Lin Hui

Lin Hui is a female giant panda born on 28 September 2001 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, with the official studbook number 523, a unique identifier used to track individual pandas in global coordinated breeding and conservation programs. She is the offspring of two captive-bred giant pandas, Pan Pan (studbook number 456) and Tang Tang (studbook number 434), both of which resided at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda during their adult lives. On her first birthday in September 2002, Lin Hui was transferred to Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand as part of a long-term joint international giant panda conservation partnership between Chinese and Thai wildlife authorities, a placement that aligned with global efforts to expand captive breeding research and public engagement outside the species’ native range.

During her residence at Chiang Mai Zoo, Lin Hui became a core participant in collaborative breeding research initiatives, contributing to improved scientific understanding of giant panda reproductive physiology, dietary requirements, and behavioral adaptation in non-native habitat contexts. Data collected from her care and observed biological patterns has been shared across the global panda conservation network, informing revised husbandry guidelines for institutions housing the species outside of China and supporting efforts to maintain genetically diverse, sustainable captive populations globally.

Lin Hui’s gentle, approachable temperament made her one of Chiang Mai Zoo’s most popular resident animals, drawing an estimated millions of visitors over the course of her stay. Her high public profile boosted regional awareness of giant panda conservation needs across Southeast Asia, inspiring targeted educational programs for local schools and community groups focused on habitat protection for vulnerable species both in China and within Thailand’s own protected ecosystems. She has also become a soft cultural icon representing long-standing bilateral cooperation between China and Thailand in wildlife protection, with regular updates about her health and daily activities followed widely by audiences in both countries.