ANIMALSFIRST GIANT PANDA
BORN IN CAPTIVITY
On 9 Sep 1963, a male giant
panda named Ming-Ming
(meaning “bright”) became
the first of his species to be
born in captivity. His birth
took place at Beijing Zoo in
China. Ming-Ming’s father
was named Pi-Pi and his
mother was Li-Li.
Almost exactly one year
later, on 4 Sep 1964, Li-Li
gave birth to a second cub.
The newborn panda was
female and was named Lin-
Lin (meaning “pretty jade”).LARGEST GIANT PANDA HABITAT
Located in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains of Sichuan
Province, China, the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries
represent the largest contiguous habitat of the giant panda.
More than 30% of the world panda population lives in this
9,245-km² (3,569-sq-mi) network of nature reserves and
scenic parks. In 2006, the area was officially designated
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.MOST RECENT BIRTH OF GIANT PANDA TRIPLETS
Only four cases of triplet births have ever been recorded
for giant pandas living in captivity. The most recent such
birth occurred on 29 Jul 2014 at Chimelong Paradise
amusement park in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province,
south-eastern China. All three of the panda cubs
were born within four hours of one another, and as of
6 Oct 2016 they were all still alive, after being hand-reared
at the park. Their mother, Ju Xiao, had been artificially
impregnated in Mar 2014.HUNGRIEST
BEAR SPECIES
In order to survive, the
giant panda eats as much
as 38% of its own weight in
bamboo shoots every day, or
15% of its weight in bamboo leaves
and stems. This is because it can only
digest up to 21% of all the bamboo
that it consumes, which means
that it has to eat throughout the
winter rather than hibernate
like other bears. It spends up
to 15 hr per day eating,
consuming more food
in relation to its body
weight than any
other species
of bear.NEWEST
GIANT PANDA SPECIES
The Qinling giant panda
(Ailuropoda melanoleuca
qinlingensis) was formally
recognized as a separate
subspecies in 2005. Unlike
the more familiar black-
and-white fur of the giant
panda (A. melanoleuca),
the Qinling giant panda’s
fur is dark brown and
light brown. Its head is
also rounder and smaller
than that of the typical
giant panda. Only
200–300 specimens
are believed to exist
in the wild.
These giant
panda sanctuaries
cover an area roughly
three times the size
of the US state of
Rhode Island.