Yuan Bao

Basic Profile

Yuan Bao (Chinese: 圆宝, “Round Baby”) is a female giant panda born on June 28, 2020 at Taipei Zoo in Taiwan. She is the second daughter of Tuan Tuan (团团, studbook 588) and Yuan Yuan (圆圆, studbook 587) — the pair gifted by mainland China to Taiwan in 2008. Her older sister is Yuan Zai (圆仔, born 2013), Taiwan’s first-born panda.

Birth (2020)

Yuan Bao was conceived through artificial insemination on February 26-27, 2020. After a 5-hour labor, she was born at 1:53 PM on June 28, 2020, weighing 186 grams. A minor back injury was noted at birth, which was successfully treated by the zoo’s veterinary team. Initially, keepers hoped Yuan Yuan would care for the cub herself, but due to the mother’s exhaustion and the cub’s injury, they opted for hand-rearing with supplemental feeding of Yuan Yuan’s colostrum.

Naming

A public naming contest was held, with six candidates: 柔宝, 雅妞, 圆妞, 圆宝, 珠圆, and 粉圆. On August 30, 2020, “圆宝” (Yuan Bao) won with 8,712 votes — over two-thirds of all votes cast. The name continues the “圆” (circle/round) theme shared by her mother and sister. She was also given the nickname Jou Jou (柔柔, “Gentle”) because of her calm and gentle temperament compared to the more active Yuan Zai.

Life Journey

Public Debut

On December 29, 2020, Yuan Bao made her first public appearance at Taipei Zoo. At six months old, she weighed 22.5 kg and had completed her quarantine observation period. She was described as gentle and chubby, with a calm disposition, and was unveiled alongside her mother to some 150 reporters.

Father’s Passing

Yuan Bao’s father, Tuan Tuan, passed away on November 19, 2022 from a brain disease. His death was widely mourned across the strait.

Birthday Celebrations

Taipei Zoo celebrates Yuan Bao’s birthday each year with themed events:

• 4th Birthday (2024): Due to the zoo’s annual closure, the celebration was held via live stream, attracting over 60,000 online viewers from across the strait. Yuan Bao knocked over her cake mid-broadcast and continued eating — much to viewers’ delight. The zoo noted she had begun showing estrus and false pregnancy behaviors, indicating adulthood.

• 5th Birthday (2025): A sports-themed ice cake shaped like a basketball hoop and baseball bat, made from sugarcane, pineapple, and bamboo. The event was held in person as the zoo reopened, featuring the first “Panda Vet Chat Room” for public education.

Current Status

Yuan Bao has reached adulthood and shown signs of estrus and false pregnancy. As the second cub born to the gift pandas, she (like Yuan Zai) does not need to be returned to China, since her parents were a permanent gift rather than a conservation loan. Taipei Zoo is coordinating with the Chengdu Research Base regarding potential future breeding pairings.