Bai Yun
白云
35 years old
dujiangyan_base
Bai Yun (白云, "White Cloud"), studbook #371, is a female giant panda born September 7, 1991 at Wolong Hetaoping Base. She...
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Panda archive
Su Lin (#596)
苏琳
alive female
Born August 2, 2005
Su Lin (苏琳, studbook #596) is a female giant panda born August 2, 2005 at the San Diego Zoo — Bai Yun and Gao Gao's second cub, named by 70,000 US voters. She returned to China at age 5 (the latest any overseas-born panda had stayed abroad). In 2011, she became the first captive panda to give birth in a wild setting — but was removed from the wild training program because she kept leaving her cub to climb trees.
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Profile snapshot
Quick facts
Birth date
August 2, 2005
Birth place
San Diego Zoo
Current location
China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Status
Alive
Studbook
#596Archive activity
2 updates · 0 media
Narrative
Life story
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Short version
Su Lin (苏琳, studbook #596) is a female giant panda born August 2, 2005 at the San Diego Zoo — Bai Yun and Gao Gao's second cub, named by 70,000 US voters. She returned to China at age 5 (the latest any overseas-born panda had stayed abroad). In 2011, she became the first captive panda to give birth in a wild setting — but was removed from the wild training program because she kept leaving her cub to climb trees.
Basic Profile
Su Lin (Chinese: 苏琳), studbook number 596, is a female giant panda born on August 2, 2005 at the San Diego Zoo, weighing 112 grams. She is the second cub of Bai Yun (白云) and Gao Gao (高高).
Her name was chosen by over 70,000 U.S. voters in an online poll conducted by the San Diego Zoo. The name “Su Lin” honors the first giant panda ever brought to the United States — a cub captured in 1936 by Ruth Harkness, who was also named Su Lin (sometimes written Su-Lin).
Siblings
Through Bai Yun and Gao Gao: Hua Mei (华美), Mei Sheng (美生), Zhen Zhen (珍珍, studbook 694), Yun Zi (云子), Xiao Liwu (小礼物).
Record-Breaking Return (2010)
On September 26, 2010, Su Lin returned to China alongside her sister Zhen Zhen. At 5 years and 55 days old, she set the record for the oldest overseas-born panda to return to China — surpassing Tai Shan’s previous record of 4 years.
The Wild Birth Experiment (2011)
In 2011, Su Lin was selected for the wild training program. On March 16, she was mated with male Wu Gang (武岗) and sent to the Hetaoping Wild Training Base. On July 7, she gave birth in a stone cave within the training enclosure — the first time a captive-born panda had ever given birth in an outdoor, semi-wild setting. One twin was stillborn (40g); the surviving cub was named Yun Hui (云汇).
However, keepers noticed a problem: Su Lin spent too much time climbing trees and wandering away from her cub. She was an indifferent mother. In October, she was replaced by Zhang Ka (张卡), who took over the cub’s rearing. Su Lin was permanently removed from the wild training program.
Offspring
Su Lin has given birth to 7 cubs:
| Name | Studbook | Birth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yun Hui (云汇) | 807 | 2011-07-07 | Died 2015 |
| Su Xing (苏星) | 926 | 2014-08-03 | Twin |
| (unnamed) | — | 2014-08-03 | Twin |
| Ling Lang (玲琅) | 1136 | 2018-07-12 | Female; mother of 2025’s first cub |
| Su Yang (苏阳) | — | 2019-08-31 | Twin; also called Su Xiao Bao |
| (twin) | — | 2019-08-31 | Twin |
| Zi Su (紫苏) | — | 2023-07-04 | Male twin; “coal ball” |
| Zi Lin (紫林) | — | 2023-07-05 | Male twin; “coal ball” |
The Coal Ball Twins (2023)
Su Lin’s 2023 twins, Zi Su (紫苏) and Zi Lin (紫林), became internet sensations as the “煤球双胞胎” (coal ball twins). During their first snow experience, they rolled in mud and snow until their white fur was completely brown. Keepers could distinguish them by fur curliness (Zi Lin had naturally wavy fur) and shoulder-stripe width.
Winter Breeding Anomaly (2016)
In December 2016, Su Lin went into estrus — in the middle of winter. Giant pandas typically breed in March–May, and December breeding was virtually unheard of. She successfully mated with Yang Yang (阳阳) and was artificially inseminated with semen from Xiang Lin (香林). The event set three firsts for CCRCGP: first winter estrus, first winter mating, and first winter semen collection.
Su Lin did not produce cubs from this breeding.
Evidence
Life timeline
Key updates and milestone events tied to Su Lin.
Knowledge graph
Family and network
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Father Mother Full siblings Half-siblings (grouped)
Full siblings 6 same father & mother
Su Lin has
6 full siblings and 3 half-siblings.
The majority share the same mother, Bai Yun .
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Why these profiles appear here
1
Bai Yun
Mother: Bai Yun (SB 371)
2
Gao Gao
Father: Gao Gao (SB 415)
3
Gong Zhu
Same mother (SB 371)
4
Hua Mei
Same mother (SB 371)
Gallery
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Connected archive
Follow this profile into places, articles, and related pandas
This is the next layer around the profile: place journey, current geography, reading context, and nearby panda records.
Place journey
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Xi Xi transferred to chengdu_baseChengdu, China
1991 to present
Breeding center
China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Current residenceDujiangyan, China
1991 to present
Breeding center
San Diego Zoo
Birth placeSan Diego, United States
2005 to 1991
Zoo
Current location
China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Dujiangyan, China
Su Lin is currently linked to China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.
Mentioned in archive reading
culture
Where Pandas Live: The Complete Global Distribution Guide
The giant panda diaspora spans 58 locations across continents — from the misty bamboo forests of Sichuan to climate-controlled enclosures in Singapore, from mountain reserves that shelter free-ranging pandas to urban zoos that host celebrities. This article provides the definitive guide to panda geography: where they live, why they're there, what the distribution reveals about conservation history, and how the map has changed from 1869 to today.
culture
Panda Collectibles Guide: From 1930s Souvenirs to Modern Art Toys
Panda merchandise has evolved from simple souvenirs into a sophisticated collector's market spanning vintage propaganda posters, limited-edition stamps, designer art toys, and luxury fashion collaborations. This article traces the history of panda collectibles through seven eras and explains what makes each category valuable.
culture
The Giant Panda in Chinese Culture: From Ancient Symbol to Modern Icon
Long before the panda became a diplomatic tool or a conservation logo, it inhabited the Chinese imagination as a creature of mystery, virtue, and folklore. This article traces the panda's cultural journey through two millennia of Chinese history — from early textual references in the Shangshu and Shanhaijing, through Tang dynasty tribute records and Ming dynasty bestiaries, to its modern emergence as the visual shorthand for China itself.
culture
Ruth Harkness and Su Lin: The First Panda to Reach the Western World
In 1936, American socialite Ruth Harkness traveled to China, captured a baby panda named Su Lin, and brought it to Brookfield Zoo — igniting the world's first 'panda fever.' This article tells the story of the woman, the cub, and the expedition that changed how the West saw pandas forever.
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- Conservation institution records
- Official panda databases
- Research publications and archive reporting
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