Pandas come to Britain for first time in 17 years - Telegraph Scotland Pandas come to Britain for first time in 17 years Britain is to house its first giant pandas in 17 years after a historic agreement was brokered with China, both countries have announced. Tian Tian is on her way to Edinburgh Zoo from China Tian Tian (R), the female and Yangguang, the male, are coming to the UK < > Comments A breeding pair, named Tian Tian and Yangguang, will be homed at Edinburgh Zoo following the successful conclusion of five years of diplomatic and political negotiations. The agreement was signed yesterday in London by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which owns Edinburgh Zoo, and the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). It was witnessed by Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Li Keqiang, China’s Vice Premier. Both pandas are being loaned to Britain for 10 years, although any offspring they produce during that period will be returned to China shortly after birth. The last pandas in the UK, Ming Ming and Bao Bao, were shipped out in 1994 after failing to mate.

Only nine zoos outside China house the animals and in Europe they can only be seen in Madrid, Berlin and Vienna. Edinburgh won a fierce fight for the pandas with London after convincing Chinese officials of its animal conservation credentials. The zoo is expecting to double its visitor numbers after their arrival, which is expected to be in the autumn. Related Articles 'Let giant pandas die out' 22 Sep 2009 Tian Tian, a female, and Yangguang, a male, were both born in 2003 and are currently housed at Wolong Panda Breeding Centre in China’s Sichuan Province, which is home to 250 breeding giant pandas. However, the animals’ low sex drive means only 20 panda cubs are born in captivity every year around the world. Both Edinburgh’s new pandas have produced offspring previously, but not with each other. They will be housed in separate enclosures at the city’s zoo and brought together for their annual mating season, which lasts only between two and seven days between March and May. Plans for their homes are to be finalised this week following discussions with the CWCA.

It is expected the animals will eat between 110lb (50kg) and 154lb (70kg) of bamboo a day and their upkeep will be funded through sponsorship. David Windmill, chief executive officer of the RZSS, said it was a “landmark day” for both countries and the zoo. “The project has huge benefit for the UK and Scotland, both in supporting giant panda conservation and in enhancing our programmes in education, science and conservation,” he added. Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, said: “Pandas are a Chinese national treasure. This historical agreement is a gift to the people of the UK from China. It will represent an important symbol of our friendship and will bring our two people closer together.” The first pandas seen in Britain arrived in 1938 but London zoo had limited success keeping them alive. However, Chi Chi, a panda sold to Regent's Park zoo in 1958, became a favourite until her death in 1972. Two more pandas were gifted by the Chinese in 1974. Ching-Ching died in 1985 and Chia-Chia was later sent to Mexico.

Ming-Ming and Bao Bao arrived in 1991. London Zoo Welcome to The Good Zoo Guide Online (goodzoos.com), the essential guide to the best zoos, wildlife parks and animal collections on the planet Now more than 200 Pages of Zoo Reviews and discussion - and growing with the help of Internet Zoo Critics from all around the world And while you're here - check out our world famous 'Zoo Noticeboard' Can you help zoos and animal lovers from around the world with their zoo enquiries? London Zoo Outer Circle, Regent's Park, London Telephone 020-7722 3333 How to Find it: The nearest underground is Camden Town - from which the zoo is a ten minute walk. Regent's Park station is further but the walk is more pleasant. Various busses By British Rail - the nearest station is Euston. Take the Underground (Northern Line) from Euston to Camden Town By Bus - No. 274 and C2. By car - Zoo's car park is on the Outer Circle of Regent's Park. £5 for Zoo visitors.

Pay and display parking also available on the Outer Circle Open: All year from 10.00 am Prices: This critique last updated: Jun 2009 Official Description London Zoo is a must for for a days out in London experience. For an amazing animal experience for all the family, visit Animal Adventure, ZSL London Zoo's new £2.3m exhibit. See what Animal Adventure is all about: Animal Adventure, the new children's zoo, allows children the chance to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, smells and experiences of life in the animal kingdom This brand new family attraction lets children climb, tunnel, splash and touch in a special environment that brings fun and learning to life. Visitors to ZSL London Zoo will be able to see a Room with a Zoo and its inhabitant from Saturday 23rd May until Monday 25th May 2009. From Tuesday 26th May until Sunday 31st May, the public will have the chance to explore the inside of the exhibit and experience for themselves a Room with a Zoo.

More information on Room with a Zoo No reviews submitted - be the first GoodZoos.com Reviews The London Zoo is Britain’s best known zoo, it’s National zoo, and one of the most famous and prestigious collections in the world. It is the primary home of the Zoological Society of London, and it occupies thirty six acres of a Royal Park, less than two miles from the centre of the city of London. The Zoological Society of London was founded in 1826 at the instigation of its first president, Sir Stamford Raffles (who is rather better known as the founder of Singapore). Raffles obtained the land, and saw the first plans for the zoo, but in the same year that the Zoological Society was founded, he died, reportedly of apoplexy; so he never saw the scientific establishment that he had envisaged, for ‘teaching and elucidating zoology.’ That was left to his successor, the third Marquis of Lansdowne, who obtained a parcel of land from the Crown at Regent’s Park at a nominal rent, and who supervised the building of the first animal houses. The gardens opened in April 1828 to members of the Zoological Society.

The public were not to be admitted for almost two decades, but among the animals they might have seen before the turn of the century were such rarities as Arabian oryx, greater kudus, Indian and Sumatran rhinoceros, aye aye, the now extinct quagga (a species of zebra), and the equally extinct thylacine (a marsupial wolf). Among the zoo’s regular visitors was Charles Darwin, a fellow of the Zoological Society, from 1831. His particular fascination was the orang utan, the first ever seen in Europe. One of the great popular characters of the nineteenth century was Jumbo, an African bull elephant who came to the zoo as a baby and ended up as a six-ton cantankerous beast. Jumbo was so loved by Londoners of the time that there was a national outcry when the Zoo Council and Abraham Dee Bartlett, the zoo’s superintendent, sold him to Mr Bamum of Bamum and Bailey’s Circus. Jumbo sailed to the United States where hedrew huge crowds until his death in a train accident two years later. London Zoo benefitted from the sale to the tune of two thousand pounds.

One of the first architects at the zoo was Decimus Burton, an ambitious young man already famous for his designs of the Colosseum theatre and Marble Arch in London. Over the generations since, new buildings have come and gone, and today very little of Burton’s original zoo remains. The East Tunnel which links the north and south halves of the zoo under Prince Albert Road dates back to 1829, and the clock tower building, was Burton’s llama house in the 1830s. For the first sixty-five years, every tropical animal in Regent’s Park was kept indoors in the belief that they would not survive in the cold, fresh air of London. This was to change with the new century when Dr Peter Chalmers Mitchell, who was appointed secretary of the Society in 1902, set about a major reorganisation of the zoo’s buildings. Many of the animals came out into the open, and most of them thrived. This was a revolutionary new idea inspired by Hagenbeck of Hamburg Zoo, and it led to a new era of building and design which has firmly left its mark upon the park.

