Mei Qing (梅清), a female giant panda born on July 12, 2002, at the Hetaoping Wildlife Training Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, has earned a reputation as a “heroic mother” due to her remarkable achievements in breeding and her nurturing nature. Over the years, Mei Qing has not only contributed significantly to the panda population but also forged a strong bond with visitors at Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park.
Basic Information
- Name: Mei Qing (梅清)
- Gender: Female
- Lineage Number: 547
- Birthdate: July 12, 2002
- Birthplace: Hetaoping Wildlife Training Base, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
- Mother: Ying Ying (英英)
- Father: Da Di (大地)
- Twin Sister: Lan Xiang (兰香)
- Siblings: 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 Mei Qing
Picky Eater: Although Mei Qing is a bit on the heavier side, she is quite picky about her food. Once, the caretakers tossed some golden bamboo to her, but Mei Qing only sniffed it and then discarded it. The caretakers gave her one stalk at a time, and she sniffed and tossed each one, staring blankly at the caretakes. Her belly puffed up, and her nimble little tongue flicked back and forth, as if expressing her dissatisfaction.
Cleanliness Obsession: Known as “Mei Guifei” (Imperial Concubine Mei), Mei Qing is elegant and has a strong preference for cleanliness. Occasionally, when the caretakers feed her apples, if the apple rolled onto the ground, Mei Qing would stare intently at the keeper, gripping her paw as if holding back her anger, waiting until the keeper retrieves a clean apple to give her.
Strong Maternal Instinct: After giving birth, Mei Qing’s maternal instincts were incredibly strong. She would spend almost the entire day holding her cubs, only eating a little when the staff fed her honey while she still held them. She was very vigilant, always keeping an eye out for any unusual sounds and watching her surroundings cautiously. Even when her cubs cried in their sleep, she would wake up, startled.
Dislike of Noise: When Mei Qing first moved to Chimelong, she made quite an impression on her neighbor, Ku Ku (酷酷). Ku Ku happily hummed while walking through Mei Qing’s area after finishing work, unaware that Mei Qing would scold him loudly. From then on, Ku Ku never made a sound on his way home.
Life Experience of Panda Mei Qing
Birthplace and Early Life: Mei Qing was born in 2002 at the Hetaoping Wildlife Training Base, a key site for the training and breeding of giant pandas in the wild.
Relocations: On March 3, 2004, Mei Qing was moved to the Bifengxia Base in Ya’an, where she continued to receive care and observation. On July 13, 2012, Mei Qing was sent to Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park, where she began her life and breeding work in South China.
Breeding Achievements of Panda Mei Qing
First Offspring: On August 14, 2010, Mei Qing gave birth to her first child, a male panda named Qing Shan (青山), in Sichuan.
First Daughter: On July 31, 2013, at Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park, Mei Qing gave birth to her first daughter, Long Long (隆隆), the first panda born in South China, marking a significant milestone in the park’s breeding program.
Twins: On October 9, 2016, Mei Qing gave birth to twin male cubs, Qin Qin (亲亲) and Ai Ai (爱爱), her third set of offspring.
Fourth Offspring: On September 30, 2019, Mei Qing welcomed her fourth child, Guo Qing (国庆), at Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, adding special significance to the occasion.