Keeper John Michel described Bai Yun as "an inquisitive, adventurous, and precocious five-year-old." He told the story of first meeting her in China at the Shanghai Zoo: "She approached me in a rare moment of solitude....While hanging on the fence, she peered around one side of her front paws to inspect me for a full two minutes. I could not take my eyes off her. Finally, she climbed down and sauntered away, apparently having had enough of her slack-jawed visitor. I was smitten." Once in San Diego, she had the same effect on thousands of visitors, who could not get enough of the charming, active, and curious Bai Yun.