Panda Archive

Xiang Xiang

祥祥

Xiang Xiang is a male giant panda born on August 25, 2001 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. He is the first captive-bred giant panda selected for a rewilding training program aimed at reintroducing captive-born individuals to natural giant panda habitats. His studbook number is 543, one of the earliest registered candidates for giant panda reintroduction. He is the offspring of Pan Pan and Tang Jia. Both of his parents are captive-bred giant pandas housed at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, with registered studbook numbers 348 and 343 respectively. Currently living in the wild of the Wolong National Nature Reserve, he participates in long-term monitoring of reintroduced giant panda survival and adaptation. Before his release in 2006, he completed multi-stage rewilding training to build foraging and predator avoidance skills. As the first captive-bred giant panda to complete full rewilding training and release, Xiang Xiang demonstrated that captive-born individuals can adapt to wild conditions, providing critical data for giant panda reintroduction conservation strategies. His release marked a key milestone in China’s giant panda conservation efforts, informing future rewilding protocols for the species.