Su Shan

Basic Profile

Su Shan (Chinese: 苏珊, also known as Zhang Nian (张念), studbook number 827) is a female giant panda born on August 20, 2011 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) Bifengxia Base in Ya’an, Sichuan.

Her mother is Zhang Ka (张卡, sb505), a wild-born panda rescued from Baoxing County. Her father is Bai Yang (白杨), a wild male panda from the Qionglai mountain range. Her twin sister is Zhang Xiang (张想, sb826), the first captive-born female panda successfully released into the wild.

Name Origin

Su Shan was originally named Zhang Nian (张念), following the naming convention of her litter (Zhang Xiang, Zhang Nian — “想念” meaning “to miss”). She was later renamed Su Shan in honor of Susan, the CEO of Panda International (PI), recognizing her long-standing contributions to giant panda conservation. The pinyin “Su Shan” is a Chinese transliteration of “Susan.”

Fans affectionately call her a “classical beauty” (古典美猫) for her elegant and端正 appearance.

Life Journey

Early Years (2011-2015)

Su Shan spent her early years at the Bifengxia Base. In June 2013, she was moved to the Dujiangyan Base. In June 2015, she was transferred back to the Bifengxia Base.

Motherhood (2016-present)

Su Shan is known for her distinctive thumb-sucking habit. She became a mother at age 5 and has since raised multiple litters:

• August 26, 2016: Gave birth to her first cub, Jerry (杰瑞), at Bifengxia. The birth coincided with a solar eclipse, making Jerry an instant internet celebrity. Due to Su Shan’s inexperience as a first-time mother, Jerry was hand-reared by keepers.

• August 8, 2017: Gave birth to twins — Jin Shan (金山, female) and a male cub that unfortunately died shortly after birth.

• August 4, 2019: Gave birth to twin daughters Ya Ya (雅雅) and Su Jin (苏锦) at Shenshuping Base. Ya Ya and An Bao (安宝) grew up together and were chosen as city ambassador pandas for Ya’an.

• July 17, 2021: Gave birth to twins — Xiao Lu (小鲁, female) and Xiao Jiang (小将, male) at Shenshuping Base. Xiao Lu resembles Su Shan’s mother Zhang Ka, while Xiao Jiang became known for his playful, dirt-loving personality.

• 2025: Gave birth to another cub, continuing her breeding career into her mid-teens.

Move to Shenshuping Base

In 2018, Su Shan was moved to the Wolong Shenshuping Base (also known as the Chinese Panda Garden/中华大熊猫苑), where she currently resides.

Legacy

Su Shan represents the success of the mother-rearing rewilding program: she and her twin sister Zhang Xiang were the first pair of twin cubs born through mother-rearing training. While Zhang Xiang was released to the wild, Su Shan became a prolific breeding female, passing on the genes of her wild-born parents to future generations. Her seven cubs include individuals serving as city ambassadors and international conservation symbols.