Ai Lan

Ai Lan, studbook number 953, is a female giant panda born on July 4, 2015 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. As of the latest official records from the base, she remains a resident of the facility where she was born. Her parentage traces to father Mei Lan and mother Meng Meng, both registered captive giant pandas included in the global coordinated population management system for the species. The careful documentation of her lineage, including the assigned studbook numbers for all members of her immediate family, is part of standard practice for captive giant panda programs designed to maintain accurate population records.

She is a participant in the Chengdu Research Base’s formal captive breeding program, an initiative focused on supporting the long-term survival of giant pandas, a species classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Her inclusion in the program contributes to the core goal of maintaining genetic diversity within the captive giant panda population, reducing the risk of inbreeding and supporting the overall resilience of the species as conservation efforts continue. Like most mature captive-born giant pandas, she follows a typical species-typical daily routine, with the majority of her activity cycle dedicated to foraging for her primarily bamboo-based diet and resting.

Ai Lan is also accessible for public viewing at the Chengdu Research Base, serving as one of the facility’s animal ambassadors for conservation education. Visitors to the base are able to observe her natural behaviors, helping to raise public awareness of giant panda conservation needs and the broader threats facing native Sichuan forest ecosystems that support wild giant panda populations. Her ongoing presence at the base supports both the practical conservation goals of the captive breeding program and public engagement efforts that drive broader support for habitat protection and species recovery initiatives.