Cheng Xiao

Cheng Xiao (Chinese name 成小) is a female giant panda born on August 15, 2011 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, with the global giant panda studbook registration number 812. She has resided at the Chengdu facility for her entire life as of 2024, and has maintained consistent good health under regular monitoring by the base’s veterinary care team, with full adaptation to the managed care and environmental conditions of her birth institution. Both of her parents, Cheng Ji and Xiao Yatou, are captive-bred giant pandas that were permanent residents of the Chengdu Research Base at the time of her conception and birth, and her lineage can be traced to wild giant pandas captured in Sichuan province during the late 20th century as part of the region’s early conservation breeding initiatives.

Currently, Cheng Xiao participates in two core operational programs run by the Chengdu Research Base: public education and captive breeding for species conservation. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a leading non-profit research and conservation organization dedicated to giant panda protection, public science outreach, and wild habitat preservation projects across Sichuan, and Cheng Xiao’s regular public visibility supports the base’s core outreach mandate. Her calm, curious temperament has made her a favorite among visitors to the facility, and she is frequently featured in the base’s official social media content, which introduces global online audiences to key facts about giant panda behavior, ecology, and conservation needs.

Cheng Xiao’s involvement in the base’s captive breeding program also contributes to long-term species recovery goals for giant pandas. As a genetically distinct individual with confirmed wild ancestry in her lineage, her participation helps maintain and expand the genetic diversity of the global captive giant panda population, a critical metric for reducing inbreeding risk and ensuring the long-term viability of the captive population as a potential buffer against wild population declines. Her documented health history and consistent care at the Chengdu facility provide valuable longitudinal data for giant panda veterinary and reproductive research, supporting ongoing improvements to captive care protocols across the global panda conservation network.