Today there is still a great feeling of history about London Zoo, lending the whole park a special ambiance quite fitting for this, the birthplace of British zoos. For decades the London Zoo has had no real equal in this country. Other zoos have opened, and flourished, but for generations there have been at least twice as many species here in the heart of London as there have been at any other British zoo. At the beginning of the 1990s there were almost 7,000 animals in the Royal Park. The nearest any other collection came to matching that figure was Chester Zoo with just under 3,500 animals; and despite the fact that 4,000 or so of London Zoo’s animals were fish or invertebrates (and most of those were ants), there was still a superabundance of wildlife that you would see in no other zoo: the wombat for example, or the Tasmanian devil, the long nosed potoroo, the grey ground cuscus, or the four eyed opossum - and these were only the marsupials.

Altogether on a day at London Zoo you might have seen representatives of nearly half the mammal species kept in British Zoos. The sheer size of the collection at London was part of the zoo’s appeal, but may also have been the root cause of the zoo’s financial problems. There may never be a collection of this size in Britain again. There is a recommended route to take you economically around the zoo, but it is worth buying and using the excellent guide book; otherwise you may soon find that the zoo seems much larger than you might expect, and it is difficult not to miss whole sections out. Most tours around London Zoo begin with the primates. The Sobell Pavilions, built for the apes and monkeys in 1972, are right in front of you as you come through the gates. This will also be your first introduction to the signs - another feature of the London Zoo that has no equal. Perhaps it is the influence of the great museums nearby; perhaps it is a spin-off from the education department that. plays host to sixty thousand children every year; or perhaps there is just a greater commitment to educate the public here than at any other zoo.

Whatever the reason, Regent’s Park seems to have a policy of putting a sign upon every available blank space, and you could easily spend a day simply reading your way around the zoo. Some zoo directors are sceptical about the value of interpretational signs. They doubt whether the average visitor will ever read more than a fraction of the information that a zoo could display. Maybe there is, a danger of this when every sign is a monotonous litany of gestation times, litter sizes, and diets - and that surely applies to the signs at many zoos; btit not at London. Here imagination has taken over, and nowhere are there two sets of signs the same, even in format. The signwriters have decided that we want to know what is interesting about the occupants of each enclosure, and that is what they have given us. So our tour around the Sobell Pavilions begins with a huge evolutionary tree showing our own relationship to the old and new world monkeys.

Then, as we proceed around, each section has a sign that announces its residents: ‘Spider Monkeys - The tail hangers’, reads one; ‘Squirrel Monkeys - sociable and chirpy’, ‘Gorillas - vegetarian gentle giants’, and ‘Macaques - the all-rounders’. The enclosures are all grass floored and well branched with a ceiling of girders to provide more climbing space. They are a little low, but seem well suited to the needs of most of the monkeys, which are kept here in large social groups. Indoors the dens are brick-built and fairly roomy with glass viewing windows. Nearly all the primates breed well here, and you may see several parents carrying young. The chimpanzees (‘Like us - noisy and showy’) spend more time swinging arm to arm than in many zoos which provide less three-dimensional space, but perhaps they would be noisier and showier if they had a little more room to rush around. The gorillas have the same outside pen and climbing roof as the monkeys; and maybe here the pavilion suffers from a slight uniformity of design - these huge apes looking rather uncomfortable in what is quite clearly a monkey cage.

A statue of Guy the gorilla stands alongside, climbed upon by countless children. It is a permanent reminder of the zoo’s best loved resident since Jumbo. All the apes are identified by photographs and names. Chimp faces vary almost as much as humans, and the photographs remind us that every animal is an individual, each with his, or her, own unique personality. The aquarium at London Zoo was built in 1924, and it is still the largest in the country. Two hundred thousand gallons of fresh water and sea water circulate through its hundred exhibition tanks. Twice a year sea water from the Bay of Biscay is brought in the ballast tanks of ships to top up the water in circulation. The hall is long, with most of the light coming from the tanks themselves. Perhaps the best feature is the seawater hall where a three thousand gallon display tank holds a whole variety of tropical marine fish and invertebrates. Next door is the reptile house, with a huge collection of snakes and lizards on display. Many of the signs there feature venom as their point of interest, and one of the many snakes on display is the carpet viper, responsible (so the sign tells us) for several thousand deaths a year in Africa.

Outside again, the elephant and rhino pavilion is good from the visitor’s point of view, but maybe somewhat lacking in space for the animals. To make up for this the elephants are widely exercised out and about in the zoo, to the clear delight of visitors, and one hopes of the elephants too. One recent resident of this building was Ben, a northern white rhino who was flown in 1986 to join the only other captive rhinos of his race at Dvur Kralove in Czechoslovakia, a move that looks likely to be helpful in saving this subspecies from extinction. The newest residents (at the time of writing) are Rosie, an adorable black rhino who was born at the zoo in 1989, and Jos, a young male black rhino who arrived from Dvur Kralove in November 1990. The jackass penguins have a famous and fascinating pool, dating back to 1934 and designed by the architect Lubetkin, with a network of concrete ramps and bridges.

So often the children’s corner in a zoo is no more than an afterthought where a few rabbits and a few goats supposedly represent animals with a special appeal to children; but at few zoos will you see children enjoying a children’s zoo so much as at London, where they are offered a whole range of animals to stroke, including calves, piglets, lambs, rabbits and donkeys. The nineteenth-century reptile house was converted into a tropical bird house in 1927, and it now houses a whole variety of birds in aviaries around the walls. One inhabitant is the bell bird, which makes the loudest of all bird calls, like a hammer striking on an anvil. When the male is in full throat it is quite deafening to stand too close. The essential Victorian flavour of this building is captured in the interpretational signs. For these the zoo has drawn from its archives of nineteenth century drawings, prints and paintings, and has combined them with up to date information in the style of a Victorian naturalist’s notebook. The cats at Regent’s Park are housed at the East corner of the zoo in well planted enclosures, faced with tent-like erections of steel square fencing.

Signs here educate us on the fur trade, teeth and claws, spots, cubs and kittens, and invite us to compare our physical skills with those of the cat family. Did you know, for instance, that a leopard can leap twice as high as an Olympic high jumper? In the open parkland of the southern side of the zoo are open wildfowl ponds, parrots, sealions and gibbons, carnel rides, and a meet-the animal show under a big open-air tarpaulin. Two tunnels lead under the road to the north side of the zoo. Here you will find the high, walk-through, Snowdon Aviary, the giraffe, zebras, deer and cattle house where you might also see vicuna, kudu and okapi, the insect house, and finally the one building which most visitors remember more than any other - the Charles Clore Pavilion. Known by keepers simply as ‘The Clore’, this building houses the society’s small mammal collection - one of the most impressive in the world. The ground floor is borne to daylight creatures like marmosets and tamarins; but it is the basement where the real magic lies.

