Panda Archive

Li Li

莉莉

Li Li is a female giant panda born on 1 January 1975 in the wild of Sichuan, China. She was captured by wildlife researchers in 1977, and later entered managed conservation programs as one of the earliest wild-caught giant pandas included in international studbook records, receiving studbook number 214. She is the offspring of two unnamed wild giant panda individuals, as her parentage was not recorded prior to her capture from the wild. Currently living at Chapultepec Zoo, she participates in the institution’s public education and giant panda conservation outreach programs, introducing the species’ ecological needs to millions of visitors from across Mexico. Li Li was known for her gentle temperament and high tolerance for visitor observation, making her a popular draw for zoo guests. She was the first giant panda to reside at Chapultepec Zoo, helping establish long-term cooperation between Mexican zoological institutions and China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration on giant panda conservation. Her presence raised widespread public awareness of the giant panda’s vulnerable status in the wild across North America.