Tuan Tuan

Basic Profile

Tuan Tuan (Chinese: 团团, “Reunion”), studbook number 588, was a male giant panda born on September 1, 2004 at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Wolong, Sichuan. His father was Ling Ling (灵灵) and his mother was Hua Mei (华美, studbook 487) — the first overseas-born giant panda to return to China, born at San Diego Zoo in 1999. Through Hua Mei, his maternal grandparents are Bai Yun (白云) and Gao Gao (高高), and his maternal great-grandparents are Pan Pan (盼盼) and Dong Dong (冬冬).

Tuan Tuan was the first cub of Hua Mei’s first litter, making him a third-generation member of the Pan Pan lineage on his mother’s side and the Xin Xing lineage through his father.

Life Journey

Selection as Gift Panda (2005-2006)

In May 2005, the Chinese government announced it would gift a pair of pandas to Taiwan. In January 2006, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were officially selected. Their names were chosen by over 130 million viewers during the 2006 CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

However, the transfer was delayed for nearly three years due to political opposition from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration in Taiwan, which blocked the pandas’ entry with various regulatory obstacles.

Wenchuan Earthquake (2008)

On May 12, 2008, the Wenchuan earthquake struck Wolong. Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan escaped their damaged enclosure. Tuan Tuan was found and rescued the same day; Yuan Yuan was recovered on May 17. On June 18, the pair was transferred to the Ya’an Bifengxia Base for safety.

In August 2008, Taiwan’s agricultural authorities finally approved the transfer, and Taipei Zoo’s Muzha facility was designated as their new home.

Journey to Taiwan (2008)

On December 23, 2008, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan departed for Taiwan aboard a EVA Air charter flight, arriving at Taipei Taoyuan Airport at 5:05 PM. They were transported to the Taipei Zoo’s Xinguang Special Exhibition Hall, arriving at 7:30 PM. After a settling-in period, they made their public debut on January 26, 2009 (Chinese New Year’s Day).

Tuan Tuan was given a secondary name in Taiwan: Zhi Ming (志明), chosen through an island-wide online vote. However, “Tuan Tuan” remained his primary public name.

Life at Taipei Zoo

Tuan Tuan was described as outgoing and lively (活泼大方). Having been mostly hand-reared by humans as a cub, he was comfortable around people and enjoyed interacting with keepers. He and Yuan Yuan became Taipei Zoo’s star attractions.

Daughters

Daughter	Born	Notes
Yuan Zai (圆仔)	2013-07-06	Taiwan’s first panda cub, conceived via artificial insemination
Yuan Bao (圆宝)	2020-06-28	Second daughter

Titanium Dental Crown (2018)

On December 9, 2018, keepers discovered Tuan Tuan’s left upper canine tooth was fractured and bleeding during a routine training session. A dental team performed a vital pulp therapy on December 12, removing infected pulp and applying MTA (mineral trioxide aggregate). A custom titanium dental crown was fabricated from a dental mold.

On December 23, 2018, the crown was successfully implanted — the first titanium dental crown ever fitted on a giant panda worldwide. The procedure marked a milestone in wildlife veterinary dentistry.

Brain Tumor and Death (2022)

First Symptoms

In August 2022, keepers noticed Tuan Tuan had reduced appetite and white foam at the mouth. Reviewing surveillance footage, they observed a 3-minute seizure-like episode on the morning of August 23. An MRI was immediately arranged.

Diagnosis

On August 18, Tuan Tuan was anesthetized at National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital for a brain MRI. The scan revealed liquefactive necrosis in the left cerebral hemisphere, with similar changes in the right hemisphere — likely the cause of his seizures. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected for analysis, and anti-epileptic medication was initiated.

On September 23, Taipei Zoo held a press conference detailing his condition.

Deterioration

By October 2022, Tuan Tuan’s condition worsened. He developed hind limb weakness, decreased appetite, and spent more time lying down. A second MRI on October 26 showed the lesion area had significantly expanded, and the likelihood of a malignant brain tumor was substantially increased. Without invasive biopsy, the exact pathology could not be confirmed.

Mainland Expert Visit

On November 1, 2022, two experts from the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas — Wu Honglin and Wei Ming — arrived in Taiwan. They proceeded directly to Taipei Zoo to examine Tuan Tuan. Both sides agreed on a palliative care approach focused on comfort. On November 6, the experts reported Tuan Tuan’s condition was temporarily stabilizing.

Final Seizures and Euthanasia

On November 17 at 4:41 PM, Tuan Tuan suffered a sudden seizure. After the first episode subsided, he attempted to walk but his left hind leg was notably weak. A second seizure struck at 4:58 PM. Two more episodes followed at 6:28 PM and 7:33 PM. Anti-epileptic drugs were administered each time.

He appeared to recover briefly on November 18, but on November 19, three more seizures struck at 1:05 AM, 1:56 AM, and 3:54 AM. Despite repeated medication, the seizures continued intermittently. At 7:03 AM, the seizures finally subsided under sedation.

The medical team, after consultation with the mainland experts, made the difficult decision to euthanize Tuan Tuan while he was under anesthesia. His heart stopped at 1:48 PM on November 19, 2022.

Necropsy

On December 19, 2022, Taipei Zoo released the necropsy results. The cause was Gemistocytic Astrocytoma (肥胖细胞型星形胶质细胞瘤) — a primary malignant brain tumor. The tumor was responsible for his seizures and neurological decline.

Memorial

On May 17, 2024, Tuan Tuan’s fur specimen was displayed at the Taipei Zoo’s “Endangered Species Story Hall” opening ceremony. His tissue samples — including pelt, skeleton, frozen sperm, and fibroblast cells — were preserved for research.

Personality and Nicknames

Tuan Tuan was known for his outgoing, confident personality. Having been hand-reared by humans, he was unusually comfortable with keeper interaction. His Taiwanese nickname Zhi Ming (志明) was chosen by public vote. Together with Yuan Yuan (圆圆), his name forms the compound “Tuan Yuan” (团圆) — meaning family reunion — a fitting symbol for cross-strait relations.

Legacy

Tuan Tuan’s life embodied both the promise and the complexity of cross-strait relations. His journey — from the mountains of Wolong through the Wenchuan earthquake to becoming Taipei Zoo’s most beloved resident — made him a symbol of resilience and hope. His titanium dental crown and the international collaboration around his brain tumor diagnosis stand as milestones in wildlife medicine. His two daughters, Yuan Zai and Yuan Bao, continue his lineage in Taiwan.