Ai Mi

Basic Profile

Ai Mi (Chinese: 艾米, studbook number 1126) is a male giant panda born on June 15, 2018 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is the elder twin of Ai Lun (艾伦, studbook 1127) — they were the world’s first male panda twin pair of 2018.

His mother is Ai Li (艾莉, studbook 1148), and his father is Qiao Qiao (乔乔). He inherited his mother’s long snout — a feature that would become his most famous trait.

Appearance: The “Anteater”

Ai Mi’s most distinctive feature is his long, protruding snout (长嘴筒). When he eats bamboo, the visual effect is so striking that fans nicknamed him “Anteater” (食蚁兽) starting around 2020. He stands about 1.5 meters tall and weighs approximately 110 kg.

As a cub, he was known for getting covered in mud from playing in dirt — turning from white to black, earning him a spot in the “Black Bear Garden” crowd.

Personality and Habits

Unique Bathing Style

Unlike most pandas who soak in the center of their pools, Ai Mi prefers to drink directly from the water source (the inflow point) and then lean against the edge to soak — a complete behavioral sequence: “drink first, then lean.” This innovative bathing approach was documented in a 2020 foundation research report.

”Sleeping Kung Fu”

As a cub, Ai Mi was observed kicking and punching in his sleep — keepers described it as “practicing kung fu in his dreams.”

Nicknames

• “Anteater” (食蚁兽) — For his long snout
• “Mi Zhu” (米猪) — “Rice Pig”
• “Zhu Wu” (猪五) — “Pig Five” — a name that reportedly causes him to flee when called

Social Life

Ai Mi was part of the “Black Bear Garden F4” (黑熊园F4) group at Chengdu Base, alongside his brother Ai Lun, Yun Wen (韵文), and Yun Wu (韵武). The four were known for their playful, muddy antics.

In 2019, he and Ai Lun participated in a Chinese New Year greeting event, where keepers brought the cubs to offer New Year blessings.

Current Status

Ai Mi currently lives at the Dujiangyan Panda Valley (都江堰熊猫谷), where he continues to delight visitors with his unique appearance and bathing habits.