Zhen Zhen

Basic Profile

Zhen Zhen (Chinese: 珍珍, “Precious”), studbook number 694, is a female giant panda born on August 3, 2007 at the San Diego Zoo in California, USA. She is the third cub of Bai Yun (白云) and Gao Gao (高高) — one of the most successful breeding pairs in panda conservation history.

Naming (2007)

The San Diego Zoo launched a national naming contest across the United States, narrowing the entries to four finalists. “Zhen Zhen” won with over 50,000 votes — meaning “precious” or “valuable.” She made her limited public debut on December 21, 2007 at 20 weeks old, appearing for just two hours daily (9-11 AM) to minimize stress.

Siblings

Zhen Zhen’s siblings through Bai Yun and Gao Gao include: Hua Mei (华美), Mei Sheng (美生), Su Lin (苏琳), Yun Zi (云子), and Xiao Liwu (小礼物).

Return to China (2010)

On September 26, 2010, Zhen Zhen arrived in China after a 30-hour journey. She underwent a month-long quarantine at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base before settling at CCRCGP.

The Wild Breeding Experiment (2018)

In 2018, Zhen Zhen was selected for a groundbreaking program: 野外引种 (wild breeding introduction) — releasing a captive-born female into the forest to mate with wild pandas and introduce new genetics to the captive population.

On March 5, she was transferred to the Tiantai Mountain area of Wolong Nature Reserve. For two months, she adapted to the wild environment while researchers tracked her via GPS collar and radio signals. In early May, she entered estrus and began roaming widely.

On May 30, Zhen Zhen made international headlines: she walked out of the forest and into Bogao Village, Wenchuan County, where she calmly inspected a villager’s house, examined an excavator, and helped herself to some food. The video went viral — a collared panda appearing perfectly at ease in a human settlement.

Researchers safely recovered her the next day. While it could not be confirmed whether she had successfully mated with a wild panda, the experiment was considered a valuable first step. She did not produce cubs from the encounter.

Offspring

Zhen Zhen has given birth to 8 cubs:

Name	Studbook	Birth	Notes
Tuan Zi (团子)	967	2015-08-08	Female; at Nanjing Ziqinghu
Chun Qiao (春俏)	968	2015-08-08	Female; at Yangzhou Expo
Xin Xin (新新)	1089	2017-07-30	Male; at Jiuzhaigou
Xing An (兴安)	1090	2017-07-30	Male; at Fenghuang, Hunan
Yun Chuan (云川)	1193	2019-07-28	Male; to San Diego Zoo, 2024
Zhen Lan (珍兰)	—	2021-07-17	Male twin
Sheng Lan (胜兰)	—	2021-07-17	Male twin
Jin Hui (金辉)	—	2024-07-29	Male

Her son Yun Chuan (originally called Chuan Chuan/川川) was selected alongside Xin Bao (鑫宝) to travel to the San Diego Zoo in June 2024 — returning to the very zoo where Zhen Zhen was born, marking a full-circle moment in panda conservation.