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{{Short description|Giant panda at the US National Zoo
{{Update|date=September 2019}}
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{{Use American English|date=January 2019}} {{Short description|Giant panda at the US National Zoo
}}
}}
{{About||the district|Beibei District|the 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot|Fuwa}}
{{About||the district|Beibei District|the 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot|Fuwa}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Update|date=September 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox animal
{{Infobox animal
| name = Bei Bei
| name = Bei Bei
| image_upright =
| image_upright =
| image = Littlecutepandabeibei.jpg
| image = File:Bei Bei -- Panda Cub at the National Zoo NW Washington DC Novembver 2017.jpg
| caption = Bei Bei during his public debut.
| caption = Bei Bei in November 2017.
| species = [[Giant panda]]
| species = [[Giant panda]]
| gender = Male
| gender = Male
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2015|8|22}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2015|08|22}}
| birth_place =
| birth_place = [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoological Park]], [[Washington, D.C.]] [[United States]]
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
Line 18: Line 18:
| resting_place_coordinates =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| known =
| known =
| residence = [[Bifengxia Panda Base|Bifengxia Panda Base]], [[Ya'an]], [[China]]
| residence = [[Bifengxia Panda Base]], [[Ya'an]], [[China]]
| parents = [[Mei Xiang]], [[Tian Tian (male giant panda)|Tian Tian]]
| parents = [[Mei Xiang]], [[Tian Tian (male giant panda)|Tian Tian]]
| children =
| children =
| weight = 16lbs (as of December 10th, 2015)
| weight = 240 lbs (as of November 21, 2019)
| height = 14 inches long (as of October 1, 2015)
| appearance =
| appearance =
| namedafter =
| namedafter = Treasure
}}
}}
'''Bei Bei''' ({{IPAc-en|b|eɪ|_|b|eɪ}} {{respell|BAY|_|BAY}}; [[Chinese language|Chinese]]:&nbsp;<small>[[traditional characters|t]]</small>&nbsp;{{lang|zh|{{linktext|貝|貝}}}}, <small>[[simplified characters|s]]</small>&nbsp;{{lang|zh|{{linktext|贝|贝}}}}, <small>[[pinyin|p]]</small>&nbsp;''Bèibèi'')<!--kindly do not replace with {{zh}}. see talk page.--> is a male [[giant panda]] cub who was born and lived at the [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoo]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], in the United States. He is part of [[US-China relations]] [[panda diplomacy]] and was sent to the [[China|People's Republic of China]] on November 19, 2019 at the age of 4. He is now at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base of the [http://www.panda.org.cn/english/ Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center] in southwest Sichuan province where he will be quarantined for one month while he adjusts to his new environment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wtop.com/dc/2019/11/bei-bei-arrives-at-giant-panda-base-in-chinas-sichuan/|title=US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base|date=2019-11-21|website=WTOP|language=en|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref> He is the brother of both [[Tai Shan (giant panda)|Tai Shan]] and [[Bao Bao]].
'''Bei Bei''' ({{IPAc-en|b|eɪ|_|b|eɪ}} {{respell|BAY|_|BAY}}; [[Chinese language|Chinese]]:&nbsp;<small>[[traditional characters|t]]</small>&nbsp;{{lang|zh|{{linktext|貝|貝}}}}, <small>[[simplified characters|s]]</small>&nbsp;{{lang|zh|{{linktext|贝|贝}}}}, <small>[[pinyin|p]]</small>&nbsp;''Bèibèi'')<!--kindly do not replace with {{zh}}. see talk page.--> is a male [[giant panda]] cub who was born and lived at the [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoo]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], in the United States. He was part of [[US-China relations]] [[panda diplomacy]], and was sent to the [[China|People's Republic of China]] on November 19, 2019, at the age of 4. He is currently at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tang |first=Didi |title=The winner in China's panda diplomacy: the pandas themselves |url=https://phys.org/news/2024-07-winner-china-panda-diplomacy-pandas.html |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref> of the [http://www.panda.org.cn/english/ Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center] in southwest Sichuan province.<ref name="wtop.com">{{Cite web|url=https://wtop.com/dc/2019/11/bei-bei-arrives-at-giant-panda-base-in-chinas-sichuan/|title=US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base|date=2019-11-21|website=WTOP|language=en|access-date=2019-11-22|archive-date=November 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122180329/https://wtop.com/dc/2019/11/bei-bei-arrives-at-giant-panda-base-in-chinas-sichuan/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is the brother of [[Tai Shan (giant panda)|Tai Shan]], [[Bao Bao]], and [[Xiao Qi Ji]].