Here is the moonlight world’ where large eyed nocturnal creatures like the Tasmanian devil, jerboas, douroucoulis, casiraguas, and fruit bats abound in enclosures that are skilful recreations of their natural wild surroundings. The Clore is a fascinating place indeed, and once your eyes have become used to the dim artificial moonlight you can spend a long time in this mysterious world among the rarely seen creatures of the night. A new attraction at the zoo in 1991 were a pair of koalas, Mije and Billi, the first seen in Britain for almost 80 years. They were housed in a large but rather stark circular room in what used to be the old orang house, and here they would climb contentedly on a wooden climbing, frame against the painted backdrop of a eucalyptus forest. Sadly Mije died in November 1991. Koalas are notoriously difficult to keep in zoos, primarily because they rely on just a single food source, the leaves of eucalyptus.

The original koalas of London, almost a century ago, were fed on eucalyptus cough pastilles, but today the zoo buys regular quantities of fresh branches from a supplier in Cornwall. The branches are inserted into holes in the climbing frame, to make browsing, a more natural process. For many years it has been the policy of successive Australian governments not to allow wildlife exports of any kind, although an exception was made in 1990 for some endangered Leadbetter’s opossums sent to London Zoo. London’s koalas therefore came from San Diego Zoo, where they were born. Pandas have been a feature of London Zoo for more than five decades. The first London Zoo panda this century was Ming, one of four pandas who arrived in 1938 and who featured in propaganda to boost morale during the war. Twenty years later, in 1958, came Chi-Chi. She was originally destined for an American zoo, but at the time Washington had banned all trade with Communist China. Chi-Chi was branded ‘communist goods’ and was refused entry to the United States.

The Zoological Society of London had previously ruled that they would not encourage the collection of wild pandas, in the interests of conservation. But since it was pointed out that Chi-Chi had already been collected, her purchase (with assistance from Granada TV) was approved. She at once became the scene-stealing, star attraction of London Zoo, and remained the best loved zoo animal in Britain until her death. As the only giant panda in the west, she was the inspiration behind Peter Scott’s design for a symbol for the World Wildlife Fund. She was greatly pampered, and often indulged with chocolates by visitors. In the late 1960s her fruitless liaison with Moscow Zoo’s An-An made regular front page news. When she died in July 1972 she was widely mourned, but the vacuum at the zoo was soon filled by Ching-Ching and Chia-Chia who arrived in September 1974, a gift to Edward Heath from the Government of China. Once again, however, all of the technology and best intentions of the zoo failed to persuade the pandas to produce any offspring.

Ching-Ching needed almost constant medical attention, and after her death, Chia-Chia departed, in 1988, on a breeding loan to Mexico City Zoo, which has a good record of panda breeding. Once again London Zoo was without a panda, and it felt the absence profoundly. For the first time in decades the zoo had no real star. There was hope that the arrival of the koalas would fill the void, but somehow they failed to do so. So negotiations that had begun with the Chinese in 1988 for the loan of another panda grew more urgent. At about the time that the future of the zoo began to be questioned, the imminent arrival of Ming-Ming was announced. She arrived in the autumn of 1991 and was followed by a male, Bao Bao, from Berlin Zoo. They occupy the original panda cages in the Sobell pavilions. It is not perhaps the most imaginative home for a panda. The panda cages were originally designed for monkeys. But they will offer the zoo the opportunity to create a star once more, if the public still has affection for the very lovable, and still rarely seen, giant panda.

And if they do succeed in niating, during the few days in the spring when Ming-Ming will be on heat, then who can guess what effect the arrival of a baby panda might have upon the future and the financial fortunes of London Zoo. Throughout its history, London Zoo has rarely been out of the news. In 1991 the zoo once again dominated the front pages after reports that the Department of the Environment was to order its closure. ‘Animals face slaughter’ read the headlines, and leader columns were drawn into debating what has become the perennial controversy of the rights and wrongs of zoos as places of entertainment. Not for the first time in its history, London Zoo was faced with the dilemma of hugely mounting costs against a background of fairly stagnant visitor numbers. The reason behind the threat of closure seemed to be the simple failure of the zoo to balance its books. This was never going to be an easy exercise. London Zoo is a zoo of enormous variety and complexity. As well as its huge collection of animals it also houses the Institute of Zoology, a body of around 100 research scientists, funded in part through the Universities Finance Council.

Their work currently covers seventy or more projects from the examination of rhino urine, to the insemination of pandas. But to run such a large and diverse zoo has its cost. In this case the cost was the £40 million required to cover the zoo’s backlog of repairs, and to secure its financial future. An early indication that a threat might be looming for London Zoo had come in 1990 when the Zoological Society announced its plans for some major changes in the collection. These were expected to include a huge reduction in the number of species along with the departure of many of the larger animals to Whipsnade. For a while it looked is if these changes could prove to be sufficient to bring running costs down to manageable proportions. But the plans were clearly not enough to stave off a crisis. The fact is that, apart from a government endowment of £10 million made to the zoo in 1988, London Zoo is expected to be self financing, unlike, for example, Kew Gardens or the national museums and galleries. This may have been a realistic attitude in the 1950s and 60s but not, it would seem, in the 1990s.

The zoo survived successions of crises. But survival is still a struggle. Quite simply, there seems to be a straightforward decision to make. If London Zoo is to continue in its present form, as a huge National collection of seven hundred or more species, then more money will have to be found - and essentially this may mean that the taxpayer will have to contribute in some form or another. Other countries, it can be argued, support their prominent collections with money from the National purse. However, for the present at least it would seem that the government lacks any intention to bail the zoo out of its crisis; and the zoo itself seems to be reconciled to the fact that it cannot continue in its present form. But perhaps that might he no bad thing. If public (or private) money is not forthcoming, and if London Zoo could come to terms with redefining the collection into a smaller, simpler, cheaper zoo, then it could surely continue to survive on the gate receipts of the million and a quarter visitors who come every year. After all there are several good zoos that occupy no more land, with far smaller gates, that seem to do quite nicely thank you.

Jersey Zoo (with less than a quarter of the number of visitors) is perhaps the best example. It could represent a rather attractive model for a future role for London Zoo. Imagine London becoming associated with the type of international species rescue that Gerald Durrell has shown to be possible. This great and popular zoo would have a platform second to none for capturing the public imagination with the tasks it would undertake. That great reptile house could devote its efforts to the dozens of island reptiles on the edge of extinction. Most of the birds, so many of them non-breeders would go; but perhaps the much criticised (and in need of repair) Snowdon Aviary could house colonies of endangered primates - maybe done langurs or lion tailed maeaques, or drills. The Clore could specialise in half a dozen or so of the most critically endangered bits and small mammals; there would be schemes to link conservation work in the countries of origin with captive breeding at the zoo - plenty here to keep the Institute of Zoology busy well into the next century. The City of London is full of venues for an exciting day out. There are galleries, museums, waxworks, and the Tower.

