Agony aunt for Giant Pandas

[Guest guest]

Saturday, January 20, 2007

 

http://www.wilsondaily.com/LIfe/Feature/292126549698643.php

<http://www.wilsondaily.com/LIfe/Feature/Feature.php>

Zoos call on her for panda help

 

By Laura Keeter Daily Times Staff Writer

 

Mabel Lam works as a giant panda coordinator.

 

 

<http://www.wilsondaily.com/Wil_region/Local_News/292127105596040.php>

 

In the United States, only four zoos have pandas, and Lam has worked with

three of them — the San Diego Zoo, the Memphis Zoo and the Smithsonian

National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C.

 

She is a liaison between the zoos and the Chinese government.

 

All this she does from her Wilson home since her husband, Tim Yackle

(pronounced " Yakel " ), was transferred here in July with Kidde Aerospace.

 

Due to the nature of her consulting job, she is able to do the work from

home using her telephone and computer. She also travels to China and to zoos

and goes to annual panda meetings.

 

At home, Lam's computer desk faces a front window of the house, so she

looks out into the Eagle Farm subdivision. Her office is decorated with

framed photos of her holding young pandas. There's also panda art and panda

figurines.

 

However, Lam isn't panda-obsessed. To her, all baby animals are cute. Once

adult, pandas are to be revered as bears, she said.

 

But because Americans are so crazy over pandas, it's been big news in

America when a cub is born at a zoo and survives. Zoos have panda cams on

their Web sites and hold naming ceremonies and even contests for the cubs.

 

" Every zoo, when they have a baby panda, they are so excited, " Lam said.

 

 

 

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

 

Lam, 55, was born and raised in Hong Kong. She was taught English starting

in elementary school.

 

About 20 years ago, Lam worked in Ocean Park (a marine park similar to Sea

World) in Hong Kong. Her boss, an American, was good friends with the

general manager at the San Diego Zoo, who wanted the zoo to get in some

Chinese animals. Lam's boss agreed to help.

 

Lam, who was in her early 30s, took that opportunity to come to the United

States, go to college, and begin working at the San Diego Zoo part time as

an international student. She is a 1992 graduate with a bachelor's degree in

business administration from National University.

 

While in college, she perfected her English and then worked at the zoo full

time after graduation as conservation manager.

 

" I never thought I'd get involved in animal business, " she said.

 

However, she started in the animal business before she graduated and hasn't

changed.

 

Initially, she helped the zoo with the animal exchange program, including a

short-term panda loan. She also helped bring in other species of Chinese

animals.

 

After a moratorium was placed on the short-term panda program because it was

found to be too stressful for the animals, Lam began helping zoos negotiate

for long-term panda stays, which average about 10 years at a zoo.

 

Lam met her future husband in San Diego, and they married in 1996. He worked

for United Technologies in San Diego and was transferred to Connecticut and

then to Wilson.

 

As a result of her husband's transfer to Connecticut, Lam resigned from the

zoo and started a consulting business, M.L. Associates to continue

corespondent work.

 

" The zoo still wants my help because of my connections with China, and I can

speak Chinese, and I know the cultures, too, " she said.

 

She speaks three dialects of Chinese — Chiuchowness, Cantonese and Mandarin.

 

One of the main downsides to living in Wilson is that she has to drive to

Raleigh to do her Chinese grocery shopping now, and she doesn't like to

drive. But Lam likes the living conditions and educational opportunities

here. She does miss the food, her family and shopping Hong Kong.

 

 

 

WHAT SHE DOES

 

Working from home, Lam has no set working hours, especially since China is

on a 12-hour time difference.

 

" I get a lot of phone calls at midnight, " she said.

 

She doesn't work directly with pandas, although she's spent lots of time

with the bears.

 

Her main work is the legwork — being the liaison between China and the U.S.

She gives advice, writes letters, drafts agreements, helps with important

transactions, conveys messages, explains the panda program to interested

zoos, coordinates researchers and shipping, and visits some of the 56 nature

reserves in China to see the progress of conservation. The flight to Beijing

is about 15 hours.

 

Lam likes her job because " it's different every day. If something happens,

you may have a hectic day and have to work 24 hours because of the time

difference. "

 

To participate in the panda program, zoos are required to make contributions

to the program and also to conduct research on pandas both in captivity at

the zoo and in the wild in China.

 

Last year, Lam and representatives from zoos and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service visited China for two weeks, doing on-site inspections of projects

in six nature reserves, all in remote areas.

 

She helps the zoos to coordinate and facilitate negotiations with the

Chinese government, a process that can take several years. Zoos have to meet

requirements of the Chinese government and of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service.

 

" There's only one Mabel Lam, " said David Wildt, a senior scientist at the

Smithsonian National Zoological Park. " Mabel is absolutely unique in what

she's able to do. "

 

Because Lam is originally from Hong Kong but has also lived in the United

States for a long time, she understands both cultures and is able to deal

with many of the delicate political issues, he said. She is the bridge

between zoos in North America and the Chinese counterparts that allow the

giant pandas to be imported into the United States.

 

" Someone set up a meeting not long ago and said, 'There wouldn't be any

giant pandas in the United States if it wasn't for Mabel Lam,' " Wildt said.

 

Lam also handles logistical issues and facilitates the conservation work

being done in China, he said. She knows all the American and Chinese

scientists and works to make sure all the projects get done appropriately

and safely.

 

" She has the highest praise right up to the Smithsonian Zoological Park, "

Wildt said.

 

 

 

PANDA PROGRAM

 

Much research has been done to study panda breeding behaviors and how to

improve breeding in captivity.

 

Because of the research, there's been more success in the panda program with

reproduction.

 

In 2006, for example, 16 panda cubs were born at Wolong Nature Reserve in

Sichuan Province, China.

 

In the '90s, there were about 100 pandas in captivity. Now there are 220.

 

" Pandas are very picky. They're not like other animals. You can put a male

and female panda together for 10 years, and if they hate each other, they

will never mate. "

 

Female pandas can only conceive during a three-day window that comes once a

year in the spring.

 

Now scientists know how to measure hormone levels and do other tests to

determine when to put the female and male together. They can also do

artificial insemination during that time window.

 

Surprisingly, panda newborns are very small, Lam said. The cubs are born

just a few inches long, pink with no fur, and blind.

 

Lam says the U.S. is playing a role in panda conservation, and not just

bringing pandas over to make money.

 

" You can see the collaborative results between the two countries. "

 

 

 

keeter | 265-7817