Cheng Ji

Cheng Ji, a male giant panda with studbook number 616, was born on September 11, 2000 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is registered in the global coordinated giant panda population management program, a collaborative framework designed to track and maintain the genetic health of captive members of the species. His lineage traces back to two well-documented giant pandas at the Chengdu base: his father is Pan Pan, studbook number 404, and his mother is Qing Qing, studbook number 397. Both parents were long-term residents of the facility and produced multiple offspring that contributed to the growth and diversity of the global captive giant panda population, making Cheng Ji part of a well-documented genetic line valuable to conservation efforts.

Since his birth, Cheng Ji has resided continuously at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a leading Chinese institution specializing in giant panda conservation, biological research, and ex situ species management. As an adult male, he participates in the base’s structured captive breeding program, where his verified genetic background supports efforts to avoid inbreeding and maintain robust genetic diversity across the global captive panda population. He also takes part in the base’s public education initiatives, acting as a representative of his species for the millions of domestic and international visitors who travel to the Chengdu facility each year to learn about giant panda ecology and conservation work.

Now in his adult years, Cheng Ji exhibits typical species-specific feeding behaviors, consuming a diet composed primarily of native Sichuan bamboo varieties, consistent with the natural dietary patterns of wild giant pandas. His long tenure at the Chengdu base has made him a familiar and popular individual among regular visitors and panda enthusiasts globally. Beyond his public appeal, his participation in the coordinated breeding program supports ongoing conservation work for the vulnerable giant panda species, providing a stable genetic resource that reduces reliance on wild panda captures for ex situ population maintenance.