But consider: a baby Arabian oryx is rarer than a da Vinci painting or a Henry Moore sculpture; and what creation of man can compare with nature’s artistry in the face of a mandrill or the plumage of a flamingo? One word of warning however: don’t plan too full an itinerary on the day you visit the zoo. You may find it takes up much of your day, leaving you too footsore for very much else. Panda deal clinched by Edinburgh Zoo - BBC News BBC News Panda deal clinched by Edinburgh Zoo 10 January 2011 Close share panel Image caption Tian Tian was born in 2003 and is to be moved to Edinburgh Zoo soon An agreement has been signed to bring two giant pandas to Edinburgh Zoo, the first to live in the UK for 17 years. The deal was signed at Lancaster House in London by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association. It was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Vice Premier of China Li Keqiang. Tian Tian and Yang Guang, a breeding pair born in 2003, will be under the custodianship of the zoo society.

The project represents the culmination of five years of political and diplomatic negotiation at the highest level and it is anticipated the giant pandas will arrive in their new home as soon as a date is agreed. The move has been welcomed by the Scottish government but animal protection charity, OneKind, questioned the wisdom of attempting to breed pandas in captivity so far from their natural habitat. Image caption Yang Guang is a mate for Tian Tian David Windmill, chief executive officer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which runs Edinburgh Zoo, said: "This is a landmark day for RZSS, Edinburgh Zoo, the UK and China. "It represents the beginning of a programme of research, education and partnership and the project has huge benefit for the UK and Scotland, both in supporting giant panda conservation and in enhancing our programmes in education, science and conservation." Mr Liu Xiaoming, ambassador of China to the UK, said: "Pandas are a Chinese national treasure. "This historical agreement is a gift to the people of the UK from China. "It will represent an important symbol of our friendship and will bring our two people closer together." The giant panda The UK's first "star" giant panda was Chi-Chi.

She lived at London Zoo from 1958 until her death in 1972 The animals were used by China for so-called panda diplomacy during the Cold War. Prime Minister Edward Heath received Ching-Ching and Chia-Chia in 1974 The UK's last pandas were Ming Ming and Bao Bao. But rather than mating as they were supposed to they ended up fighting, and left in 1994 The panda was adopted as the symbol of conservation group the WWF on its foundation in 1961 There were just 1,600 giant pandas in the wild at the last count (2004) A giant panda can eat up to 38kg (84lb) of bamboo a day A panda cub is 1/900th the size of its mother - one of the smallest ratios for a newborn mammal Iain Valentine, Edinburgh Zoo's director of animals, conservation and education, said: "These wonderful animals will be housed in a specially-refurbished enclosure which was formerly home to our gorillas. "The enclosure will offer a good mix of comfort and visibility so the public can see the couple as they settle into their new home.

"We are looking forward to welcoming a delegation from the CWCA to Edinburgh later this week to view the zoo and discuss our plans in detail." Fiona Hyslop, Scotland's culture and external affairs minister, said: "Edinburgh Zoo has a world-leading reputation for animal conservation and I am delighted that Scotland has been chosen to take part in China's breeding programme for giant pandas. "The agreement gives Scotland an important role in securing the future of this endangered species. "As well as supporting China's work to protect these animals, the arrival of the pandas is expected to bring significant economic benefits for Scotland in terms of tourism, attracting hundreds of thousands of additional visitors to the zoo.

"Edinburgh Zoo has demonstrated that it has world-class expertise to breed and care for these rare animals and this announcement reflects our continuing work to strengthen the cultural, educational and economic links between Scotland and China." Serious welfare concerns Media captionManus Fullerton of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland: ''A fantastic day for us, a fantastic day for Scotland'' Ross Minett, science and research manager at animal charity OneKind, said: "In this day and age, the prospect of two animals being transported from their homeland across the world so that the paying public in Scotland can see them in a cage in a zoo raises serious animal welfare concerns and is outlandish." He added: "This is a commercial deal: the animals may appear to be diplomatic gifts - an outdated concept in itself - but in fact the zoo will pay a substantial fee for the lease of these animals. "The Scottish and UK governments should ask themselves whether their support for this project is really in line with modern concepts of animal welfare and conservation.

"International conservation organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature favour an approach that protects the panda's habitat and allows the natural population to grow, and if Edinburgh Zoo is serious about conservation it should be throwing its support behind local projects in China." The giant panda project will be funded through sponsorship. Giant panda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Giant panda Jump to: navigation , search "Panda" redirects here. For other uses, see Panda (disambiguation) . "Panda Bear" redirects here. For the musician, see Panda Bear (musician) . For the album, see Panda Bear (album) . Template:Automatic taxobox The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, lit. "black and white cat-foot"; simplified Chinese : 大熊猫; traditional Chinese : 大熊貓; pinyin : dà xióng māo, lit. "big bear cat"), [1] also known as panda bear or simply panda, is a bear [2] native to south central China . [3] It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body.

The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda . Though it belongs to the order Carnivora , the giant panda's diet is over 99% bamboo . [4] Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves , oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food. [5] [6] The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in neighbouring provinces, namely Shaanxi and Gansu . [7] As a result of farming, deforestation , and other development, the giant panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived. The giant panda is a conservation reliant endangered species . [8] A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. [9] As of December 2014, 49 giant pandas live in captivity outside China, living in 18 zoos in 13 different countries.

[10] Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, [9] while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. [11] Some reports also show that the number of giant pandas in the wild is on the rise. [12] [13] On March 2015, Mongabay stated the wild giant panda population increased by 268, or 16.8%, totaling to 1,864 individuals. [14] However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable. [3] While the dragon has often served as China's national emblem , internationally the giant panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example as one of the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics . Contents Description[ edit ] Bones of the left forelimb. The giant panda has a black-and-white coat.

Adults measure around 1.2 to 1.9 m (4 to 6 ft) long, including a tail of about 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in), and 60 to 90 cm (2.0 to 3.0 ft) tall at the shoulder . [15] [16] Males can weigh up to 160 kg (350 lb). [17] Females (generally 10–20% smaller than males) [18] can weigh as little as 70 kg (150 lb), but can also weigh up to 125 kg (276 lb). [8] [15] [19] Average adult weight is 100 to 115 kg (220 to 254 lb). [20] The giant panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, arms and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white.

Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, speculation suggests that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage in their shade-dappled snowy and rocky habitat. [21] The giant panda's thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. [21] The panda's skull shape is typical of durophagous carnivorans. It has evolved from previous ancestors to exhibit larger molars with increased complexity and expanded temporal fossa. [22] [23] A 110.45 kg (243.5 lb) giant panda has a 3D canine teeth bite force of 2603.47 newtons and bite force quotient of 292. [24] Another study had a 117.5 kg (259 lb) giant panda bit 1298.9 newtons (BFQ 151.4) at canine teeth and 1815.9 newtons (BFQ 141.8) at carnassial teeth.

