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Gao Gao () is a male
On October 30, 2018, Gao Gao left the San Diego Zoo, and returned to China as the end of his 15 year loan agreement was reached.
San Diego Zoo Giant Panda Research Station
{{San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Individual giant pandas 1992 animal births San Diego Zoo
Gao Gao () is a male giant panda
The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes us ...
formerly at the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, housing 4000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies on of Balboa Park leased from the City of San Diego. Its parent organization, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, is a p ...
. He was returned to China in 2018. To date, he has fathered five giant pandas in captivity.
History
Gao Gao was born in the wild inChina
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, around 1990, and was taken to the Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve in 1993 suffering from injuries which resulted in the loss of nearly two thirds of his left ear.
On April 12, 1995, Gao Gao was released to the wild in good health, as featured in the Chinese documentary Returning Home. However, his release was brief, as he was too disruptive to the local villages. He was then brought to the Wolong Panda Conservation Center in 2002.
Gao Gao arrived at the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, housing 4000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies on of Balboa Park leased from the City of San Diego. Its parent organization, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, is a p ...
in January 2003 and replaced Shi Shi as Bai Yun
Bai Yun (; born September 7, 1991) was the first female giant panda who was born at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in China. From September 1996 she lived at the San Diego Zoo for more than 20 years, until being returned to China in May ...
's mate. This has proven to be a very successful pairing — Gao Gao and Bai Yun are the parents of Mei Sheng
Mei Sheng (, lit. "Beautiful Life" or "Born in the USA"; born August 19, 2003) is a male giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo. He is the second panda to be born at the zoo and is the first offspring of Bai Yun and Gao Gao. He is the half-brothe ...
(M), Su Lin (F), Zhen Zhen Zhen may refer to:
* Towns of China, called zhèn () in Chinese
* True (China), ''zhen'' in Chinese
* Zhen (surname) (), a Chinese surname
* Balhae Kingdom, originally called Zhen () in Chinese
* Lady Zhen (183-221), wife of Cao Pi of Cao Wei of th ...
(F), Yun Zi
Yun Zi () is a male giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo on August 5, 2009. His name is "Son of Cloud (Yun)" in Chinese.Xiao Liwu
Xiao Liwu (; meaning: "Little Gift") is a male giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo on July 29, 2012.
Xiao Liwu is the sixth cub born to his mother Bai Yun, and the fifth for his father Gao Gao. He has one half-sister, Hua Mei, through Bai Yun. H ...
(M), all conceived via natural mating. He has three grandchildren, among them a male born to Su Lin on July 7, 2011.
On October 30, 2018, Gao Gao left the San Diego Zoo, and returned to China as the end of his 15 year loan agreement was reached.
Genetic anomaly
Gao Gao, being wild-born, is considered a valuable contributor to the captive giant panda gene pool. One noteworthy genetic trait that he has passed on to the oldest four of his offspring iswebbed toes
Webbed toes is the informal and common name for syndactyly affecting the feet—the fusion of two or more digits of the feet. This is normal in many birds, such as ducks; amphibians, such as frogs; and some mammals, such as kangaroos. In humans i ...
.
See also
*Captive breeding
Captive breeding, also known as captive propagation, is the process of plants or animals in controlled environments, such as wildlife reserves, zoos, botanic gardens, and other conservation facilities. It is sometimes employed to help species that ...
*List of giant pandas
This is a list of giant pandas, both alive and deceased. The giant panda is a conservation-reliant vulnerable species. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 stud ...
Footnotes and references
External links
San Diego Zoo Giant Panda Research Station
{{San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Individual giant pandas 1992 animal births San Diego Zoo