Bei Bei
This article needs to be updated.(September 2019) |
Species | Giant panda |
---|---|
Sex | Male |
Born | National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. United States | August 22, 2015
Residence | Bifengxia Panda Base, Ya'an, China |
Parent(s) | Mei Xiang, Tian Tian |
Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) (as of November 21, 2019) |
Named after | Treasure |
Bei Bei (
Birth
Bei Bei was born on August 22, 2015, at 10:07 pm, together with a twin who was born at 5:35 pm that died from pneumonia 4 days after their birth. His mother is Mei Xiang.[2][3][4] His father, via artificial insemination, is National Zoo panda Tian Tian.[5] As of November 21, 2019, he weighed 240 pounds (108 kg).[1]
Naming
On September 25, 2015, five weeks after the birth of the baby panda, he was named "Bei Bei" by
Before the naming ceremony, Kelly said, "It's a very exciting day because it celebrates more than four decades of research and success on the giant panda, and to have it recognized by the two first ladies is an honor."[6]
Move to China
Bei Bei made his first public viewing on January 16, 2016.[7] After 3 and a half years viewed at the National Zoo in America, the panda was sent to China to participate in a breeding program.[8] On Tuesday, November 19, 2019, Bei Bei departed the National Zoo with veterinarian, Dr. Donald Neiffer, and his life-long keeper Laurie Thompson on the FedEx Panda Express to China. He landed in Chengdu, China on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, and spent 30 days in quarantine before moving to the Chengdu Panda bases.
In 2021 Bei Bei became the subject of a children's book titled Bei Bei Goes Home, written by Cheryl Bardoe. The book describes his return from America to China and what that means for conservation efforts.[9]
Adult Life
Bei Bei turned 8 years old in 2023. Giant Panda's achieve the age of sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 8.[10] It has been reported that upon reaching this milestone, he would become part of a breeding program credited with increasing panda populations until they could be removed from the endangered species list.[11] Some scientists disagree with this assessment and assert that although the number of pandas in captive breeding programs like this one is growing, multiple threats to wild pandas still exist.[12]
See also
References
- ^ a b "US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base". WTOP. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
- ^ a b "US and China first ladies name US panda cub Bei Bei". BBC News.
- ^ a b "Aww! Panda Cub Bei Bei Is a 'Precious Treasure'". LiveScience.com.
- ^ a b Julia Zorthian. "Panda Cub Named Bei Bei at National Zoo". Time.
- ^ "'It's a boy!' the National Zoo says of surviving giant panda cub". Washington Post. August 28, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Michael E. Ruane (September 25, 2015). "National Zoo's giant panda cub is officially named Bei Bei". The Washington Post.
- ^ "National Zoo's giant panda cub makes debut". CNN.
- ^ "First ladies reveal panda cub name: Bei Bei". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015.
- ^ "Bei Bei Goes Home". KirkusReviews.com.
- ^ "Giant Panda". Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
- ^ "US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base (Update)". Phys.org.
- ^ "China declares pandas no longer endangered—but threats persist". National Geographic. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021.