Xiao Liwu

Basic Profile

Xiao Liwu (Chinese name 小礼物, meaning “Little Gift”) is a male giant panda born on July 29, 2012, at the San Diego Zoo in California, USA. He is the sixth and youngest cub of Bai Yun (白云, studbook 371) and Gao Gao (高高, studbook 415), one of the most successful breeding pairs in the global panda conservation program.

Life Journey

Birth and Naming

Xiao Liwu was born at 2:10 PM on July 29, 2012, weighing approximately 112 grams. The cub’s gender was confirmed about two months later. On November 13, 2012, a naming ceremony was held at San Diego Zoo. The name “Xiao Liwu” (小礼物) was chosen from over 7,000 suggestions submitted by the public, carrying the meaning “a precious gift to the world.”

Life at San Diego Zoo

Xiao Liwu grew up under the attentive care of his mother Bai Yun at San Diego Zoo’s Panda Canyon exhibit. He celebrated his second birthday on July 29, 2014, with a beach-themed party featuring a 45-kilogram cake made of bamboo and apples. By this time, he weighed about 40 kilograms.

He attracted significant public attention as one of the few giant panda cubs born in North America during the 2010s and became a favorite among zoo visitors.

Return to China

As part of the Sino-US giant panda cooperation agreement, all cubs born abroad must return to China. On April 6, 2019, San Diego Zoo began a three-week farewell party for Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu, featuring a “Panda Friendship Wall” where visitors could leave messages.

On May 16, 2019, 27-year-old Bai Yun and 6-year-old Xiao Liwu flew back to Sichuan, China. This was Bai Yun’s first return to her homeland in 23 years and Xiao Liwu’s first visit to China. Both currently reside at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.