Yin Ke

Basic Profile

Yin Ke (Chinese: 银柯, nicknamed Hamster Face/仓鼠脸), studbook number 744, is a male giant panda born on July 16, 2009 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) Bifengxia Base. His mother is Xi Mei (喜妹).

He was adopted by Shenzhen Panlan Technology Co. and renamed Lan Lan (蓝蓝).

Life Journey

Asian Games Panda (2010)

On October 27, 2010, Yin Ke was one of six pandas flown to Guangzhou on the “Asian Games” charter flight, joining the 12-panda Asian Games Panda Group at Chimelong Safari World.

Linyi Years and the Feeding Controversy (2019–2025)

On April 24, 2019, Yin Ke returned to Sichuan for breeding. A month later, on May 29, he was sent to Linyi Zoo in Shandong.

In March 2023, visitors posted videos of Yin Ke appearing thin and exhibiting begging behavior, sparking a wave of online concern. The zoo responded with an extraordinary level of transparency, publishing detailed daily care records:

• Bamboo: 40–50 kg daily, from both local and air-shipped sources
• Feedings: 4 times daily, with bamboo split open to protect teeth
• Weight: 113–116 kg (within normal range)
• Veterinary: Monthly weigh-ins, 8+ disinfection cycles monthly, annual CCRCGP inspections
• Enclosure: 196 m² indoor + 450 m² outdoor, with temperature/humidity monitoring

Experts from CCRCGP determined that Yin Ke’s behaviors — circling, rolling, pacing — were normal estrus (mating season) behaviors, not stereotypic distress. Despite the official response, the incident highlighted the intense public scrutiny faced by panda exhibition facilities.

Return (2025)

On July 25, 2025, Yin Ke returned to the China Conservation and Research Center.