Ruyi

Basic Profile

Ruyi (如意, studbook #899) is a male giant panda born on July 31, 2016 at CCRCGP in Wolong, Sichuan. His name means “As You Wish” or “Good Fortune” in Chinese.

Journey to Moscow

In April 2019, Ruyi and female panda Ding Ding (丁丁) were selected for a landmark 15-year conservation partnership between China and Russia. The pair traveled to Moscow Zoo, where a specially designed panda enclosure had been prepared to replicate their natural habitat. Their arrival marked the beginning of a new chapter in Sino-Russian conservation cooperation.

Life at Moscow Zoo

At Moscow Zoo, Ruyi receives a carefully managed diet of fresh bamboo supplemented with apples, carrots, and specialized panda bread. The zoo’s dedicated panda team monitors his health and behavior daily. In August 2023, Ruyi and Ding Ding welcomed their first cub, Katyusha, marking the first giant panda birth on Russian soil and a major achievement for the conservation partnership.

Conservation Significance

Ruyi serves as an ambassador for his species in Russia. The successful birth of Katyusha demonstrates the effectiveness of international cooperation in panda conservation and breeding programs.

Ruyi, a male giant panda with the Chinese name 如意, was born on July 31, 2016, at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. He is registered under studbook number 899 in the global giant panda breeding registry, the official record used to coordinate managed captive populations of the species. His parents are both captive-bred pandas under the care of the China Conservation and Research Center: his father is Wei Wei, listed under studbook number 778, and his mother is Xi Xiu, listed under studbook number 721. As a cub, Ruyi received standard care under the center’s coordinated breeding program, which prioritizes genetic diversity and species health as core conservation goals.

On July 31, 2017, his first birthday, Ruyi was transferred to Moscow Zoo as part of a long-term collaborative conservation partnership between Chinese and Russian zoological institutions. He is one of two giant pandas housed at the facility as part of the agreement, which supports joint research into panda health, breeding behavior, and species adaptation to non-native captive environments. Since arriving at the zoo, Ruyi has exhibited typical giant panda traits, including a diet primarily composed of fresh bamboo, and consistent daily activity patterns centered on foraging and extended rest periods.

Ruyi serves dual public and conservation significance as part of the international panda loan program. He acts as an informal cultural ambassador between China and Russia, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to Moscow Zoo each year and raising cross-cultural awareness of giant panda vulnerability. His presence also supports global public education efforts focused on the threatened mountain forest ecosystems of central China, the giant panda’s native range, and the global collaborative measures required to protect endangered species. Research data collected from his time at Moscow Zoo is shared between Russian and Chinese conservation teams to inform best practices for captive panda care globally.