Fu Long

Fu Long is a male giant panda with the international studbook number 684, born on August 23, 2007 at Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, Austria. His birth marked the first successful natural mating birth of a giant panda in the country, a key milestone for the European captive giant panda breeding program. He is the son of sire Ei Mei and dam Long Hui, who holds studbook number 512, with his lineage formally recorded in the global coordinated studbook system that tracks genetic and demographic data for all captive giant pandas across the world.

On his first birthday, August 23, 2008, Fu Long was transferred to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where he resides to the present day. The center, which manages one of the world’s largest captive giant panda populations, incorporates Fu Long into its core conservation initiatives, including captive breeding research and efforts to develop protocols for the eventual reintroduction of captive-bred individuals to protected wild giant panda habitats. His unique genetic lineage, originating from the European breeding pool, adds valuable diversity to the center’s breeding population, a critical factor in maintaining the long-term health of captive giant panda groups.

As a panda born outside of China through bilateral conservation cooperation before repatriation, Fu Long carries notable cultural and diplomatic significance as a symbol of the long-running conservation partnership between Austria and China. His public profile has helped raise global awareness of giant panda conservation needs, while his regular observation by research staff contributes to ongoing studies of giant panda behavior, physiology, and dietary needs. Like most giant pandas, his diet consists almost entirely of bamboo, and he displays characteristic species-specific foraging and activity patterns that inform standard care protocols for captive populations worldwide. His continued participation in breeding programs directly supports global targets to preserve the genetic diversity of the vulnerable species, reinforcing the collaborative nature of international giant panda conservation efforts.