Jin Bao Bao

Basic Profile

Jin Bao Bao (Chinese: 金宝宝, meaning “golden baby”), studbook number 941, is a female giant panda born on September 20, 2014 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda’s Ya’an Bifengxia Base in Sichuan, China. Her father is Xiang Ge (香格) and her mother is Zhuang Mei (壮妹).

In Finland, she was given the local name Lumi, meaning “snow” in Finnish, chosen through a public vote from over 4,000 candidate names. She was described by her keepers as having a beautiful appearance with a slightly mischievous personality, often engaging in playful “destructive” behavior.

Journey to Finland

Following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2017 state visit to Finland, China and Finland signed a 15-year giant panda conservation research agreement. Jin Bao Bao was selected alongside male Hua Bao (华豹, Pyry, sb867) as the first pandas ever to reside in Finland.

On January 18, 2018, the pair departed from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport aboard a dedicated flight, arriving at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to a grand welcome ceremony attended by Finnish Agriculture Minister Jari Leppä and Chinese Ambassador Chen Li. They were then transported to Ahtari Zoo (Ähtärin eläinpuisto), located approximately 300 kilometers north of Helsinki in central Finland.

Ahtari Zoo had invested over €8 million to build a 10,000-square-meter Panda House designed by an Australian architect, featuring a simulated natural habitat with artificial sunlight systems to compensate for Finland’s limited winter daylight. Under the “Snow Panda” (lumipanda) brand, the zoo highlighted that Finland’s snowy climate closely resembled the pandas’ natural habitat in China’s Sichuan mountains.

Life in Finland

Jin Bao Bao adapted well to her Finnish home, with bamboo imported weekly from the Netherlands and specially prepared cornbread made according to CCRCGP recipes. However, despite multiple breeding attempts, she and Hua Bao never successfully produced cubs, and she experienced several false pregnancies.

Return to China

Starting in 2021, Ahtari Zoo faced severe financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, declining visitor numbers, inflation, and rising interest rates. The annual cost of caring for the pandas was approximately €1.5 million, while the zoo’s debt continued to grow. Despite Chinese enterprises in Finland providing emergency aid and the Finnish government offering a one-time €200,000 grant, the zoo’s financial situation did not recover.

In September 2024, China and Finland agreed to repatriate the pandas early. After a final public farewell period, Jin Bao Bao and Hua Bao returned to China in November 2024 aboard a dedicated flight. She now resides at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base.

Basic Profile

Jin Bao Bao (Chinese: 金宝宝), known in Finland as Lumi (卢米, meaning “Snow”), is a female giant panda born on September 20, 2014, at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas. She holds the global studbook number 941.

Her father is Xiang Ge (香格) and her mother is Zhuang Mei (壮妹). Her siblings include Xing Ya (星雅) — who went to the Netherlands, Xing An (星安), Chu Xin (初心), and Xiao He Tao (小核桃).

Described by keepers as beautiful and silly (外形俊俏, 性格呆萌), Jin Bao Bao has a mischievous streak — she loves to destroy things. During her pre-departure quarantine, she systematically wrecked nearly every tree in her enclosure.

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Journey to Finland

In 2017, China and Finland signed a panda conservation agreement. Jin Bao Bao (female) and Hua Bao (华豹, male) were selected as the first pandas to reside in Finland.

On January 17, 2018, the pair departed from the Dujiangyan Base, heading to Ähtäri Zoo in Finland — China’s first pandas ever sent to Finland. The zoo, located 300 km north of Helsinki, covers 60 hectares, with a climate similar to the pandas’ native habitat. An €8.2 million panda house was built, covering nearly 6,000 square meters.

On March 3, 2018, the panda house officially opened to the public. Local Finnish fans gave her the nickname “Lumi” (卢米) — meaning “snow” in Finnish.

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Return to China

In September 2024, it was announced that Jin Bao Bao would return to China early due to financial considerations. On November 23, 2024, she and Hua Bao arrived safely in Chengdu. She now resides at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base.