Zhu Zhu

Basic Profile

Zhu Zhu (珠珠, #509) is a female giant panda born on August 6, 2000, at the Hetaoping Wild Training Base (核桃坪野化培训基地), part of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda. She currently resides at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center (秦岭大熊猫研究中心) in Shaanxi Province.

Family Heritage

Zhu Zhu is a member of the famous “Bai Xue Family” (白雪家族), one of the most distinguished lineages in the Qinling subspecies. Her mother, Bai Xue (白雪), was a legendary wild Qinling panda known for:

• A distinctive crescent-shaped black marking on her nose — a unique identifier among giant pandas
• Having twice escaped into the wild, demonstrating remarkable survival skills
• Passing down the characteristic black fur around the nose and mouth to her descendants, which has become a defining feature of the Bai Xue family line

Physical Characteristics

Zhu Zhu inherited the distinctive Bai Xue family trait — black fur markings around the nose and mouth area. This physical characteristic is easily recognizable and has been passed down to her offspring, including Qin Hua.

Family & Lineage

Parentage

• Mother: Bai Xue (白雪) — Legendary wild Qinling panda, known for her crescent-shaped nose marking and two wild survival experiences
• Father: Xin Xing (新兴) — Wild Qinling panda

Siblings

Zhu Zhu shares the same parents with several notable pandas:

• Chuang Chuang (创创) — Elder brother
• Qing Qing (青青) — Elder brother
• Lin Lin (琳琳) — Elder brother
• Ning Ning (宁宁) — Younger brother
• Zhuang Mei (壮妹) — Younger sister
• Hua Zui Ba (花嘴巴) — Younger sister
• Cheng Gong (成功) — Younger sister
• Si Xue (思雪) — Younger sister

Offspring

Zhu Zhu is the most prolific female panda at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center, with 7 confirmed offspring:

Name	Birth Date	Gender	Father	Studbook
Qin Chuan (秦川)	July 27, 2008	Male	—	713
Ya Ya (丫丫)	September 4, 2009	Female	San San (三三)	757
An An (安安)	September 27, 2013	Female	—	909
Meng Meng (梦梦)	August 21, 2017	Female	—	1116
Jia Jia (佳佳)	July 10, 2019	Male	Qiao Qiao (乔乔)	—
Yuan Yuan (园园)	July 10, 2019	Female	Qiao Qiao (乔乔)	—
Qin Hua (秦华)	October 11, 2020	Male	Qi Zai (七仔, #802)	—

Reproductive Records

Timeline of births:

• 2008: First offspring, Qin Chuan (秦川) — at age 8
• 2009: Second offspring, Ya Ya (丫丫)
• 2013: Third offspring, An An (安安)
• 2017: Fourth offspring, Meng Meng (梦梦)
• 2019: Twin cubs Jia Jia and Yuan Yuan via artificial insemination (105-day gestation)
• 2020: Seventh offspring, Qin Hua — at age 20, setting records

Notable Achievements

Record-Breaking Birth

On October 11, 2020, at the remarkable age of 20, Zhu Zhu gave birth to her seventh cub, Qin Hua (秦华). This event set two records for the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center:

1. Oldest female panda to successfully give birth at the center
2. Highest number of offspring for a female panda at the center (7 cubs across 6 pregnancies)

Wet Nurse for Qi Zai

In 2019, Zhu Zhu took on a special nurturing role — serving as wet nurse for Qi Zai (七仔, #802), the world’s only captive brown-and-white giant panda. She successfully breastfed and cared for Qi Zai until he was six months old, playing a crucial role in his early development.

Twin Cubs via Artificial Insemination

In 2019, Zhu Zhu successfully gave birth to twin cubs (Jia Jia and Yuan Yuan) through artificial insemination using frozen semen from Qiao Qiao (乔乔). The pregnancy lasted 105 days, and the twins were born healthy.

Personality & Care

Maternal Instincts

Zhu Zhu is described as having exceptional maternal instincts:

• Actively nurses and protects her cubs
• Demonstrates strong bonding behavior
• Successfully raises all her offspring to independence

Training Performance

According to caretakers, Zhu Zhu excels in training sessions:

• Quick learner — rapidly masters new exercises and commands
• Intelligent and active personality
• Praised as “聪明活泼” (smart and lively) by the conservation team

Nutrition During Nursing

During nursing periods, Zhu Zhu’s diet includes:

• Bashan bamboo (巴山木竹)
• Indocalamus leaves (箬竹叶)
• Specialized panda feed for nutritional support

Relocation History

Date	Location
August 6, 2000	Born at Hetaoping Wild Training Base
February 2, 2002	Transferred to Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue & Breeding Research Center
March 15, 2008	Transferred to Chengdu Research Base
November 6, 2008	Returned to Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue & Breeding Research Center
March 8, 2011	On loan to Xi’an International Horticultural Expo Park
October 26, 2011	Returned to Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue & Breeding Research Center

Conservation Significance

As a member of the Bai Xue family and one of the most successful breeding females in the Qinling subspecies program, Zhu Zhu represents:

1. Genetic lineage preservation — Carrying forward the distinctive Bai Xue family traits
2. Breeding program success — Demonstrating the effectiveness of both natural breeding and artificial insemination
3. Maternal care research — Providing insights into panda maternal behavior and cub development
4. Species survival — Contributing significantly to the captive breeding population

Sources & References

• Qinling Giant Panda Research Center official records
• Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Research Center documentation
• Bai Xue family lineage documentation
• 2019 twin birth records (Jia Jia and Yuan Yuan)
• 2020 Qin Hua birth records
• Qiao Qiao (乔乔) frozen semen breeding program documentation