[25] The giant panda's paw has a "thumb" and five fingers ; the "thumb" – actually a modified sesamoid bone – helps it to hold bamboo while eating. [26] Stephen Jay Gould discusses this feature in his book of essays on evolution and biology , The Panda's Thumb . The giant panda's tail, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in), is the second-longest in the bear family. (The longest belongs to the sloth bear .) [18] The giant panda typically lives around 20 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity . [27] The oldest captive, a female named Ming Ming, had a recorded age of 34. [28] Behavior[ edit ] The giant panda is a terrestrial animal and primarily spends its life roaming and feeding in the bamboo forests of the Qinling Mountains and in the hilly Sichuan Province. [29] Giant pandas are generally solitary, [30] and each adult has a defined territory, and a female is not tolerant of other females in her range. Pandas communicate through vocalization and scent marking such as clawing trees or spraying urine .

[8] They are able to climb and take shelter in hollow trees or rock crevices, but do not establish permanent dens. For this reason, pandas do not hibernate , which is similar to other subtropical mammals, and will instead move to elevations with warmer temperatures. [31] Pandas rely primarily on spatial memory rather than visual memory . [32] Social encounters occur primarily during the brief breeding season in which pandas in proximity to one another will gather. [33] After mating, the male leaves the female alone to raise the cub. [34] Though the panda is often assumed to be docile, it has been known to attack humans, presumably out of irritation rather than aggression. [35] [36] [37] Play media Panda eating, standing, playing Despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivoran , the giant panda's diet is primarily herbivorous , consisting almost exclusively of bamboo. [27] However, the giant panda still has the digestive system of a carnivore, as well as carnivore-specific genes, [38] and thus derives little energy and little protein from consumption of bamboo. Its ability to digest cellulose is ascribed to the microbes in its gut.

[39] [40] Pandas are born with sterile intestines, and require bacteria obtained from their mother's feces to digest vegetation. [41] [42] The giant panda is a "highly specialized" animal with "unique adaptations", and has lived in bamboo forests for millions of years. [30] The average giant panda eats as much as 9 to 14 kg (20 to 30 lb) of bamboo shoots a day to compensate for its low level of energy digestibility. Ingestion of such a large quantity of material is possible due to the rapid passage of large amounts of indigestible plant material through the short, straight digestive tract. [43] [44] It is also noted, however, that such rapid passage of digesta limits the potential of microbial digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, [43] limiting alternative forms of digestion. Given this large diet, the giant panda defecates up to 40 times a day. [45] The limited energy input imposed on it by its diet has affected the panda's behavior. The giant panda tends to limit its social interactions and avoids steeply sloping terrain to limit its energy expenditures.

[46] Two of the panda's most distinctive features, its large size and round face, are adaptations to its bamboo diet. Anthropologist Russell Ciochon observed: “[much] like the vegetarian gorilla , the low body surface area to body volume [of the giant panda] is indicative of a lower metabolic rate. This lower metabolic rate and a more sedentary lifestyle allows the giant panda to subsist on nutrient poor resources such as bamboo.” [46] Similarly, the giant panda's round face is the result of powerful jaw muscles, which attach from the top of the head to the jaw. [46] Large molars crush and grind fibrous plant material. The morphological characteristics of extinct relatives of the giant panda suggest that while the ancient giant panda was omnivorous 7 mya, it only became herbivorous some 2-2.4 mya with the emergence of A. microta. [47] [48] Genome sequencing of the giant panda suggests that the dietary switch could have initiated from the loss of the sole T1R1/T1R3 umami taste receptor, resulting from two frameshift mutations within the T1R1 exons.

[49] Umami taste corresponds to high levels of glutamate as found in meat, and may have thus altered the food choice of the giant panda. [50] Although the pseudegenization of the umami taste receptor in Ailuropoda coincides with the dietary switch to herbivory, it is likely a result of, and not the reason for, the dietary change. [48] [51] [52] The mutation time for the T1R1 gene in the giant panda is estimated to 4.2 mya [48] while fossil evidence indicates bamboo consumption in the giant panda species at least 7 mya, [47] signifying that although complete herbivory occurred around 2 mya, the dietary switch was initiated prior to T1R1 loss-of-function. Pandas eat any of 25 bamboo species in the wild, such as Fargesia dracocephala [53] and Fargesia rufa . [54] Only a few bamboo species are widespread at the high altitudes pandas now inhabit. Bamboo leaves contain the highest protein levels; stems have less.

[55] Because of the synchronous flowering, death, and regeneration of all bamboo within a species, the giant panda must have at least two different species available in its range to avoid starvation. While primarily herbivorous, the giant panda still retains decidedly ursine teeth, and will eat meat, fish, and eggs when available. In captivity, zoos typically maintain the giant panda's bamboo diet, though some will provide specially formulated biscuits or other dietary supplements. [56] Pandas will travel between different habitats if they need to, so they can get the nutrients that they need and to balance their diet for reproduction. For six years, scientists studied six pandas tagged with GPS collars at the Foping Reserve in the Qinling Mountains. They took note of their foraging and mating habits, and analysed samples of their food and feces. The pandas would move from the valleys in to the Qinling Mountains and would only return to the valleys in Autumn. During the summer months bamboo shoots rich in protein are only available at higher altitudes which causes low calcium rates in the pandas and during breeding season the pandas would trek back down to eat bamboo leaves rich in calcium.

[57] Genomics[ edit ] The giant panda genome was sequenced in 2009 using Illumina dye sequencing . [58] Its genome contains 20 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes. Classification[ edit ] For many decades, the precise taxonomic classification of the giant panda was under debate because it shares characteristics with both bears and raccoons . [59] However, molecular studies suggest the giant panda is a true bear and part of the family Ursidae, [2] [60] though it differentiated early in history from the main ursine stock. The giant panda's closest extant relative is the spectacled bear of South America. [61] The giant panda has been referred to as a living fossil . [62] Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the pseudo thumb (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat) the giant panda and red panda are only distantly related. Molecular studies have placed the red panda in its own family Ailuridae , and not under Ursidae .

Hua Mei, the panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999 Subspecies[ edit ] Two subspecies of giant panda have been recognized on the basis of distinct cranial measurements, color patterns, and population genetics (Wan et al., 2005). The nominate subspecies Ailuropoda melanoleuca consists of most extant populations of panda. These animals are principally found in Sichuan and display the typical stark black and white contrasting colors. The Qinling panda , A. m. qinlingensis [63] is restricted to the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi at elevations of 1300–3000 m. The typical black and white pattern of Sichuan giant pandas is replaced with a dark brown versus light brown pattern. The skull of A. m. qinlingensis is smaller than its relatives, and it has larger molars.

