Meet bao bao

Born on August 23 2013 at the National Zoo in Washington DC, USA, Bao Bao is a female giant panda cub who’s name translates to “treasure” and colloquially “baby.” One of only several hundred pandas in captivity, Bao Bao was born during a year of good fortune for giant pandas that infamously struggle to breed successfully in captivity.

 Growing up in the National Zoo with her mum Mei Xiang, (a female who has reared six offspring) Bao Bao quickly adopted to zoo life and has able to stand up on her hind legs at one year old and could recognise her own name! Her favourite foods are fruitsicles and cooked sweet potato.

 When Bao Bao was almost four years old, she travelled to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province. As a mature and healthy panda she will be part of the species breeding program, an essential operation to make sure the world still has plenty of happy, healthy giant pandas like her!