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Giant Panda Facts, Profiles and Information
Where to See Giant Pandas - Places to Visit Giant Pandas around the world
  • The San Diego Zoo is home to five pandas: female Bai Yun and male
    Gao Gao, who are the parents of several pandas including Su Lin,
    Zhen Zhen and newest cub Yun Zi who are both still in San Diego.
     
Bai Yun ("White Cloud"):Female
Born: September 7, 1991, Wolong Giant Panda Research Center, China
Arrived at San Diego Zoo: September 10, 1996
Weight in September 2008: 214 pounds (97 kilograms)

Gao Gao ("Big Big"): Male
Born: estimated 1990, in wild near China's Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve
Arrived at San Diego Zoo: January 15, 2003, on a research loan from China
Current weight: 168–174 pounds (76–79 kilograms)

Su Lin ("A little bit of something very cute"): Female
Born: August 2, 2005, San Diego Zoo
Weight in September 2008: 161–165 pounds (73–75 kilograms)

Zhen Zhen ("Precious"): female
Born: August 3, 2007, San Diego Zoo
Weight on September 6, 2008: 45.8 pounds (20.8 kilograms)

Yun Zi ("Son of White Cloud"): Male
Born: August 5, 2009, San Diego Zoo

Hua Mei ("China/USA"): Female
Hua Mei became the first giant panda born in the Western Hemisphere since
1990 when she was born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999. In 2004 she went to
live at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in China, per stipulations
of the Zoo's research loan with China.

In September 2004 Hua Mei gave birth to twins at the Wolong facility. She
had another set of twins in August 2005 and yet another pair in July 2007,
making her the mother of six!


  • Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are the National Zoo's second pair of giant
    pandas. Both were born at the China Research and Conservation
    Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, Sichuan Province.

Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), the female, was born on July 22, 1998. Her name
means "beautiful fragrance."

Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN), the male, was born on August 27, 1997. His name
means "more and more."
Tai Shan (tie-SHON) was born early in the morning on July 9, 2005. In December, the Zoo announced that Tai Shan will
depart for the People’s Republic of China early in the first quarter of 2010, as stipulated in the agreement between the Zoo
and the Chinese government.

  • On the East Coast, Zoo Atlanta is also home to four pandas: female Lun Lun and male Yang Yang and their offspring
    Mei Lan and Xi Lan. Lun Lun likes the smell of cinnamon and mint, while Yang Yang has a preference for Tabasco
    and lavender. 3-year-old Mei Lan (MAY LAHN, meaning “Atlanta Beauty”) will return to China early next year to breed.

  • In April 2003, the Memphis Zoo became host to two pandas of its own: Ya Ya and Le Le, who share a three-acre, $16
    million exhibit space with several other species native to China.

  • Also in North America, the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City is home to three female giant pandas.

  • In Europe, Zoo Berlin is home to Bao Bao, a male born in 1978.

  • In Austria, Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo is home to Fu Long, born in August 2007. His parents, Yang Yang and Long Hui
    had been at the zoo since March 2003.

  • The only other pandas in Europe can be found at Madrid's zoo and aquarium. The zoo is home to two female pandas:
    Hua Zui Ba and Bing Xing.

  • In Nov. 2009 Australia's Adelaide Zoo welcomed two giant pandas, Wang Wang and Funi. They are the only giant
    pandas in the Southern Hemisphere and the first to live permanently in Australia.

  • In Japan, giant pandas can be found at Adventure World in Shirahama. The park is home to twins Meihin and Eihin
    and father Eimei.


  • In Thailand, the Chiang Mai Zoo is home to three pandas: Chuang Chuang, Lin Hui & Lin Ping.

  • In Taiwan, the Taipei Zoo has two giant pandas Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan.
Pandas in China

Finally, there are plenty of places in China of course to see giant pandas:

  • In Hong Kong, Ocean Park is home to four panda -- Jia Jia, An An, Le Le and Ying Ying. The park also lets some
    visitors, with three-day advance notice, become honorary panda keepers and get a behind the scenes look and the
    panda's lives.



  • To see pandas in their natural habitat, travel to the Wolong National Nature Reserve, a sprawling preserve with
    numerous animals and birds and substantial native panda population.

  • Ten giant panda cubs will be on display at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 at the city's zoos, giving tens of millions
    of Chinese and foreign visitors a glimpse at the highly endangered species. The six females and four males will
    arrive in Shanghai in January 2010 and spend six months at the Shanghai Zoo and six months at Wild Animal Park
    of Shanghai,  All the pandas were born at the country's main panda research base in Sichuan province after the
    May 2008 earthquake that killed or left missing nearly 90,000 people. The Expo, due to begin May 1, 2010 and run
    for six months, is expected to draw 70 million visitors.