Giant Panda Conservation Project Website

Natural Breeding: Our Top Priority: Natural breeding in captivity is super important for our Japan-China giant panda breeding research partnership. To make it happen, we create the perfect conditions and figure out the best time for mating by watching the pandas' behavior, checking their physical changes, and measuring their reproductive hormones. We always try for natural breeding first. But if they don't mate much, or if a female is still in heat but the male isn't interested, we'll use artificial insemination.

'Mei Mei' got pregnant and gave birth thanks to artificial insemination!: Our giant panda, 'Mei Mei,' first gave birth to two cubs at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base when she was 5 years old (in 1999). In the spring of 2000, when she was in heat, the Chengdu base used artificial insemination. She then came to Japan in July of that year. From early August, we noticed signs of pregnancy like her sleeping more, eating less, and higher progesterone levels in her urine. Then, on September 6, she gave birth to a cub named Rauhin! This was a huge deal because it was the first giant panda cub born in Japan in 12 years, since the one at Ueno Zoo in 1988.

Eimei & Meimei: 4 Litters, 8 Cubs: Our giant panda breeding research officially kicked off in 2001. In late August 2001, Meimei showed signs of estrus, and Eimei, the male panda, seemed to be influenced by this, also showing reproductive behavior. After they mated, Meimei gave birth in December. Between 2001 and 2006, these two pandas had 4 litters and 8 cubs in total, with 6 of them surviving (one passed away one day after birth, and one was stillborn). In 2003, they successfully raised twin cubs naturally under captivity. Giant pandas are usually seasonal breeders, going into estrus in spring and giving birth from summer to autumn. However, Meimei had two special cases where she went into estrus in summer, outside the usual breeding season, and gave birth in December. Meimei was an amazing mother, but sadly, she passed away in October 2008 due to illness.

Eimei: Successfully Mating Naturally at 28 Years Old: In the early 2000s, the success rate for natural mating among male giant pandas in captivity was considered very low. However, Eimei, who came to Adventure World when he was two years old, was a precious male panda capable of natural mating. Since his first successful natural mating in 2001, Eimei has consistently managed to mate successfully whenever a female panda showed signs of estrus. Research reports usually indicate that male giant pandas' reproductive age doesn't exceed 20 years. Yet, in 2020, Eimei, at the advanced age of 28, still managed to father cubs through natural mating, showing off his strong reproductive capabilities! Between 2001 and 2010, semen was collected from Eimei 16 times. Eimei's semen quality remained excellent, almost identical to the semen collected at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The collected semen was not only used for artificial insemination at Adventure World but also cryopreserved as an important source for the giant panda sperm bank, to be used for future artificial insemination. In 2002, Eimei's semen was used for artificial insemination at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, successfully resulting in the birth of a male cub that same year. This means Eimei's semen has contributed to the genetic diversity of giant pandas not just at Adventure World, but also in Chengdu.

Giant pandas from Adventure World are active all over the world!: On June 22, 2004, Kohin, the first giant panda born in Japan under the International Giant Panda Breeding Research Cooperation Project, returned to his hometown, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, as per the breeding agreement. Since then, 11 giant pandas born at Adventure World have returned to China. According to the internationally recognized pedigree certificates from 2019, Adventure World is among 8 institutions that have sent pandas bred in their facilities back to China, and we've sent the most cubs back! The pandas who return to China participate in domestic breeding programs there. So far, two male and two female pandas have participated in breeding after returning, and they've already welcomed over 20 cubs! Kohin's offspring have also joined breeding programs abroad, and the pandas from Adventure World are truly making their mark all over the world.