, will go on display Nov. 1 at the San Diego Zoo.

The rare animals have been in quarantine, required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, since arriving Sept. 10 from Shanghai on a 12-year research loan from China.

Shi Shi, a 16-year-old male, and Bai Yun, a 5 1/2-year-old female, have yet to meet, and it may be a while before they do because pandas are solitary by nature, said zoo spokeswoman Georgeanne Irvine. The pair will be displayed in separate habitats containing a pool, trees and bamboo.

Zoo officials hope to breed the pair--a difficult task since the female is receptive to mating only one to three days a year--after letting them gradually become accustomed to one another.

The pandas are expected to be displayed daily, with some exceptions in the spring. They are most active in the mornings, Irvine said; there is no specific feeding time. The zoo is open 9 a.m. to dusk each day. For information, call the zoo’s panda hotline, (619) 685-3240.