A detailed study of the giant panda's genetic history from 2012 [64] confirms that the separation of the Qinlin population occurred about 300,000 years ago, and reveals that the non-Qinlin population further diverged into two groups, named the Minshan and the Qionglai - Daxiangling - Xiaoxiangling - Liangshan group respectively, about 2,800 years ago. [65] Uses and human interaction[ edit ] Early references[ edit ] In the past, pandas were thought to be rare and noble creatures – the Empress Dowager Bo was buried with a panda skull in her vault. The grandson of Emperor Taizong of Tang is said to have given Japan two pandas and a sheet of panda skin as a sign of goodwill. Unlike many other animals in Ancient China , pandas were rarely thought to have medical uses. The few known uses include the Sichuan tribal peoples' use of panda urine to melt accidentally swallowed needles, and the use of panda pelts to control menses as described in the Qin Dynasty encyclopedia Erya . [66] The creature named mo (貘) mentioned in some ancient books has been interpreted as giant panda.

[66] The dictionary Shuowen Jiezi ( Eastern Han Dynasty ) says that the mo, from Shu (Sichuan), is bear-like, but yellow-and-black, [67] although the older Erya describes mo simply as a "white leopard". [68] The interpretation of the legendary fierce creature pixiu (貔貅) as referring to the giant panda is also common. [69] During the reign of the Yongle Emperor (early 15th century), his relative from Kaifeng sent him a captured zouyu ( 騶虞 ), and another zouyu was sighted in Shandong . Zouyu is a legendary "righteous" animal, which, similarly to a qilin , only appears during the rule of a benevolent and sincere monarch. It is said to be fierce as a tiger, but gentle and strictly vegetarian, and described in some books as a white tiger with black spots. Puzzled about the real zoological identity of the creature captured during the Yongle era, J.J.L.

Duyvendak exclaims, "Can it possibly have been a Pandah?" [70] The comparative obscurity of the giant panda throughout most of China's history is illustrated by the fact that, despite there being a number of depictions of bears in Chinese art starting from its most ancient times, and the bamboo being one of the favorite subjects for Chinese painters, there are no known pre-20th-century artistic representations of giant pandas. Western discovery[ edit ] The West first learned of the giant panda on 11 March 1869, when the French missionary Armand David [59] received a skin from a hunter. The first Westerner known to have seen a living giant panda is the German zoologist Hugo Weigold , who purchased a cub in 1916. Kermit and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. , became the first Westerners to shoot a panda, on an expedition funded by the Field Museum of Natural History in the 1920s. In 1936, Ruth Harkness became the first Westerner to bring back a live giant panda, a cub named Su Lin [71] which went to live at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

In 1938, five giant pandas were sent to London. [72] [73] Activities such as these were halted because of wars; for the next half of the century, the West knew little of giant pandas. Adult male giant panda Main article: Panda diplomacy Loans of giant pandas to American and Japanese zoos formed an important part of the diplomacy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the 1970s, as it marked some of the first cultural exchanges between the PRC and the West. This practice has been termed "Panda diplomacy". By 1984, however, pandas were no longer given as gifts. Instead, the PRC began to offer pandas to other nations only on 10-year loans, under terms including a fee of up to US$1,000,000 per year and a provision that any cubs born during the loan are the property of the PRC.

Since 1998, because of a WWF lawsuit , the United States Fish and Wildlife Service allows a US zoo to import a panda only if the zoo can ensure the PRC will channel more than half of its loan fee into conservation efforts for the giant panda and its habitat. In May 2005, the PRC offered a breeding pair to Taiwan . The issue became embroiled in cross-Strait relations – both over the underlying symbolism, and over technical issues such as whether the transfer would be considered "domestic" or "international", or whether any true conservation purpose would be served by the exchange. [74] A contest in 2006 to name the pandas was held in the mainland, resulting in the politically charged names Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan (from tuanyuan, meaning "reunion", i.e. "reunification"). PRC's offer was initially rejected by Chen Shui-bian , then President of Taiwan. However, when Ma Ying-jeou assumed the presidency in 2008, the offer was accepted, and the pandas arrived in December of that year.

[75] Biofuel[ edit ] Microbes in panda waste are being investigated for their use in creating biofuels from bamboo and other plant materials. [76] Conservation[ edit ] The giant panda is an endangered species , threatened by continued habitat loss and by a very low birthrate, both in the wild and in captivity . [27] Its range is currently confined to a small portion on the western edge of its historical range, which stretched through southern and eastern China, northern Myanmar , and northern Vietnam . [3] The giant panda has been a target of poaching by locals since ancient times and by foreigners since it was introduced to the West. Starting in the 1930s, foreigners were unable to poach giant pandas in China because of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War , but pandas remained a source of soft furs for the locals. The population boom in China after 1949 created stress on the pandas' habitat, and the subsequent famines led to the increased hunting of wildlife, including pandas. During the Cultural Revolution , all studies and conservation activities on the pandas were stopped.

After the Chinese economic reform , demand for panda skins from Hong Kong and Japan led to illegal poaching for the black market , acts generally ignored by the local officials at the time. Closeup of a seven-month-old panda cub Though the Wolong National Nature Reserve was set up by the PRC government in 1958 to save the declining panda population, few advances in the conservation of pandas were made, owing to inexperience and insufficient knowledge of ecology. Many believed the best way to save the pandas was to cage them. As a result, pandas were caged at any sign of decline, and suffered from terrible conditions. Because of pollution and destruction of their natural habitat, along with segregation caused by caging, reproduction of wild pandas was severely limited. In the 1990s, however, several laws (including gun control and the removal of resident humans from the reserves) helped their chances of survival. With these renewed efforts and improved conservation methods, wild pandas have started to increase in numbers in some areas, though they still are classified as a rare species . In 2006, scientists reported that the number of pandas living in the wild may have been underestimated at about 1,000.

Previous population surveys had used conventional methods to estimate the size of the wild panda population, but using a new method that analyzes DNA from panda droppings , scientists believe the wild population may be as large as 3,000. [27] Although the species is still endangered, the conservation efforts are thought to be working. In 2006, there were 40 panda reserves in China, compared to just 13 reserves two decades ago. [11] The giant panda is among the world's most adored and protected rare animals, and is one of the few in the world whose natural inhabitant status was able to gain a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries , located in the southwest Sichuan province and covering seven natural reserves, were inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 2006. [77] [78] Not all conservationists agree that the money spent on conserving pandas is well spent. Chris Packham has argued that the breeding of pandas in captivity is "pointless" because "there is not enough habitat left to sustain them".

[79] Packham argues that the money spent on pandas would be better spent elsewhere, [79] and has said he would "eat the last panda if I could have all the money we have spent on panda conservation put back on the table for me to do more sensible things with," [80] though he has apologized for upsetting people who like pandas. [81] He points out, "The panda is possibly one of the grossest wastes of conservation money in the last half century." [80] In 2012, Earthwatch Institute , a global nonprofit that teams volunteers with scientists to conduct important environmental research, launched a program called "On the Trail of Giant Panda". This program, based in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, allows volunteers to work up close with pandas cared for in captivity, and help them adapt to life in the wild, so that they may breed, and live longer and healthier lives. [82] Reproduction[ edit ] A giant panda cub. At birth, the giant panda typically weighs 100 to 200 grams (3 1⁄2 to 7 oz) and measures 15 to 17 centimeters (6 to 7 in) long.

