Su Shan
苏珊
15 years old
wolong_base
Su Shan (苏珊, also known as Zhang Nian, studbook #827) is a female giant panda born August 20, 2011, at Bifengxia Base. S...
mother twin bifengxia
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ZHA
Panda archive
Zhang Ka
张卡
alive female
Born June 1, 2000
Zhang Ka (张卡, studbook #505) is a female giant panda rescued from Baoxing County in 2001. She set two world records with her first birth: longest labor (34 hours) and heaviest cub (218g). She is the mother of Zhang Xiang, the first female panda ever released to the wild, and Zhang Meng, also successfully rewilded. A pioneer of the wild training program, she has given birth to 8 cubs.
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This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Zhang Ka.
Profile snapshot
Quick facts
Birth date
June 1, 2000
Birth place
Wild (Sichuan)
Current location
Wolong Hetaoping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Status
Alive
Studbook
#505Archive activity
3 updates · 0 media
Narrative
Life story
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Short version
Zhang Ka (张卡, studbook #505) is a female giant panda rescued from Baoxing County in 2001. She set two world records with her first birth: longest labor (34 hours) and heaviest cub (218g). She is the mother of Zhang Xiang, the first female panda ever released to the wild, and Zhang Meng, also successfully rewilded. A pioneer of the wild training program, she has given birth to 8 cubs.
Basic Profile
Zhang Ka (Chinese: 张卡, studbook number 505) is a female giant panda born in the wild in approximately 2000 in the Fengtongzhai National Nature Reserve of Baoxing County, Sichuan. She was rescued on May 8, 2001 from Zhangga Mountain (张嘎山) — the location that inspired her name.
Rescue and Early Years
Zhang Ka was found alone and in distress on Zhangga Mountain in the Fengtongzhai Reserve. Rescue teams brought her to the Fengtongzhai National Nature Reserve for emergency care before transferring her to the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas.
On May 8, 2003, she was moved to the Ya’an Bifengxia Base.
A Record-Breaking Mother
First Birth: Two World Records (2006)
On August 3, 2006, Zhang Ka gave birth to her first cub — a male named Bao Le (宝乐, studbook 626). The birth was extraordinary:
- Longest labor ever recorded: 34 hours from water breaking to delivery
- Heaviest cub ever born in captivity at the time: 218 grams
Both records were officially recognized in panda breeding history. Tragically, Bao Le died on April 29, 2007.
Second Cub (2008)
On August 26, 2008, she gave birth to Ao Ao (傲傲, studbook 729), who passed away on August 19, 2010.
The Rewilding Daughters (2011, 2014)
On August 20, 2011, Zhang Ka gave birth to twin daughters:
- Zhang Xiang (张想, studbook 826) — the first female panda to be released to the wild
- Su Shan (苏珊, studbook 827) — a successful breeding female at the center
On July 7, 2014, she gave birth to Zhang Meng (张梦, studbook 916) in a semi-wild environment at Bifengxia. Zhang Meng was successfully rewilded on October 20, 2016.
Later Cubs
Zhang Ka continued breeding into her later years:
- 2017: Female cub (studbook 1071) — not yet profiled on this site
- 2022-08-15: Twins An Bao (安宝/安安, male) and Zhong Zhong (中中, female)
Move to Wild Training Base
On November 28, 2014, Zhang Ka was moved to the Wolong Hetaoping Wild Training Base, where she has participated in the wild training program. As a wild-born panda herself, she was considered ideal for producing cubs suited for rewilding.
Legacy
Zhang Ka’s contributions to panda conservation are profound:
- Zhang Xiang — released to the wild in 2013, the first female panda ever rewilded
- Zhang Meng — released to the wild in 2016, proving rewilding works for multiple individuals
- Su Shan — a prolific breeding female, mother of Ya Ya (雅安 mascot) and others
- An Bao and Zhong Zhong — continuing the genetic line
Her 34-hour labor record and 218g cub weight record remain notable in panda reproductive history.
Evidence
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Why these profiles appear here
1
Su Shan
Offspring: Su Shan
2
Zhang Meng
Offspring: Zhang Meng
3
Zhang Xiang
Offspring: Zhang Xiang
4
Ying Ying
Same base: Wolong Hetaoping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
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Place journey
Current location
Wolong Hetaoping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
Wolong, China
Zhang Ka is currently linked to Wolong Hetaoping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.
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