If there’s one panda whose heartwarming story will make you smile, it’s Ying Hua (瑛华/Yinghua). Known for her boundless love for her cubs and her cheeky food-stealing ways, this adorable panda has charmed everyone who meets her. From navigating her “panda marriage exchange” to nurturing not just her own cubs but even others’, Ying Hua is an unforgettable figure in the world of panda conservation – and her journey is only getting sweeter.
Basic Information
- Name: Ying Hua (瑛华)
- Meaning of the Name: Luster of Jade
- Gender: Female
- Pedigree Number: 566
- Date of Birth: August 17, 2003
- Birthplace: China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, Walnut Flat Base
- Father: Ling Ling (灵灵)
- Mother: Ying Ying (英英)
- Siblings: You You (优优), Liang Liang (亮亮), Yang Yang (阳阳), 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), Lan Xiang (兰香), Mei Qing (梅清)
Intriguing Details of Panda Ying Hua
A Loving Mother: Ying Hua is an exceptionally caring mother. She often carries her cubs carefully to avoid injury and stands beneath them as they climb, showcasing her strong maternal instincts and responsibility. Additionally, she once took care of three cubs at once—her own two cubs, Xiao Jiu and Hua Bao, as well as Bo Si (博斯)’s daughter, Qing Ci (青糍).
A Food Lover: Ying Hua is a true foodie. Not only does she love bamboo and other delicious foods herself, but she also competes with her cubs for food. Sometimes, she even snatches the bamboo shoots that her cubs have peeled, eating them herself while leaving her cubs to eat the leftovers.
Adoption: Around 2010, actor Tony Leung learned about the situation of giant panda Ying Hua through various channels and was drawn to her cuteness and liveliness. After a series of communications and negotiations, Tony Leung decided to adopt Ying Hua for life.
Life Exprience of Panda Ying Hua
In April 2005, to ensure the healthy development of the captive giant panda population, the State Forestry Administration held a conference on panda management and conservation. The meeting discussed how to maintain genetic diversity in captive giant pandas and encouraged institutions with captive pandas to strengthen technical cooperation and implement measures for genetic exchange between different captive populations.
The Wolong China Giant Panda Protection Research Center was the first to establish a cooperation agreement with Beijing Zoo for the exchange of individual pandas. As part of this agreement, the giant panda Ying Hua was exchanged with Tian Tian (甜甜) from Beijing Zoo for a period of 25 years. On the morning of the 7th at 8:30 AM, Ying Hua, with the coaxing and encouragement of the staff, left the Wolong China Giant Panda Protection Research Center, the place where she had been raised, and embarked on her journey to Beijing. This marked China’s first “panda marriage exchange” between different regions for the purpose of genetic exchange.
Breeding Records of Panda Ying Hua
Ying Hua has achieved remarkable success in the breeding program, giving birth to seven litters totaling ten cubs, showcasing her impressive reproductive capabilities. Her main breeding records include:
2010: Ying Hua gave birth to a pair of female twins at Beijing Zoo. As it was her first time being a mother, she tightly embraced and licked her first cub, but she ignored the second one. Upon seeing this, the zookeepers took the second cub out of the delivery room and sent it to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base. Unfortunately, the cub left with Ying Hua was accidentally crushed and died when she turned towards the wall to nap. The cub sent to Bifengxia, however, found fortune in misfortune. It survived thanks to the first milk from other mother pandas and was given the name “Da Bai Tu (大白兔).”
2012: She gave birth to a son, Hua Sheng, at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, but Hua Sheng (华生) passed away the following year. Despite this challenge, Ying Hua remained resilient.
2013: Ying Hua had a daughter named Fu Lu (福禄), who later joined the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base and continued contributing to panda conservation.
2015: She gave birth to a daughter named Dian Dian (点点), who gained fame in the panda world due to a popular photo with a bamboo basket, becoming a small celebrity.
2017: Ying Hua welcomed a son named Fu Xing (福星), known for his playful nature, bringing much joy to Beijing Zoo.
2019: She had a son named Fu Tao (福涛) and a daughter named Fu Lin (福琳). The siblings currently reside at the center.
2022: Ying Hua gave birth to a son named Xiao Jiu (小九) and another son named Hua Bao (华宝). Ying Hua now lives with her cubs Xiao Jiu, Hua Bao, and Qing Ci at the center.