Fu Ru

Basic Profile

Fu Ru (Chinese: 福茹), studbook number 1301, was a female giant panda born on August 29, 2022 at the Moon Delivery Room (月亮产房) of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. She was the healthy twin sister of Fu Wan (福菀, 1342), who was born with a congenital spinal condition. Their mother was Fu Lu (福禄, studbook 883), and their father was the male panda with studbook number 1145.

Fu Ru belonged to the extensive Ying Ying family (英英家族) through her mother Fu Lu. Her maternal grandmother was Ying Hua (瑛华), grandfather Bai Yang (白杨), and her uncle includes the famous Fu Xing (福星, also known as Pang Da Hai/胖大海). Her older half-sister through Fu Lu is Fu Shuang (福双).

Life at Chengdu Base

Fu Ru was described by her keepers as gentle and obedient (温顺乖巧), with a quiet, calm disposition. She and Fu Wan shared their early months at the Moon Delivery Room, celebrating their first birthday together with enrichment activities prepared by keepers.

Unlike her sister Fu Wan, who attracted public attention due to her spinal condition, Fu Ru led a quieter life at the base — a healthy young panda growing up alongside her twin.

Illness and Death

Sudden Onset (August 12, 2024)

On the morning of August 12, 2024, keepers observed Fu Ru exhibiting prolonged lying down and lethargy. A blood test revealed a catastrophic drop in her platelet count to 1/20 of normal levels. She was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal infection complicated by coagulation dysfunction.

Emergency Response

The base assembled a multi-disciplinary team in collaboration with West China Second Hospital (华西第二医院) and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital (四川省人民医院). Treatment included:

• Anti-infection therapy
• Platelet transfusion
• Comprehensive life-support measures

Death (August 16, 2024)

Despite five days of intensive care, Fu Ru’s platelet count continued to decline, leading to severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage. In the early hours of August 16, 2024, she died from hemorrhagic shock causing multiple organ failure.

Legacy

Fu Ru’s sudden death at just two years old shocked the panda conservation community and her many followers online. Her case highlighted the vulnerability of even healthy young pandas to sudden, severe medical complications. She is remembered as the gentle twin of the famous Fu Wan, and her life — though short — was a part of the ongoing story of the Ying Ying family at Chengdu Base.