Bei Chen

Basic Profile

Bei Chen (Chinese: 北辰, “North Star”, nicknamed Xiao Tian Bao/小甜包 — “Little Sweet Bun”), studbook number 1279, is a male giant panda born on July 10, 2022 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. His mother is Bei Chuan (北川) — a wild-rescued female — and his twin brother is Bei Xia (北侠) , the “one-armed panda.”

The Healthy Twin

Unlike his brother Bei Xia, who was born with a damaged paw requiring amputation, Bei Chen was born healthy and has grown into an exceptionally energetic and powerful young panda. Keepers describe him as:

• Extremely fast — he can sprint across his enclosure in seconds
• A formidable fighter — his play-fights with peers are intense
• An expert climber — he scales trees with wild-panda agility

He inherited his mother’s wild genes and shows it in every aspect of his behavior.

Appearance

Bei Chen has a round face, small ears, and a naturally upturned mouth — a permanent smile that, combined with his round包子-shaped face, earned him the nickname “Little Sweet Bun.”

The Ping Pong Incident

In April 2024, Bei Chen was spotted climbing onto a ping pong table enrichment prop and eating one of the “ping pong balls” — which were actually made of panda-safe materials. The incident was recorded by keepers and shared as an amusing example of his playful, mischievous nature.