Yuan Zai () is a female

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 ...

born at the

Taipei Zoo The Taipei Zoo, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo", is a public zoo, zoological garden in Wenshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is the most famous zoological garden in Taiwan and a leader in conservation biology, conservation, research and ...

on July 6, 2013. She is the first panda cub born in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, to parents

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were two giant pandas that were gifted by the People's Republic of China (PRC, mainland China) to the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) in 2008 as part of a cultural exchange program. The idea was first proposed in 2005, but ...

artificial insemination Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatme ...

. As Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were sent to Taiwan from

People's Republic of China 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 ...

in exchange for two

Formosan sika deer The Formosan sika deer () (''Cervus nippon taiouanus'') is a subspecies of sika deer endemic to the island of Taiwan. Formosan sika, like most of the terrestrial fauna and flora of Taiwan, arrived on the island during Pleistocene glacial periods ...

and two Taiwan serows, Yuan Zai does not need to be returned. The female baby was first nicknamed "Yuan Zai" by the zookeepers soon after birth. On October 26, at the zoo's 99th anniversary ceremony, the baby panda was officially named Yuan Zai after a naming activity that saw 60% of the votes go to the cub's nickname. The name "Yuan Zai" can be interpreted variously as "the little round thing", "

rice ball A rice ball may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a ball shape. Rice balls exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia. Rice ba ...

", or "(Yuan) Yuan's child". On the same day, she was also presented an honorary citizen's card.

Media and public attention

Yuan Zai was separated from her mother Yuan Yuan for her first month due to an inadvertent injury inflicted upon her by the first time mother. The two were reunited on 13 August 2013. On January 6, 2014, Yuan Zai made her public debut at the giant panda house located in the zoo. In March 2014, Yuan Zai was featured in another popular video showing Yuan Yuan towing the baby back to bed.

References

External links

Taipei Zoo

Taipei Zoo YouTube Channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yuan Zai (Panda) Individual giant pandas Taipei Zoo Animals as diplomatic gifts Animals on the Internet 2013 animal births