Qin Qin

Basic Profile

Qin Qin (Chinese: 秦秦, studbook number 908) is a female giant panda born on July 18, 2013 at the Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Research Center (陕西省珍稀野生动物抢救饲养研究中心). She is the daughter of Xin Xin (欣欣, studbook 603) and a granddaughter of Xue Xue (雪雪), founding the important Shaanxi Qinling lineage.

She holds a special place in Shaanxi’s conservation history as the province’s first giant panda to be raised entirely through artificial rearing — a milestone for the region’s panda breeding program.

Names

Her name 秦秦 (Qin Qin) is a double iteration of “秦” (Qin), referencing both the Qinling Mountains — the unique northern habitat of the Qinling panda subspecies — and the ancient Qin Dynasty, the historical heartland of which is in modern-day Shaanxi.

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Life Journey

Early Years at Shaanxi Center (2013–2017)

As Shaanxi’s first fully hand-reared panda, Qin Qin’s early care required round-the-clock attention from the center’s veterinary team. Despite her delicate start without maternal care, she grew into a healthy and robust young panda.

Xi’an Qinling Wildlife Park (2017–2018)

On January 16, 2017, Qin Qin was relocated to the Xi’an Qinling Wildlife Park for public exhibition, where visitors could see one of Shaanxi’s proudest conservation success stories.

Return to Shaanxi Center (2018–present)

On December 21, 2018, Qin Qin returned to the Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Research Center, where she transitioned into her breeding career.

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Breeding Success

First Litter: Twin Daughters (2020)

On August 20, 2020, Qin Qin gave birth to twin females:

• Qin Xiu (秦秀) — the elder twin, born at Xi’an Qinling Wildlife Park
• Qin Mei (秦美) — the younger twin

The twins represented a major success for the Qinling panda breeding program, which aims to preserve the genetic diversity of the distinct Qinling subspecies.

Second Litter: Famous Twins (2022)

In March 2022, Qin Qin showed estrus behavior and was successfully mated on March 22. After a 155-day gestation — unusually long for giant pandas — she went into labor on the night of August 22.

On August 23, 2022, at 4:25 AM and 5:57 AM, she gave birth to a male-female twin pair:

• Pei Pei (沛沛, studbook #1298) — male, born first at 176.4 g
• Shu Bao (树宝, studbook #1299) — female, born at 151.2 g

Both cubs developed well. Pei Pei went on to become a social media star with his oversized ears and “dancing” behavior, earning the nickname “Qin Da Duo” (秦大朵). He was lifelong adopted by the Peihua Group on October 29, 2023. Shu Bao was adopted via Ant Forest’s cloud adoption program on October 24, 2023.

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Personality and Role

Qin Qin is described by her keepers as gentle and calm (性格温顺). Beyond her own motherhood, she has demonstrated an ability to assist in rearing other panda cubs at the center, serving as a surrogate or helper mother — a valuable trait in the captive breeding program.

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Legacy

Together with fellow Shaanxi female Yong Yong (永永), Qin Qin is a granddaughter of the legendary Xue Xue (雪雪), and her two sets of twins have significantly contributed to growing the Xue Xue family line in the Qinling panda population. She remains a cornerstone of the Shaanxi Qinling conservation program.