Panda Mang Zai: A Food Lover

Panda Mang Zai

Panda Mang Zai (莽仔), also known as San Shun or Dong Hua, is a charming giant panda with an endearing story. Born on September 4, 2011, at Chongqing Zoo, Mang Zai has won hearts with her sweet temperament and notable achievements in panda breeding. Her name, which originally stemmed from a misunderstanding, contrasts with her gentle and affectionate nature, making her a beloved figure among panda enthusiasts.

Basic Information

Intriguing Details of Panda Mang Zai

Name Origin: Mang Zai’s name comes from a humorous mix-up. As a cub, she was mistakenly thought to be male, which led to her being named “Mang Zai,” a name that sounds quite bold. However, once her gender was correctly identified, it was discovered that she is a sweet and gentle female panda. Despite the name’s rough edge, Mang Zai’s personality is endearing and mild-mannered.

Beauty: Mang Zai is widely recognized as the “flower” of Chongqing Zoo. She has a fluffy, round face, smiling lips, and large Mickey Mouse-like ears, giving her a very sweet and charming appearance.

Prison Break: Mang Zai once had an “escape” experience. She left her territory in search of food and chose to hide in the back mountains to sleep. Eventually, the staff had to use a bamboo shoot to lure her back home.

Controversial Parenting Style: When Mang Can Can, her cub, was not yet a year old, Mang Zai’s parenting style was considered relatively harsh. Her frequent use of physical discipline, like pushing Mang Can Can down the tree, shocked many netizens, who dubbed her a “tiger mom.” However, as Mang Can Can grew older, Mang Zai’s approach became more relaxed, and her face began to show more smiles.

Breeding Experience

Birth: On September 4, 2011, 11-year-old “senior mother” Ya Ya gave birth to a pair of twin cubs. Based on Ya Ya and the cubs’ situation, Chongqing Zoo decided to send the first cub to the Sichuan Ya’an Bifengxia Giant Panda Research Center for hand-rearing, while the other cub was left with Ya Ya to be raised naturally. The cub raised by Ya Ya became Mang Zai, who has since lived at Chongqing Zoo.

First Breeding: On June 23, 2019, Mang Zai gave birth to her first pair of female twins, named Xi Xi (喜喜) and Qing Qing (庆庆), meaning happiness and celebration.

Second Breeding: On February 3, 2021, Mang Zai mated naturally with Jin Ke (津柯) at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center. On June 10 of the same year, she gave birth to another pair of male twins, named Xing Xing (星星) and Chen Chen (辰辰), meaning stars and the universe.

Third Breeding: On July 6, 2023, Mang Zai once again mated with Jin Ke and gave birth to a single male cub named Mang Can Can (莽灿灿). At birth, this cub weighed 191 grams, making him the heaviest panda cub born at Chongqing Zoo.

Gallery of Panda Mang Zai