Hao Hao

Hao Hao (studbook number 735) is a female giant panda born on July 7, 2008, at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. Her father is the giant panda with studbook number 494, Pan Pan, and her mother is the individual with studbook number 444, Gongzhu, placing her in a well-documented lineage of captive-bred giant pandas maintained by Chinese conservation authorities. On July 7, 2009, just one day after her first birthday, Hao Hao was transferred to Pairi Daiza, a zoological park located in Belgium, as part of a long-term international collaborative agreement for giant panda research and breeding between Chinese wildlife management bodies and European zoological institutions.

Since her arrival at Pairi Daiza, Hao Hao has been a core participant in the joint international captive breeding program for giant pandas. Her involvement in the initiative supports a key goal of global giant panda conservation efforts: maintaining the genetic diversity of the captive population, a critical safeguard for the long-term viability of the species, which is currently classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. In line with typical giant panda behavior, she spends between 12 and 14 hours each day foraging for bamboo, a trait that has allowed park staff to educate visitors about the species’ unique physiological adaptations and ecological needs.

Hao Hao has emerged as one of the most prominent cultural and educational attractions at Pairi Daiza, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and driving public engagement with giant panda conservation issues. Her presence in Belgium has also fostered ongoing cultural and scientific exchange between Chinese and European conservation teams, supporting shared research into panda reproductive biology, nutritional requirements, and optimal captive care practices. As of 2024, she remains in residence at Pairi Daiza, where her care and participation in breeding programs are overseen by a joint team of Chinese and Belgian wildlife specialists.