Shan Hu

Basic Profile

Shan Hu (Chinese: 山虎, “Mountain Tiger”), studbook number 790, was a male giant panda born on August 24, 2010 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) Ya’an Bifengxia Base. His mother was Gong Zhu (公主, studbook 477) — one of the most prolific mothers in the program — and his father was Yuan Yuan (园园, studbook 561).

He was named “Shan Hu” (Mountain Tiger) because 2010, the year of his birth, was the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac.

Siblings

Through his mother Gong Zhu, Shan Hu had 12 siblings, including Ge Ge (格格), Jun Zhu (郡主), Ya Ao (雅奥), Li Li (丽丽), Bi Li (比力), Huan Huan (欢欢), Zhu Ling (竹灵), Yun Yun (运运), Wu Wen (武雯), Xian Xian (贤贤), and Qi Qi (七七).

Life Journey

The Hangzhou Transport (2012)

On September 25, 2012, Shan Hu, Hu Xiao (虎啸), and Li Li (丽丽) were transferred to the Hangzhou Wildlife World — traveling on two separate flights. Their arrival was a major event for the zoo, which had prepared a dedicated panda facility.

According to the attending Sichuan keeper, the pandas adjusted to Hangzhou with some difficulty:

• They were shy around visitors — preferring to eat at night when no one was watching
• Their bamboo consumption dropped by about 100g per day as they adjusted to “Hangzhou cuisine” (杭帮菜) from their usual “Sichuan food” (川菜)
• The keeper noted the facility’s enclosure walls were too low — “Don’t be fooled by how clumsy they look. Pandas can climb 10 meters in the blink of an eye.”

The zoo’s plantation of multiple bamboo varieties helped ease the transition, ensuring a steady supply of fresh bamboo.

Death

In the summer of 2018, Shan Hu fell seriously ill while still at Hangzhou. He was returned to Sichuan for intensive veterinary care but died shortly after, at approximately 8 years of age. The exact cause of death was not publicly detailed.