Da Shuang

Da Shuang, a female giant panda with the official studbook number 1286, was born on September 7, 1996 at Chongqing Zoo in Chongqing, China. She is the offspring of Xiong Ke and Niu Niu, two adult captive giant pandas housed at Chongqing Zoo through the 1990s that contributed multiple calves to the early regional captive breeding network for the species. Unlike many captive giant pandas that are transferred between institutions for breeding cooperation or welfare needs, Da Shuang has remained a permanent resident of her birth zoo for her entire life, making her one of the facility’s longest-standing panda residents. Her full life cycle has been systematically documented as part of China’s national giant panda captive breeding program, providing consistent, long-term data for researchers studying captive panda health, behavior, and aging patterns.

As a long-term participant in Chongqing Zoo’s public education programming, Da Shuang has become a well-known fixture for visitors to the facility, which is one of the oldest zoos in China running giant panda conservation outreach initiatives. Her docile, adaptable temperament has made her a reliable ambassador for the species, helping introduce millions of domestic and international guests to giant panda ecology, conservation threats, and the work being done to protect wild populations. Many regular visitors to the zoo have tracked her development over decades, creating long-standing public engagement with the zoo’s broader conservation mission.

In addition to her public outreach role, Da Shuang has contributed to early research on captive giant panda reproduction, supporting the core goal of China’s national breeding program to maintain a genetically diverse, self-sustaining captive panda population. Data collected from her reproductive health monitoring and behavioral observations during breeding windows has informed best practices for captive panda care that are now applied across breeding institutions throughout the country. As of 2024, she continues to reside at Chongqing Zoo, where she receives specialized geriatric care tailored to the needs of older captive giant pandas, and remains a key part of the facility’s long-term panda conservation research and education efforts.