Panda Cao Cao (草草), a remarkable female giant panda born around 2002, has etched her name in history as a trailblazer in the conservation of her species. Rescued in 2003 from Caopo Township in Sichuan, she became an integral part of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda’s program at the Hetaoping Wildness Training Base. Over the years, Cao Cao has demonstrated exceptional maternal abilities and played a pivotal role in pioneering wild breeding and reintroduction initiatives, earning her the title of a “hero mother.”
Basic Information
- Name: Cao Cao (草草)
- Gender: Female
- Birth Year: Approximately 2002
- Lineage Number: 581
- Found in: Caopo Township, Sichuan
Rescue and Adaptation of Panda Cao Cao
Rescue: In November 2003, Cao Cao was discovered in Caopo Township, Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Villagers stayed by her side for three hours, but her mother never appeared. They reported the situation, and she was subsequently sent to the Hetaoping Reintroduction Training Base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center.
Adaptation: When Cao Cao was first rescued, she was thin and small, showing strong vigilance toward the staff and refusing to let anyone approach her. She did not know how to drink milk and only licked it with her tongue. However, when people gave her small apples, Cao Cao held onto them tightly and refused to let go. Even though she was a little scared, she still insisted on eating the apples.
Wild Reintroduction Training and Motherhood
First Litter: On August 6, 2008, Cao Cao gave birth to twin cubs after mating with Ling Ling (灵灵). The cubs weighed 206.7 grams and 192.6 grams, respectively, which were above the average weight. They were born just 10 minutes apart, setting a record for the shortest interval between twin births in the history of panda breeding. Unfortunately, only one cub survived and was later named Wu Yang (武阳). Wu Yang went on to become a prominent breeding male at the center and is now on loan to the Chengdu Base.
The Legendary Tao Tao:
- In August 2010, Cao Cao gave birth to a male cub named Tao Tao (淘淘). After Tao Tao was born, Cao Cao took him into a small wild reintroduction training area, situated at an altitude of about 1,780 meters and covering an area of approximately 2,400 square meters, to teach him survival skills. On rainy nights, Cao Cao would place Tao Tao under her armpit, the only dry part of her body, to keep him safe from the rain.
- In October 2012, at the age of two, Tao Tao was officially released into the wild in the Liziping Nature Reserve in Sichuan, becoming one of China’s successful cases of wild panda reintroduction. This process was documented in the film The Return of Tao Tao. Tao Tao has since established his own territory in the wild and now has grandchildren, bringing hope to the rejuvenation of wild panda subpopulations.
Second Pair of Twins: On July 6, 2013, Cao Cao gave birth to twins, Hua Hu (华虎) and Hua Jiao (华姣), after mating with Bai Yang (白杨). As a second-generation wild panda, Hua Hu was considered an ideal breeding male. Together with Hua Yang (华阳), Bing Cheng (冰成), and Ao Ao (傲傲), he was regarded as one of the “Four Noble Princes” of the center. However, Hua Hu has yet to have any offspring. His sister, Hua Jiao, was released into the wild in November 2015. Unlike previous releases, Hua Jiao was driven away by Cao Cao when she entered early estrus at just 1.5 years old. Hua Jiao survived alone in the wild environment for seven months, completing the final phase of wild reintroduction training. Her journey was documented in the film Return to the Forest.
Fourth Offspring: On July 23, 2016, Cao Cao successfully gave birth to a cub in a semi-wild training area. Unfortunately, the cub passed away shortly after birth.
Wild Mating and Reproduction
Wild Mating Program: At the end of 2016, the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center officially launched a program to study wild mating for captive pandas. This involved releasing captive female pandas into natural environments to mate with wild males, then bringing them back to the base for pregnancy and delivery, thereby expanding the genetic diversity of the panda population. The inspiration for this project came from Cao Cao’s time training Hua Jiao in the wild, during which she attracted a wild male panda, possibly triggering her early estrus. As a result, Cao Cao became the first giant panda in the world to participate in a wild mating program.
First Successful Trial: In March 2017, Cao Cao successfully mated with a wild panda in the wild and gave birth to a male cub in July of the same year. Although the cub sadly passed away on August 20, 2017, due to congenital developmental issues and respiratory failure, this birth marked significant progress in the wild mating program for captive pandas at the center.
Second Wild Mating Attempt: On March 18, 2018, Cao Cao participated in another wild mating trial in the Wuyipeng Jinguashu Valley area, successfully mating twice with wild pandas. On July 25, she gave birth to twins, He He (和和) and Mei Mei (美美), a male and a female. This pair of dragon-phoenix twins was recognized by Guinness World Records as the “First Pair of Captive Pandas Born and Surviving from a Wild Mating Program.” Mei Mei remains Cao Cao’s only daughter currently in captivity.
Third Wild Mating Attempt: In March 2019, Cao Cao entered the Wuyipeng wild area for another round of wild mating. On August 20, she gave birth to male twins, Xing Ye (星野) and Mu Ye (沐野). In 2022, the twins were relocated to Dujiangyan Panda Paradise.