Ba Zai

Ba Zai (八仔), nicknamed "Cai Bao Zi" (菜包子, meaning "Vegetable Buns"), is a male giant panda born on July 16, 2021, at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. He is registered under studbook number 1260 and is the son of Qi Zai (七仔), the world's only known captive brown-and-white giant panda, and Zheng Zheng (正正), a female giant panda. Despite his father Qi Zai's distinctive brown-and-white coat, Ba Zai was born with the typical black-and-white coloring of most giant pandas. According to research published by Academician Wei Fuwen's team in 2024, Ba Zai carries a recessive mutation in the Bace2 gene inherited from his father, making him a genetic carrier (携带者) for the brown coat trait, though he does not express it phenotypically. In April 2024, DiDi (滴滴出行) announced lifetime adoption of Ba Zai through the DiDi Public Welfare Foundation. He currently resides at the Qinling Sibao Park in Yangxian County, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, where he celebrated his 3rd birthday in July 2024. Known for his handsome appearance, Ba Zai has gained significant popularity among panda enthusiasts and is affectionately called the "Face King of Qinling" (秦岭颜王).