Apr

Volunteer Spotlight: Leslie Wilkes, Panda Watch Volunteer

Our Volunteer Appreciation Month celebration continues with a Volunteer Spotlight. OVS Director Sherri Wheeler talks with Leslie Wilkes about the the most coveted volunteer position of them all.

giant panda xiao qi ji — Xiao Qi Ji climbs on a branch in his exhibit. (Courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo)

On July 9, 2005, Tai Shan was the first panda cub born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Days later in Charleston, South Carolina, Leslie Wilkes read a three-paragraph article about this rare occurrence while visiting local sites. As a Virginia resident, the news was even more fascinating to her! The article also mentioned the Zoo was looking for volunteers, which immediately sparked her interest. Leslie continued her vacation with a new level of excitement, having decided she would be visiting the Zoo upon her return home.

By the time Leslie returned home and made it to the Zoo, many people had already become volunteers. Luckily, Leslie was able to join the ranks, as well. I had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie for this article and believe her excitement for wanting to learn about animals – what they do and why – is the reason she was offered the opportunity to be a Panda Watch Volunteer. In 2005, the Zoo was conducting a behavioral watch study on mother panda Mei Xiang and new cub Tai Shan. The available shifts were 1am to 4am or 4am to 7am (this is not a typo)! Leslie is retired, so she said YES! This began 15 years of enjoyment at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

The behavioral watch study continues today, and Leslie still volunteers weekly. She says, “Being a Panda Watch Volunteer is a lot of time spent watching bears sleep, so you must have patience”. It has also included watching Mei Xiang teach socialization, how to eat and other skills to cubs Bao Bao born in 2013, Bei Bei born in 2015 and, now, Xiao Qi Ji born last year. While it has been sad to see the cubs depart for China over the years, Leslie enjoys watching them grow up and turn into big bears. She is happy knowing they are living a full panda life with a larger population.

Leslie grew up around animals; her family had dogs and are avid bird watchers. I did not grow up around animals so I could not resist asking Leslie “Why are people fascinated by pandas?” I learned there are many books that address this question and devote chapters to answering it. Leslie said, “It is believed that pandas remind us of small children.” This simple answer changed my perspective about pandas, and I became even more fascinated with Leslie. She went on to share one of her most recent memorable moments watching Xiao Qi Ji who, during a shift, climbed up to the narrowest point in the rocks. Confused by what to do, Xiao Qi Ji looked over the cliff and stepped off. He fell, bounced, and proceeded to climb back up the rocks. This time Mei Xiang saw and picked him up before he could step off the cliff again. She turned him back around and moved him to a wider area of the rocks where he could safely get down. Leslie said, “It was so much fun watching Xiao Qi Ji learn a valuable lesson that day which was: when you get into tight spaces, back-up, and turn around.”

While Leslie enjoys learning, she also attributes her long tenure as a volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to the staff. She praised how Zoo staff show appreciation for their volunteers. Without realizing it, she has recruited me. I look forward to the day when the Zoo announces volunteer opportunities again – Leslie may be interviewing me next year for Volunteer Appreciation Month!

While the Zoo is not currently recruiting volunteers, you can still enjoy watching the Panda Cam yourself! Click here to view: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam

To keep up with the playful pandas, check out their latest news here: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/latest-panda-news

Sherri Wheeler is the Director of the Office of Visitor Services and Volunteer Management, having held the position since July 2015. Learn more about Sherri here.