Ji Mei

Ji Mei (Chinese: 绩美, studbook number 1035) is a male giant panda born on June 27, 2016, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. He is the offspring of father Mei Lan (studbook number 522) and mother Chuang Chuang, both captive-bred giant pandas previously housed at the Chengdu Research Base. Recorded as a healthy, fully mature adult, he is part of the formally tracked global captive giant panda population administered under coordinated species management protocols.

On June 27, 2017, his first birthday, Ji Mei was transferred to Nanning Zoo in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where he has resided permanently in the years since. His placement at the facility falls under the national ex-situ giant panda conservation framework, which coordinates transfers between accredited institutions to maintain genetic diversity across the captive population and reduce inbreeding risk for the vulnerable species.

At Nanning Zoo, Ji Mei is a core participant in the park’s giant panda public education and conservation outreach programs. The facility’s programming, which centers on his daily care and natural foraging behaviors, aims to build public awareness of giant panda habitat threats, ecological requirements, and ongoing protection efforts in both captive and wild settings. His docile temperament has made him a popular draw for domestic and international visitors to the region, supporting the zoo’s mission to foster broader public investment in endangered species conservation.

As a formally registered member of the global captive giant panda population, Ji Mei contributes to long-term species resilience efforts overseen by national and international conservation bodies, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which classifies giant pandas as vulnerable on its Red List of Threatened Species. His public visibility also supports ongoing research into captive panda welfare, dietary needs, and adaptive behaviors that inform both captive management practices and wild habitat restoration initiatives.