==Birth==
==Birth==
Bei Bei was born on August 22, 2015, together with a twin that died 4 days after their birth. His mother is [[Mei Xiang]].<ref name="Panda">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34365036|title=US and China first ladies name US panda cub Bei Bei|publisher=BBC News}}</ref><ref name="Pa">{{cite web|url=http://www.livescience.com/52312-new-panda-cub-name.html|title=Aww! Panda Cub Bei Bei Is a 'Precious Treasure'|publisher=LiveScience.com}}</ref><ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://time.com/4050272/panda-bei-bei-name/|title=Panda Cub Named Bei Bei at National Zoo|author=Julia Zorthian|work=Time}}</ref> His father, via [[artificial insemination]], is National Zoo panda [[Tian Tian (male giant panda)|Tian Tian]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/its-a-boy-the-national-zoo-says-of-giant-panda-cub/2015/08/28/3f90d9e8-4d75-11e5-bfb9-9736d04fc8e4_story.html|title=‘It’s a boy!’ the National Zoo says of surviving giant panda cub|date=August 28, 2015|work=Washington Post|accessdate=1 October 2015}}</ref> As of October 7, 2015 he weighed 5&nbsp;lbs (1.8&nbsp;kg).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://abc7news.com/society/panda-cub-bei-bei-at-national-zoo-opens-eyes/1021846/|title=Panda cub Bei Bei at National Zoo opens eyes at just under 7 weeks old|date=October 7, 2015|work=ABC-7 News|accessdate=17 October 2015}}</ref> As of November 21, 2019, he weighed 240 pounds (108 kg).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wtop.com/dc/2019/11/bei-bei-arrives-at-giant-panda-base-in-chinas-sichuan/|title=US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base|date=2019-11-21|website=WTOP|language=en|access-date=2019-11-22}}</ref>
Bei Bei was born on August 22, 2015, at 10:07&nbsp;pm, together with a twin who was born at 5:35&nbsp;pm that died from [[pneumonia]] 4 days after their birth. His mother is [[Mei Xiang]].<ref name="Panda">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34365036|title=US and China first ladies name US panda cub Bei Bei|work=BBC News|date=September 25, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="Pa">{{cite web|url=http://www.livescience.com/52312-new-panda-cub-name.html|title=Aww! Panda Cub Bei Bei Is a 'Precious Treasure'|date=September 26, 2015 |publisher=LiveScience.com}}</ref><ref name="Time">{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4050272/panda-bei-bei-name/|title=Panda Cub Named Bei Bei at National Zoo|author=Julia Zorthian|magazine=Time}}</ref> His father, via [[artificial insemination]], is National Zoo panda [[Tian Tian (male giant panda)|Tian Tian]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/its-a-boy-the-national-zoo-says-of-giant-panda-cub/2015/08/28/3f90d9e8-4d75-11e5-bfb9-9736d04fc8e4_story.html|title='It's a boy!' the National Zoo says of surviving giant panda cub|date=August 28, 2015|newspaper=Washington Post|accessdate=1 October 2015}}</ref> As of November 21, 2019, he weighed 240 pounds (108&nbsp;kg).<ref name="wtop.com"/>


