Mei Hin

Mei Hin (Chinese name: 明滨, studbook number 651) is a male giant panda born on December 23, 2006 at Adventure World, the offspring of father Ei Mei (also recorded as Yong Ba, studbook number 390) and mother Rau Hin (also recorded as Mei Meng, studbook number 515). He was transferred to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on his first birthday, December 23, 2007, and has resided at the facility permanently since that time. His registration in the global giant panda studbook system allows conservation managers to track his lineage and coordinate cross-institutional breeding efforts to avoid inbreeding across the global captive panda population.

Mei Hin’s genetic lineage is formally documented by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, a core institution supporting China’s national captive panda breeding strategy. As an adult participant in the Chengdu Research Base’s conservation breeding program, his genetic material contributes directly to efforts to maintain high levels of genetic diversity in the captive population, a key priority for supporting the long-term resilience of the species as it remains classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The program also uses the genetic data of individuals like Mei Hin to evaluate suitability for potential future wild release initiatives, which aim to reinforce small, isolated wild panda populations in their native mountain habitats in central China.

In addition to his formal conservation role, Mei Hin is a well-recognized resident of the Chengdu Research Base, drawing consistent interest from domestic and international visitors. His public presence supports the base’s broader public outreach mission, helping to educate visitors about panda biology, habitat loss threats, and the ongoing work of species recovery initiatives. As with all captive pandas under official Chinese management, his care and participation in breeding programs are regulated by national wildlife protection policies that align with global conservation best practices for vulnerable species.