[83] Initially, the primary method of breeding giant pandas in captivity was by artificial insemination , as they seemed to lose their interest in mating once they were captured. [84] This led some scientists to try extreme methods, such as showing them videos of giant pandas mating [85] and giving the males Viagra . [86] Only recently have researchers started having success with captive breeding programs, and they have now determined giant pandas have comparable breeding to some populations of the American black bear , a thriving bear family. The current reproductive rate is considered one young every two years. [13] [29] The giant panda produces the proportionally smallest baby of any placental mammal. [87] Panda Research and Breeding Centre in Chengdu . Giant pandas reach sexual maturity between the ages of four and eight, and may be reproductive until age 20. [88] The mating season is between March and May, when a female goes into estrus , which lasts for two or three days and only occurs once a year. [89] When mating, the female is in a crouching, head-down position as the male mounts her from behind.

Copulation time is short, ranging from 30 seconds to five minutes, but the male may mount her repeatedly to ensure successful fertilization. The gestation period ranges from 95 to 160 days. [89] If twins are born, usually only one survives in the wild. The mother will select the stronger of the cubs, and the weaker will die. The mother is thought to be unable to produce enough milk for two cubs, since she does not store fat. [90] The father has no part in helping raise the cub. When the cub is first born, it is pink, blind, and toothless, [91] weighing only 90 to 130 grams (3.2 to 4.6 ounces), or about 1/800th of the mother's weight. [59] It nurses from its mother's breast six to 14 times a day for up to 30 minutes at a time. For three to four hours, the mother may leave the den to feed, which leaves the cub defenseless. One to two weeks after birth, the cub's skin turns gray where its hair will eventually become black.

A slight pink color may appear on cub's fur, as a result of a chemical reaction between the fur and its mother's saliva . A month after birth, the color pattern of the cub's fur is fully developed. Its fur is very soft and coarsens with age. The cub begins to crawl at 75 to 80 days; [59] mothers play with their cubs by rolling and wrestling with them. The cubs can eat small quantities of bamboo after six months, [92] though mother's milk remains the primary food source for most of the first year. Giant panda cubs weigh 45 kg (100 pounds) at one year, and live with their mothers until they are 18 months to two years old. The interval between births in the wild is generally two years. In July 2009, Chinese scientists confirmed the birth of the first cub to be successfully conceived through artificial insemination using frozen sperm. [93] The cub was born at 07:41 on 23 July that year in Sichuan as the third cub of You You, an 11-year-old.

[93] [94] [95] The technique for freezing the sperm in liquid nitrogen was first developed in 1980 and the first birth was hailed as a solution to the problem of lessening giant panda semen availability, which had led to inbreeding. [95] [96] Panda semen, which can be frozen for decades, could be shared between different zoos to save the species. [93] [94] It is expected that zoos in destinations such as San Diego in the United States and Mexico City will now be able to provide their own semen to inseminate more giant pandas. [96] In August 2014, a rare birth of panda triplets was announced in China; it was the fourth of such births ever reported. [97] Attempts have also been made to reproduce giant pandas by interspecific pregnancy by implanting cloned panda embryos into the uterus of an animal of another species. This has resulted in panda foetuses, but no live births. [98] Name[ edit ] No conclusive explanation of the origin of the word "panda" has been found. The closest candidate is the Nepali word ponya, possibly referring to the adapted wrist bone.

The Western world originally applied this name to the red panda. Until 1901, when it was erroneously stated to be related to the red panda, the giant panda was known as "mottled bear" (Ailuropus melanoleucus) or "particolored bear". [99] Panda cubs In most encyclopedic sources, the name "panda" or "common panda" originally referred to the lesser-known red panda , [100] thus necessitating the inclusion of "giant" and "lesser/red" prefixes in front of the names. Even in 2010, the Encyclopædia Britannica still used "giant panda" or "panda bear" for the bear, [101] and simply "panda" for the Ailuridae , [102] despite the popular usage of the word "panda". Since the earliest collection of Chinese writings, the Chinese language has given the bear 20 different names, such as huāxióng (花熊 "spotted bear") and zhúxióng (竹熊 "bamboo bear").

[103] The most popular names in China today are dàxióngmāo (大熊貓 literally "large bear cat"), or just xióngmāo (熊貓 "bear cat"). The name may have been inspired by the giant panda's eyes, which have cat-like vertical slits – unlike other bear species , which have round pupils. [104] In Taiwan , the popular name for panda is the inverted māoxióng (貓熊 "cat bear"), though many encyclopedia and dictionaries in Taiwan still use the "bear cat" form as the correct name. Some linguists argue, in this construction, "bear" instead of "cat" is the base noun, making this name more grammatically and logically correct, which may have led to the popular choice despite official writings. [103] See also: Category:Individual giant pandas . Pandas have been kept in zoos as early as the Western Han Dynasty in China, where the writer Sima Xiangru noted that the panda was the most treasured animal in the emperor's garden of exotic animals in the capital Chang'an (present Xi'an ).

Not until the 1950s were pandas again recorded to have been exhibited in China's zoos. [105] Chi Chi at the London Zoo became very popular. This influenced the World Wildlife Fund to use a panda as its symbol. [106] A 2006 New York Times article [107] outlined the economics of keeping pandas, which costs five times more than that of the next most expensive animal, an elephant. American zoos generally pay the Chinese government $1 million a year in fees, as part of a typical ten-year contract. San Diego's contract with China was to expire in 2008, but got a five-year extension at about half of the previous yearly cost. [108] The last contract, with the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee , ends in 2013. [107] Australia[ edit ] Adelaide Zoo , is home to Wang Wang (M) and Funi (F). They arrived on 28 November 2009, and went on display on 14 December. They are expected to stay for a minimum of 10 years, and are the only giant pandas living in the Southern Hemisphere .

[128] Europe[ edit ] Giant panda Berlin Zoological Garden , Germany is the former home of Bao Bao, which died in 2012 at the age of 34. [129] [130] He was the oldest male panda living in captivity at the time of his death and had lived in Berlin for twenty five years. He never reproduced. Tiergarten Schönbrunn , Vienna, Austria – home to Yang Yang (F) and Long Hui (M), born in Wolong, China in 2000 They gave birth to Fu Long (M) in 2007, [131] and Fu Hu (M) in 2010. [132] Fu Long, who has been relocated to China, was the first to be born in Europe in 25 years. [131] Zoo Aquarium , Madrid, Spain is the home of Bing Xing (M) and Hua Zuiba (F) since 2007. They gave birth to twin cubs on 7 September 2010.