==Name==
==Naming==
On September 25, 2015, five weeks after the birth of the baby panda, he was named "Bei Bei" by [[Michelle Obama]] and [[Peng Liyuan]], the [[first lady|first ladies]] of the [[First Lady of the United States|United States]] and the [[First Lady of the People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]], respectively. The name was selected from a list of suggestions by officials from the National Zoo and the [[Wolong National Nature Reserve]] in China's [[Sichuan Province]]. The National Zoo preferred the name Ping Ping ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|平|平}}}}, "peace"), while "Bei Bei" was the staff choice at Wolong;<ref name="Pa"/><ref name="Panda1"/> doubled names are usually chosen because they are [[Chinese diminutives|diminutive]] in [[Chinese language|Chinese]]. The first ladies revealed the name in both English and [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]], assisted by third-grade students from a Chinese-immersion elementary school in Washington, D.C. The name means "precious" or "treasure", the same as his 2-year-old sister [[Bao Bao]].<ref name="Panda"/> Zoo director Dennis Kelly admitted that the name is likely to give rise to jokes and wordplay linking the name to "baby".<ref name="Time" />
On September 25, 2015, five weeks after the birth of the baby panda, he was named "Bei Bei" by [[Michelle Obama]] and [[Peng Liyuan]], the [[first lady|first ladies]] of the [[First Lady of the United States|United States]] and the [[First Lady of the People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]], respectively. The name was selected from a list of suggestions by officials from the National Zoo and the [[Wolong National Nature Reserve]] in China's [[Sichuan Province]]. The National Zoo preferred the name Ping Ping ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|平|平}}}}, "peace"), while "Bei Bei" was the staff choice at Wolong;<ref name="Pa"/><ref name="Panda1"/> doubled names are usually chosen because they are [[Chinese diminutives|diminutive]] in [[Chinese language|Chinese]]. The first ladies revealed the name in both English and [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]], assisted by third-grade students from a Chinese-immersion elementary school in Washington, D.C. The name means "precious" or "treasure", the same as his 2-year-old sister [[Bao Bao]].<ref name="Panda"/> Zoo director Dennis Kelly admitted that the name is likely to give rise to jokes and wordplay linking the name to "baby".<ref name="Time" />


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."<ref name="Panda1">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/national-zoos-giant-panda-cub-is-officially-named-bei-bei/2015/09/25/e187bc0a-6385-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html|title=National Zoo’s giant panda cub is officially named Bei Bei|author=Michael E. Ruane|date=September 25, 2015|work=The Washington Post}}</ref>
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."<ref name="Panda1">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/national-zoos-giant-panda-cub-is-officially-named-bei-bei/2015/09/25/e187bc0a-6385-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html|title=National Zoo's giant panda cub is officially named Bei Bei|author=Michael E. Ruane|date=September 25, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

[[File:Panda Mom and cub play (25114209140).jpg|thumb|Bei Bei playing with his mother Mei Xiang in February 2016.]]

==Move to China==
⚫
Bei Bei made his first public viewing on January 16, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/17/travel/bei-bei-debut-national-zoo-giant-panda-feat/|title=National Zoo's giant panda cub makes debut|work=CNN|date=January 17, 2016 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/First-ladies-reveal-panda-cub-name-Bei-Bei-6530081.php |title=First ladies reveal panda cub name: Bei Bei |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927055158/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/First-ladies-reveal-panda-cub-name-Bei-Bei-6530081.php |archivedate=September 27, 2015 |df=mdy }}</ref> 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 Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/cheryl-bardoe/bei-bei-goes-home/|title=Bei Bei Goes Home|work=KirkusReviews.com}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda|title=Giant Panda|work=Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2019-11-bei-giant-panda-base-china.html|title=US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base (Update)|work=Phys.org}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/pandas-are-off-chinas-endangered-list-but-threats-persist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901163700/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/pandas-are-off-chinas-endangered-list-but-threats-persist|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 1, 2021|title=China declares pandas no longer endangered—but threats persist|work=National Geographic}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of giant pandas]]
* [[List of individual bears]]


