Bai Tian

Basic Profile

Bai Tian (Chinese: 白天, “Daytime”), studbook number 1158, is a female giant panda born on August 20, 2018 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) Gengda Shenshuping Base. Her mother is Xiao Bai Tu (小白兔) from Beijing Zoo, and her father is Lu Lu (芦芦, studbook 503).

Personality: The Socially Anxious Panda

Bai Tian is described as timid, shy, and easily frightened — a panda with genuine social anxiety. When she first returned to Beijing Zoo in October 2020, she was so stressed by the separation from her mother that she would hide in corners for hours without moving.

Her public debut on February 10, 2021 became legendary among panda fans. Keepers opened her transport crate, expecting her to walk into her new enclosure within minutes. Instead, Bai Tian refused to come out for 7 hours. She sat inside the crate, occasionally peeking out, retreating at every sound. Keepers did not force her — they waited, respecting her pace.

When she finally emerged, she immediately climbed a high tree and went to sleep. This has become her signature behavior: Bai Tian is most often found perched on high branches, sleeping or observing the world from a safe distance.

Life at Beijing Zoo

By the time of her debut, Bai Tian weighed 82 kg, healthy for her age. Her diet includes bamboo, winter bamboo shoots, carrots, and wowotou.

In May 2023, a visitor used a laser pointer to shine light at Bai Tian while she was climbing a tree. Outraged visitors reported the incident, and Beijing Zoo confirmed the panda was unharmed. The visitor was identified and permanently banned from the zoo.