YUA

Panda archive

Yuan Yuan

园园

alive male Born August 23, 1999

Yuan Yuan (园园), studbook #488, is a male giant panda born on August 23, 1999, at Beijing Zoo. He is the son of Liang Liang (良良) and Yong Yong (永永). In 2001, he traveled to Moscow Zoo, becoming one of the first pandas to live in Russia. After returning to China in 2004, he was transferred to Wolong as part of a panda exchange program. In 2019, he traveled to Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo for a four-year research cooperation. He returned to China in September 2024 and currently resides at the Dujiangyan Base. Yuan Yuan is a prolific sire, fathering multiple cubs including Jia Jia (Hue Bao, 沪宝).

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This page brings together the core facts, timeline, family graph, media, place journey, and related reading for Yuan Yuan.

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Profile snapshot

Quick facts

Birth date

August 23, 1999

Birth place

Beijing Zoo

Current location

China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda Dujiangyan Base

Status

Alive

Studbook

#488

Archive activity

4 updates · 1 media

Narrative

Life story

Start with a concise summary, then continue into the full narrative record for Yuan Yuan.

Short version

Basic Profile

Yuan Yuan (Chinese: 园园) is a male giant panda born on August 23, 1999, at Beijing Zoo. He holds the global studbook number 488. His parents are Liang Liang (良良, studbook 253) and Yong Yong (永永, studbook 245), making him a brother of Ying Ying (迎迎, studbook 369) and Yong Ming (永明, studbook 329).

Moscow: First Panda in Russia

On July 13, 2001, Yuan Yuan was sent to Moscow Zoo, becoming one of the first giant pandas to live in Russia. He spent three years there before returning to China.

Domestic Exchange Program

In October 2004, China’s National Forestry Bureau initiated a panda exchange program between Beijing Zoo and Wolong to maintain genetic diversity. Under this agreement, Yuan Yuan and Ying Ying (迎迎) were transferred to Wolong’s Hetaoping Base. In exchange, Wolong sent Da Di (大地) and Gu Gu (古古) to Beijing Zoo. Yuan Yuan was initially expected to stay at Wolong for 15 years.

Relocations

2004-10: Transferred to Wolong Hetaoping Base
2008-05-07: Moved to Ya’an Bifengxia Base
2011-08-06: Returned to Beijing Zoo
2015-06-24: Moved to Dujiangyan Base

Journey to Austria

On April 15, 2019, Yuan Yuan departed for Vienna’s Schönbrunn Tiergarten in Austria for a four-year research cooperation alongside Yang Yang (阳阳), who had already been living in Austria. This was a renewal of the Sino-Austrian panda cooperation agreement. Chinese experts accompanied the pandas to assist with health assessments.

On May 20, 2019, Yuan Yuan made his public debut at Schönbrunn Zoo.

Return to China

In September 2024, as the cooperation agreement concluded, Yuan Yuan and Yang Yang returned to China, arriving safely in Chengdu on September 14. Yuan Yuan currently resides at the Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center.

Offspring

Yuan Yuan is a prolific sire with many offspring, including:

Yuan Xin (园欣): Son who became Le Bao (乐宝) in South Korea
Hu Bao (沪宝/Jia Jia): Daughter, now in Singapore
Min Min (闽闽): Daughter
Pu Pu (浦浦): Son
Hua Bao (华豹): Son
Xing Ya (星雅): Son
Shan Hu (山虎): Son
Xin Yuan (新媛): Daughter
Xing An (星安): Daughter
Fa Fa (发发): Daughter

His descendants include third-generation pandas such as Fu Bao (福宝, at Everland, Korea), Fan Xing (梵星), and Le Le (叻叻, Singapore-born).

Evidence

Life timeline

Key updates and milestone events tied to Yuan Yuan.

4 updates

2024 (1)

Transfer Sep 14, 2024

Yuan Yuan Returns to China

Yuan Yuan returned to China from Austria.

2019 (1)

Transfer Apr 15, 2019

Yuan Yuan Arrives in Austria

Yuan Yuan arrived at Schonbrunn Zoo.

2001 (1)

Transfer Jul 13, 2001

Yuan Yuan Transferred to Moscow Zoo

Yuan Yuan was transferred to Moscow Zoo.

1999 (1)

Birth Aug 23, 1999

Birth of Yuan Yuan

Yuan Yuan was born at Beijing Zoo.

Knowledge graph

Family and network

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Children

Showing all 5 known offspring

Gallery

Media gallery

Images and video connected to Yuan Yuan.

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Images (1)

Connected archive

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Yuan Yuan is currently linked to China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda Dujiangyan Base.

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Archive paths

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Mentioned in archive reading

culture

Where Pandas Live: The Complete Global Distribution Guide

The giant panda diaspora spans 58 locations across continents — from the misty bamboo forests of Sichuan to climate-controlled enclosures in Singapore, from mountain reserves that shelter free-ranging pandas to urban zoos that host celebrities. This article provides the definitive guide to panda geography: where they live, why they're there, what the distribution reveals about conservation history, and how the map has changed from 1869 to today.

culture

80 Years of Panda Diplomacy: From Wartime Gifts to Global Research Loans

Trace the transformation of giant panda diplomacy from 1941, when Soong Mei-ling gifted the first pandas to America, through the landmark 1972 Nixon-era exchange, to today's international research loan agreements that channel millions of dollars annually into wild habitat conservation. This is the untold story of how a reclusive mountain bear became the world's most powerful diplomatic animal.

culture

Behind Every Name: The Art and Meaning of Naming Giant Pandas

From 'Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan' (symbolizing reunion) to 'Fu Bao' (lucky treasure), every giant panda name carries layers of cultural meaning, political significance, and public sentiment. This article explores the naming traditions, the global naming contests, and how panda nicknames — like Hua Hua's 'Guo Lai' — have become a unique form of modern Chinese internet folk culture.

nature

Feeding Pandas Across Europe: The Transnational Bamboo Supply Chain

Every panda in a European zoo eats 12-38 kilograms of fresh bamboo daily — none of which grows naturally in European forests. This article traces the hidden logistics infrastructure: dedicated plantations in southern France, weekly refrigerated truck deliveries crossing borders, the economics of panda food, and the emergency networks that keep pandas fed when supply chains break.

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Sources and references

Information on this page is compiled from conservation institutions, official panda records, media archives, and the wider PandaCommon research workflow.

Primary source types

Conservation institution records
Official panda databases
Research publications and archive reporting

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