Panda Lan Xiang (兰香) is a beloved giant panda with a remarkable life story. Born on July 12, 2002, at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center (formerly Wolong Walnut Flat), she is known for her gentle and affectionate nature. Lan Xiang is celebrated for her role in giant panda conservation and her contributions to the breeding program. Her life has been marked by significant milestones and deep bonds with her family and caretakers.
Basic Information
- Name: Lan Xiang (兰香)
- Gender: Female
- Pedigree Number: 548
- Date of Birth: July 12, 2002
- Birthplace: China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center (formerly Wolong Walnut Flat)
- Father: Da Di (大地)
- Mother: Ying Ying (英英)
- Twin Sister: Mei Qing (梅清)
- Sibling Sister: You You (优优), Liang Liang (亮亮), Yang Yang (阳阳), Ying Hua (瑛华), Ying Mei (瑛美), Xian Zi (仙子), Xian Nv (仙女), Meng Meng (萌萌), Yun Yun (韵韵), Shu Qin (淑琴), Sen Sen (森森)
Intriguing Details of Panda Lan Xiang
Personality: Lan Xiang’s personality matches her name, which means “fragrant orchid” in Chinese. She is known for her calm and gentle demeanor. At the zoo, she is adored and is the only adult giant panda who can be approached closely.
Taking Control of My Life: Initially, when Chongqing Zoo went to the Chengdu Panda Base to select a panda, they had their eyes on Mei Qing. However, Mei Qing was sitting in a tree and refused to come down no matter what. Just when the staff were at a loss, Lan Xiang, holding an apple in her mouth, voluntarily entered the cage and wouldn’t come out. Eventually, Chongqing took Lan Xiang home.
Love at First Sight: Around the age of six, Lan Xiang was already at the age to be matched with potential mates. At the time, she was introduced to Xiang Ge (香格), Xiang Lin (香林), Zi Yan (紫烟), and Shen Wei (绅威)—each of them with their own unique qualities, from the strong-willed “CEO” type to the gentle “warm man” and even a sturdy guy. However, Lan Xiang wasn’t interested in any of them. It wasn’t until she was fourteen that she finally took a liking to Wu Yang (武阳) and gave birth to her own cubs.
A Noble Status: Before Lan Xiang arrived at Chongqing Zoo, the zoo only had female pandas and had been eagerly waiting for male cubs. Lan Xiang made a significant impact with her first litter of two male cubs, and her second litter also consisted of two male cubs. From then on, her status at Chongqing Zoo became unshakable.
VIP Treatment: During her postpartum recovery, Lan Xiang enjoyed extremely high-level treatment. The zookeepers would even peel the bamboo shoots for her before feeding them. Lan Xiang would lie half-reclined, not even lifting a hand, opening her mouth wide to wait for the keeper to feed her, living the “mouth-to-mouth” lifestyle. She even had the keepers help support her cubs while nursing.
Life Experience of Panda Lan Xiang
Brith: Lan Xiang was born on July 12, 2002, as the third offspring of her mother, Ying Ying, and was one of the first pairs of twins born in China that year, the other being Mei Qing. At birth, she weighed 162 grams.
Move to Chongqing Zoo: In 2003, Lan Xiang was transferred to Chongqing Zoo, where she began a new chapter in her life.
First Breeding: In 2016, Lan Xiang found a mate named Wu Yang at the Ya’an Bifengxia Giant Panda Base. On July 11 of the same year, she gave birth to a pair of twins, named Yu Bao (渝宝) and Yu Bei (渝贝). This was Lan Xiang’s first litter, and at 14 years old, she was considered a senior panda mother.
Second Breeding: On June 23, 2019, Lan Xiang gave birth to another set of twin cubs, both males, named Shuang Shuang (双双) and Chong Chong (重重).
Incident: On January 6th, 2025, Lan Xiang was startled when a visitor threw a Coke bottle at her. Luckily, she showed no negative reactions. The visitor responsible for the incident was detained for 5 days.