[133] The zoo was also the site of the first giant panda birth in Europe, in 1982. [134] That giant panda cub was named Chu-lin. [134] The Edinburgh Zoo , Scotland – home to Tian Tian (F) and Yang Guang (M) since 4 December 2011. [135] ZooParc de Beauval , Saint-Aignan, Loir-et-Cher, France – home to Huan Huan (F) and Yuan Zi (M) since 15 January 2012. [136] Pairi Daiza , Cambron-Casteau , Belgium - home to Hao Hao (F) and Xing Hui (M) since February 2014 North America[ edit ] Bai Yun , at San Diego Zoo , has given birth to 5 cubs in captivity and is considered one of the most successfully reproductive captive pandas.

Chapultepec Zoo , Mexico City – home of Xiu Hua, born on 25 June 1985, Shuan Shuan, born on 15 June 1987, and Xin Xin , born on 1 July 1990 from Tohui (Tohui born on Chapultepec Zoo on 21 July 1981 and died on 16 November 1993), all females [137] [138] Zoo Atlanta , Atlanta – home of Lun Lun (F), Yang Yang (M), Xi Lan (M), and Po (F), [142] born 3 November 2010 [143] and twin female [142] cubs born 15 July 2013 [144] Memphis Zoo , Memphis – home of Ya Ya (F) and Le Le (M) [145] The Toronto Zoo and Calgary Zoo are hosting a pair of pandas named Er Shun (F) and Da Mao (M).

The two pandas arrived in Canada at the Toronto Zoo in March 2013 (two months before the exhibit opened in May), and will spend 10 years in Canada, evenly split between Toronto and Calgary . [146] [147] [148] For Toronto this will be the second set of pandas, in 1985 Quan Quan (Female, died 2010 at Jinan Zoo at age 21) and Qing Qing (Female born Sept 9, 1984 and later at Wuhan Zoo and now at Chengdu Panda Base [149] ) were sent to the zoo for 100 days beginning in July. [150] North American-born pandas[ edit ] Tohui ( Tarahumara word for child), born 21 July 1981, died 16 November 1993, a female at Chapultepec Zoo , Mexico City, was the first giant panda to be born and survive in captivity outside China. Her parents were Ying Ying and Pe Pe.

[151] Hua Mei , was born 1999 in the San Diego Zoo and sent to China in 2004. [139] Mei Sheng , born 2003 at the San Diego Zoo, sent to China 2007. [139] Tai Shan , born 9 July 2005 at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, [152] was sent to China in 2010. Su Lin was born 2 August 2005 at the San Diego Zoo and moved to China in 2010. [139] Mei Lan , born 6 September 2006 at Zoo Atlanta, was sent to China in 2010. Zhen Zhen , born 3 August 2007 at the San Diego Zoo, was moved to China in 2010.

[139] Xi Lan , born 30 August 2008 at Zoo Atlanta [143] Yun Zi , born 5 August 2009 at the San Diego Zoo [139] Po, born 3 November 2010 at Zoo Atlanta [143] Xiao Liwu , born 29 July 2012 at the San Diego Zoo [139] Bao Bao , born 23 August 2013 at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. [153] BBC Blogs - Arena Gazette - ARENA NEWS WEEK: Frank Maloney, George Orwell Museum and Giant Panda Tian Tian ARENA NEWS WEEK: Frank Maloney, George Orwell Museum and Giant Panda Tian Tian Thursday 14 August 2014, 14:43 FRANK MALONEY REVEALS GENDER REASSIGNMENT Former boxing promoter Frank Maloney comes out as Kellie after gender reassignment Kellie Maloney is the new name of former boxing promoter Frank Maloney who has revealed he is undergoing gender reassignment.

Maloney, best known for guiding Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title in 1993, says “I was born in the wrong body and I have always known I was a woman”. Kellie admitted she didn’t feel able to come out whilst working in the boxing industry and would not have been able to do the job as a woman. Whilst this is a new phenomenon for the boxing industry, it has long been part of the vibrant and diverse culture of cities such as San Francisco. In 1992, Arena interviewed the American author, playwright and gender theorist Kate Bornstein who received sex reassignment surgery in 1986. She recalls her first encounter with the works of Armistead Maupin, who’s famous novels ‘Tales Of the City’, set in San Francisco, were pioneering in their representation of gay and transgender characters. San Francisco has always had a reputation as a city for tolerant attitudes, and Bornstein explains her move to ‘the city’ and the way in which Maupin’s characters and writing gave hope to transsexuals like herself.

Kate Bornstein interviewed for 1992 film on American author Armistead Maupin Arena: Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreampt Up (1992). Directed by Kate Meynell, Series Editor -Anthony Wall GEORGE ORWELL'S BIRTHPLACE BECOMES MUSEUM Orwell The birthplace of George Orwell is in a north eastern Indian town where he spend the first year of his life, before moving to Henley on Thames. This region was originally poppy country and Orwell’s father worked for the opium department of the British government overseeing the production and storage of the drug before it was exported to China. More than a century after Orwell’s departure, the colonial style bungalow where he was born is being turned into a museum. George Orwell, christened Eric Blair, left Eton at 18 and enrolled in the imperial military police in Burma, having always had a fascination with ‘The East’. His friends and family were mystified at his decision to enter the Burmese police force rather than the Indian civil service, but it was here that he wrote the novel ‘Burmese Days’ published in 1934.

Orwell’s harsh portrail of colonial society details the waning days of the British empire when Burma was ruled from Delhi as part of British India. Arena interviewed those who knew Orwell in his early days for the 1983 documentary, seen here discussing his life and work in Burma. Arena looks back at Orwell's life and work in Burma Arena: George Orwell - Such, Such Were The Joys (1983). Directed by Nigel Williams, Series Editor - Anthony Wall GIANT PANDA TIAN TIAN SUSPECTED PREGNANT BBC News reports on the pregnancy of giant panda Tian Tian Edinburgh Zoo believes its panda Tian Tian is pregnant and may give birth later this month. She was artificially inseminated earlier this year after attempts to bring her together with male partner, Yang Guang, failed. If Tian Tian is pregnant, it will be the first time a giant panda has been born in Britain. Perhaps Britain’s best known giant panda was Chi Chi, London Zoo’s star attraction from 1958 until her death in 1972. She was bought from China by the animal dealer Heini Demmer to the West after being refused entry to the USA because of a trade embargo on enemy goods to the country.

As a result, she toured the European zoos hoping to find a home before settling in London. Chi Chi, an instant celebrity as a victim of the Cold War, made front page news around the world and became Britain’s best loved zoo animal. Visit the Arena Hotel on the link below to see a snippet from Arena’s 1992 film on the life of Chi Chi and how she came to be immortalised at the natural history museum.

Question: Name London Zoo's Giant Panda from 1958 until her death in 1972?
Answer: Chi Chi