==Viewing==
⚫
Bei Bei made his first public viewing on January 16, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/17/travel/bei-bei-debut-national-zoo-giant-panda-feat/|title=National Zoo's giant panda cub makes debut|work=CNN}}</ref> At 4 years old, the panda was be sent to China to live.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/First-ladies-reveal-panda-cub-name-Bei-Bei-6530081.php |title=First ladies reveal panda cub name: Bei Bei |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927055158/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/First-ladies-reveal-panda-cub-name-Bei-Bei-6530081.php |archivedate=September 27, 2015 |df=mdy }}</ref> On Tuesday, November 19th 2019, Bei Bei departed the National Zoo with a veterinarian and his life-long keeper Laurie Thompson on the FedEx Panda Express to China. He landed in Chengdu, China on Wednesday, November 20th, 2019, and will spend 30 days in quarantine before beginning his new life at one of the panda bases.
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{commons category|Bei Bei}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927033421/https://nationalzoo.si.edu/publications/pressmaterials/pressreleases/press-release.cfm?id=2718 National Zoo]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927033421/https://nationalzoo.si.edu/publications/pressmaterials/pressreleases/press-release.cfm?id=2718 National Zoo]
{{Famous giant pandas}}
{{Famous giant pandas}}

Latest revision as of 12:01, 21 November 2024

For the district, see Beibei District. For the 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot, see Fuwa.

Bei Bei
Bei Bei in November 2017.
SpeciesGiant panda
SexMale
Born (2015-08-22) August 22, 2015 (age 9)
National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. United States
ResidenceBifengxia Panda Base, Ya'an, China
Parent(s)Mei Xiang, Tian Tian
Weight240 lb (109 kg) (as of November 21, 2019)
Named afterTreasure

Bei Bei (/beɪ beɪ/ BAY BAY; Chinese: t 貝貝, s 贝贝, p Bèibèi) is a male giant panda cub who was born and lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in the United States. He was part of US-China relations panda diplomacy, and was sent to the People's Republic of China on November 19, 2019, at the age of 4. He is currently at the Ya’an Bifengxia Base[1] of the Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center in southwest Sichuan province.[2] He is the brother of Tai Shan, Bao Bao, and Xiao Qi Ji.

Birth

[edit]

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.[3][4][5] His father, via artificial insemination, is National Zoo panda Tian Tian.[6] As of November 21, 2019, he weighed 240 pounds (108 kg).[2]

Naming

[edit]

On September 25, 2015, five weeks after the birth of the baby panda, he was named "Bei Bei" by Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan, the first ladies of the United States and the People's Republic of China, respectively. The name was selected from a list of suggestions by officials from the National Zoo and the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China's Sichuan Province. The National Zoo preferred the name Ping Ping (平平, "peace"), while "Bei Bei" was the staff choice at Wolong;[4][7] doubled names are usually chosen because they are diminutive in Chinese. The first ladies revealed the name in both English and Mandarin, assisted by third-grade students from a Chinese-immersion elementary school in Washington, D.C. The name means "precious" or "treasure", the same as his 2-year-old sister Bao Bao.[3] Zoo director Dennis Kelly admitted that the name is likely to give rise to jokes and wordplay linking the name to "baby".[5]

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."[7]

Bei Bei playing with his mother Mei Xiang in February 2016.

Move to China

[edit]

Bei Bei made his first public viewing on January 16, 2016.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10]

Adult Life

[edit]

Bei Bei turned 8 years old in 2023. Giant Panda's achieve the age of sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 8.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Tang, Didi. "The winner in China's panda diplomacy: the pandas themselves". phys.org. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b "US and China first ladies name US panda cub Bei Bei". BBC News. September 25, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Aww! Panda Cub Bei Bei Is a 'Precious Treasure'". LiveScience.com. September 26, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Julia Zorthian. "Panda Cub Named Bei Bei at National Zoo". Time.
  6. ^ "'It's a boy!' the National Zoo says of surviving giant panda cub". Washington Post. August 28, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Michael E. Ruane (September 25, 2015). "National Zoo's giant panda cub is officially named Bei Bei". The Washington Post.
  8. ^ "National Zoo's giant panda cub makes debut". CNN. January 17, 2016.
  9. ^ "First ladies reveal panda cub name: Bei Bei". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015.
  10. ^ "Bei Bei Goes Home". KirkusReviews.com.
  11. ^ "Giant Panda". Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
  12. ^ "US-born Bei Bei settles into new home at Chinese panda base (Update)". Phys.org.
  13. ^ "China declares pandas no longer endangered—but threats persist". National Geographic. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021.
[edit]
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