Shuang Shuang

Basic Profile

Shuang Shuang (Chinese: 双双, also known as Shuan Shuan), studbook number 332, was a female giant panda born on June 15, 1987 at Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City. She was the daughter of Ying Ying (迎迎, studbook 165) and Bei Bei (贝贝) — the pair gifted to Mexico in 1975.

She and her sister Xin Xin (欣欣, studbook 360) held a unique status: they were among the very few giant pandas outside of China that were not owned by China, a legacy of the gifting era.

Life in Mexico

Shuang Shuang lived her entire 35-year life at Chapultepec Zoo alongside her sister. Like Xin Xin, her diet was a Mexico-China fusion:

• Bamboo flown in or cultivated locally
• Mexican cactus leaves (仙人掌叶) — a local specialty
• Apples, rice, carrots
• Climate-controlled enclosure with 24-hour monitoring

Birthday Celebrations

On June 3, 2017, the Mexican government, Chinese Embassy, and Chapultepec Zoo jointly organized a Chinese-themed birthday celebration for Shuang Shuang and Xin Xin, featuring traditional Chinese performances.

Death

Shuang Shuang died on July 11, 2022 at 35 years of age — a record for pandas in Mexico. The specific cause was not publicly announced. Her sister Xin Xin, born in 1990, continued as the sole surviving panda in Mexico and all of Latin America.