Dan Dan

Basic Profile

Dan Dan (Chinese: 旦旦, studbook 434), originally named Shuang Shuang (爽爽), was a female giant panda born on September 16, 1995 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Sichuan, China. She was the daughter of Dong Dong (冬冬) and Zhen Zhen (振振). Her siblings include Bai Yun (白云, #371), Lü Di (绿地), Da Di (大地), Xi Meng (希梦), and Ding Ding (丁丁).

Life in Japan

In 1999, following the devastating Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, Kobe City requested pandas from China to bring hope to the recovering community. On July 16, 2000, Dan Dan and a male panda named Jin Zhu (锦竹, renamed Xing Xing/兴兴) arrived at Kobe Oji Zoo as part of a 10-year cooperative breeding agreement. Dan Dan’s name, meaning “peaceful dawn,” was chosen through a public naming campaign to symbolize hope and tranquility.

When Jin Zhu was returned to China in 2002 due to breeding difficulties, a replacement male, Long Long (龙龙, also called Xing Xing/兴兴), arrived in December 2002.

Reproductive Challenges

Dan Dan’s breeding history was marked by tragedy. In 2007, she became pregnant through artificial insemination but delivered a stillborn cub. In 2008, she gave birth again but the cub died after only four days due to lack of maternal milk.

On September 9, 2010, zoo staff attempted to collect semen from Long Long under anesthesia for artificial insemination. The procedure failed, and Long Long never regained consciousness, dying at noon despite resuscitation efforts. This loss ended Dan Dan’s chances of successful breeding.

Extension and Delayed Return

Dan Dan’s stay in Japan was repeatedly extended beyond the original agreement. Her final contract was set to expire in July 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her return to China. In March 2021, she was diagnosed with age-related heart disease. Her return was postponed multiple times — to 2021, 2022, 2023, and finally 2024 — as中日 experts managed her condition.

Death and Legacy

In March 2024, Dan Dan’s condition deteriorated sharply. She stopped eating and drinking, and experienced convulsions. Despite intensive care from both Chinese and Japanese veterinary teams, she died on March 31, 2024 at 23:56. She was 28 years old, one of the longest-living giant pandas in Japan.

A memorial service was held at Kobe Oji Zoo on May 10, 2024, with approximately 100 attendees selected by lottery. On September 29, 2024, the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka appointed Dan Dan as a “China-Japan Friendship Envoy.” Her remains were repatriated to China on June 26, 2025.