Lu Lu

Basic Profile

Lu Lu (Chinese: 芦芦) was a male giant panda rescued from the wild in 1999 in Lushan County (芦山县), Ya’an, Sichuan Province. Named after the location of his rescue, he carried the global studbook number 503 and became one of the most genetically valuable sires in the history of the captive breeding program.

Rescue & Early Life

On an autumn day in 1999, Lu Lu was discovered in the wilds of Lushan County, Ya’an, dehydrated and in need of assistance. Rescue teams transported him to the Wolong Hetaoping Base on October 26, 1999, where he received immediate veterinary care. As a wild-born male, he brought valuable genetic diversity to the captive population.

Relocation History

Throughout his life, Lu Lu was moved between facilities as part of the national breeding program:

• 1999-10-26: Wolong Hetaoping Base
• 2003-12-22: Ya’an Bifengxia Base
• 2004-07-01: Wolong Hetaoping Base
• 2008-07-21: Ya’an Bifengxia Base
• 2016-05-06: Wolong Hetaoping Base
• 2017-05-25: Wolong Shenshuping Base (final residence)

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Breeding Legacy: The Prolific Sire

Lu Lu was one of the most successful breeding males in panda conservation history, fathering over 50 offspring. His calm, non-aggressive temperament made him an ideal breeding candidate, and his wild-born genetics were highly valued for maintaining population diversity.

Notable Mating Records

April 2015, Bifengxia Base: Lu Lu mated with Zhen Zhen (珍珍) for nearly 8 minutes, breaking the base’s duration record at the time. Days later, on April 4, he mated with Xi Mei (喜妹) for an unprecedented 18 minutes and 3 seconds, captured live on the iPanda channel and watched by millions worldwide.

Notable Offspring

Lu Lu’s descendants have spread across China and the world:

• Hua Ni (华妮/爱宝): Female, born 2013-07-13. Now living at Everland Resort in South Korea, mother of Fu Bao (福宝), Rui Bao (睿宝), and Hui Bao (辉宝)
• Fei Yun (飞云): Female, residing at Dalian Forest Zoo
• Xing Hui (星徽): Male, studbook 745, at Pairi Daiza in Belgium
• Gong Gong (贡贡): Male, born 2013-08-18, at Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park
• Shun Shun (舜舜): Male, born 2013-08-27, at Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park
• Bai Tian (白天): Female, born 2018-08-20, at Beijing Zoo
• Fu Xing (福星/Pang Da Hai): Male, born 2017-06-25, at Beijing Zoo
• Yao Man (姚蔓): Daughter and mother of Si Hai (四海)

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Health & Final Years

2020: The “White Nose” Incident

In June 2020, keepers observed that Lu Lu’s eye rings and nose were beginning to lose pigmentation, turning from black to white. The phenomenon sparked widespread public concern on Chinese social media. The China Conservation and Research Center issued a statement on September 25, 2020, explaining that this was a pigmentation metabolism issue seen in some aging pandas, similar to three other elderly pandas at the center who had experienced the same condition. The center confirmed that Lu Lu’s appetite, energy levels, and overall health remained normal, and the condition did not affect his wellbeing.

2019: Retirement from Breeding

Due to his age and the sufficient representation of his genetic line in the population, Lu Lu was retired from the breeding program in 2019. He spent his remaining years at the Wolong Shenshuping Base receiving geriatric care.

2025: Final Days

In early 2025, Lu Lu began showing reduced appetite and energy. The Panda Center collaborated with specialists from leading hospitals to develop treatment plans. Despite medical interventions, his condition worsened. On April 4, 2025, at 11:15 AM, Lu Lu passed away due to intestinal perforation complicated by massive ascites and extensive intestinal necrosis, which led to diffuse abdominal infection and ultimately multiple organ failure (kidney and lung failure). He was 26 years old.

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Legacy

Lu Lu’s genetic legacy continues through his more than 50 offspring and their descendants, who are found across China and in zoos worldwide. His calm temperament, wild-born genetic diversity, and extraordinary breeding success made him one of the cornerstones of modern giant panda conservation. His descendants include third-generation pandas such as Fu Bao (福宝), one of the most famous pandas in the world, and Yu Ke (渝可) in Chongqing.