Kai Hin

Kai Hin, known in Chinese conservation records by the name Haibin, is a male giant panda with the international studbook number 775. He was born on August 11, 2010, at Adventure World in Japan, to father Ei Mei (studbook number 390, also known as Xiong Bang) and mother Rau Hin (studbook number 515, also known as Liang Bang). Both of his parents are captive-bred giant pandas originally from China’s Sichuan Province, and his lineage traces back to wild giant panda populations native to the Min Mountains, a key historic habitat for the species. Kai Hin was in good physical health from birth, and was transferred to his species’ native range in 2011, when he arrived at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on his first birthday.

Since his arrival at the Chengdu Research Base, Kai Hin has participated in the facility’s coordinated captive breeding program for endangered giant pandas, a core initiative designed to maintain and improve the genetic diversity of the global captive panda population. As a transboundary repatriated individual, his genetic lineage, tied to the Min Mountains wild population, fills a valuable gap in the captive breeding pool, supporting ongoing research to reduce inbreeding risk and support long-term species viability. He also takes part in the base’s public education programs, which center on giant panda conservation biology, habitat protection, and the role of international collaborative breeding efforts in species recovery.

Kai Hin displays common behavioral traits of his species, spending more than 10 hours each day feeding on bamboo and resting in shaded areas of his enclosure. He has become a familiar figure for visitors to the Chengdu Base, helping to raise public awareness of the ongoing threats facing wild giant panda populations, including habitat fragmentation and climate change. His status as a panda born through international conservation cooperation and repatriated to his native range has also made him a useful case study for researchers examining the adaptability of captive-born pandas to new environments, and the long-term outcomes of cross-border giant panda exchange programs.