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Panda archive

Ai Bao

爱宝

alive female Born July 13, 2013

Ai Bao (爱宝), also known as Hua Ni (华妮), studbook #869, is a female giant panda born on July 13, 2013 at the Ya'an Bifengxia Base. Her father is Lu Lu (芦芦, 503). In March 2016, she traveled to Everland Resort in South Korea alongside Le Bao (乐宝/园欣). She became the mother of the first panda born in Korea — Fu Bao (福宝) in 2020, and later twin daughters Rui Bao (睿宝) and Hui Bao (辉宝) in 2023.

How to use this page

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This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Ai Bao.

Profile snapshot

Quick facts

Birth date

July 13, 2013

Birth place

Ya'an Bifengxia Base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda

Current location

Everland Resort (Panda World)

Status

Alive

Studbook

#869

Archive activity

3 updates · 1 media

Narrative

Life story

Start with a concise summary, then continue into the full narrative record for Ai Bao.

Short version

Ai Bao (爱宝), also known as Hua Ni (华妮), studbook #869, is a female giant panda born on July 13, 2013 at the Ya'an Bifengxia Base. Her father is Lu Lu (芦芦, 503). In March 2016, she traveled to Everland Resort in South Korea alongside Le Bao (乐宝/园欣). She became the mother of the first panda born in Korea — Fu Bao (福宝) in 2020, and later twin daughters Rui Bao (睿宝) and Hui Bao (辉宝) in 2023.

Basic Profile

Ai Bao (Chinese: 爱宝), originally named Hua Ni (华妮), is a female giant panda born on July 13, 2013, at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base. She holds the global studbook number 869.

Her father is Lu Lu (芦芦, studbook 503). Her siblings include Xing Hui (星徽), Tao Tao (淘淘), Yao Man (姚蔓), Fei Yun (飞云), and others — all fathered by the prolific Lu Lu.


Journey to Korea

On March 3, 2016, Ai Bao (then Hua Ni) and Le Bao (乐宝/园欣) departed for South Korea’s Everland Resort for a 15-year conservation research program. On April 21, 2016, the “Panda World” — a 3,300-square-meter facility — opened to the public. She was given her Korean name “Ai Bao” (爱宝).


Motherhood

First Cub: Fu Bao (2020)

On July 20, 2020, Ai Bao gave birth to Fu Bao (福宝) — the first giant panda born in South Korea. Fu Bao was a sensation in Korea before returning to China in April 2024.

Twin Cubs (2023)

On July 7, 2023, Ai Bao gave birth to twin daughters — Rui Bao (睿宝) and Hui Bao (辉宝) — the first naturally conceived twin pandas born in South Korea. Named in October 2023, they continue to live at Everland.

Ai Bao is described as a gentle and experienced mother with excellent maternal instincts.


Current Status

Ai Bao continues to reside at Everland Resort with Le Bao, as part of the 15-year agreement extending to 2031. The family is served by dedicated Korean keepers Kang Cheol-won and Song Young-kwan, who maintain close cooperation with Chinese experts.

Evidence

Life timeline

Key updates and milestone events tied to Ai Bao.

3 updates

Knowledge graph

Family and network

See the core family graph first, then continue through related pandas and archive themes.

Family tree of Ai Bao Parents Self Lu Lu #503 · Father Mother unknown Ai Bao 爱宝 #869 ♀ 13 half-siblings 13 paternal · 0 maternal — see Siblings tab
Father Half-siblings (grouped)
Ai Bao has 13 half-siblings. The majority share the same father, Lu Lu , indicating a highly prolific paternal lineage.

Theme graph

Themes connected to Ai Bao

This panda is connected to 5 themes in the broader archive graph.

Connected archive

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This is the next layer around the profile: place journey, current geography, reading context, and nearby panda records.

Mentioned in archive reading

culture

K-Panda Fever: How Everland Turned Fu Bao Into a Korean National Icon

In 2016, Ai Bao and Le Bao arrived at Everland in South Korea as diplomatic gifts. In 2020, they produced Fu Bao — the first panda born in Korea — and ignited a cultural phenomenon that transformed Korean panda keeping into a national obsession. This article traces how Everland's media strategy, the emotional bond between keeper Kang Cheol-won and Fu Bao, and the Korean public's embrace of 'panda parenting' created the most intense panda fandom outside China.

culture

International Vet Cooperation: Solving Overseas Panda Health Crises

When a panda falls ill in a zoo thousands of miles from China, the response is not local — it is global. Chinese veterinary teams fly to foreign zoos. Foreign keepers travel to China for training. Video consultations connect specialists across continents. This article explores the hidden international medical network that keeps the global panda diaspora healthy — from emergency surgeries to chronic disease management to the delicate art of diagnosing a panda that cannot describe its symptoms.

culture

The Ultimate Panda Documentary Guide: 50+ Films Every Panda Lover Needs to Watch

A curated global guide to over 50 panda documentaries spanning seven decades, seven thematic categories, and ten countries — from Pan Wenshi's raw Qinling field recordings in the 1990s to the 2024 Korean theatrical release Goodbye, Grandpa. Every film is verified, reviewed, and linked to the real pandas, keepers, and breeding centers behind the footage.

kids

Global Panda Map: Where Can You See Pandas Around the World?

Giant pandas don't just live in China — they're animal ambassadors in zoos across the globe! Grab your imaginary passport and take a tour of the world's panda hotspots, from Washington D.C. to Tokyo to Berlin to Seoul. Discover which countries host pandas, what makes each panda home special, and how you can visit pandas near you!

More connections

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Same place

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Le Bao

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Le Bao (乐宝), also known as Yuan Xin (园欣), studbook #841, is a male giant panda born on July 28, 2012 at the Ya'an Bifeng...

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Rui Bao

睿宝

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2 years old
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Rui Bao (睿宝), born July 7, 2023 at Everland Resort in South Korea, is the elder twin sister of Hui Bao (辉宝) and the seco...

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Same country

Hui Bao

辉宝

Alive
2 years old
everland_resort

Hui Bao (辉宝), born July 7, 2023 at Everland Resort in South Korea, is the younger twin of Rui Bao (睿宝) and the third cub...

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Le Bao

乐宝

Alive
13 years old
everland_resort

Le Bao (乐宝), also known as Yuan Xin (园欣), studbook #841, is a male giant panda born on July 28, 2012 at the Ya'an Bifeng...

captive-bred everland korea +2
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Rui Bao

睿宝

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2 years old
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Rui Bao (睿宝), born July 7, 2023 at Everland Resort in South Korea, is the elder twin sister of Hui Bao (辉宝) and the seco...

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Trust

Sources and references

Information on this page is compiled from conservation institutions, official panda records, media archives, and the wider PandaCommon research workflow.

Primary source types

  • Conservation institution records
  • Official panda databases
  • Research publications and archive reporting

External links

No external reference links are attached yet.

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