RESEARCH｜Japan-China Joint Research on Giant Panda Breeding

We have conducted the world's first simultaneous
twin-raising and vigorous research in areas
including winter births and husbandry training.

Bamboo-based Rearing Management

By reexamining the diet of giant pandas and shifting to a bamboo-centric diet, we have successfully managed to grow healthy pandas which suffer from almost no digestive illnesses.

Health Management Incorporating Husbandry Training

In 2008 the park adopted a husbandry training program to provide health management and early disease detection with minimal stress placed on the animals. This training is applied in all areas of care, from inspection to breeding.

Giant Panda Estrus and Mating

With a mating season of only two to three days a year, combined with their typical solitary lifestyles, the likelihood of a male and female panda coming into contact during the limited breeding opportunity window is quite low, which makes breeding of pandas difficult. Here at the park we strive for natural breeding, and collect a wide range of data in order to pinpoint ideal breeding seasons.

Winter Births

While pandas typically enter estrus in spring and give birth in summer or early fall, there have been instances of off-season births in winter as well. Our studies of winter births help further research on breeding.

Estimating Due Dates

Estimating the date of birth is a crucial point in rearing management for newly born cubs and their mothers. Here we utilize three primary indicators to estimate due dates based on our past experience.

World's First Simultaneous Twin-Raising in Captivity

In the 1980s, every panda birth had a 45% chance of producing twins, but because only one cub could be raised, the survival rate of panda cubs was an extremely low 35%. Improving the survival rate of twin cubs has been an important field of study.

Rearing Low Birth-Weight Cubs

In August 2018, a panda cub was born at our park which weighed merely 75 grams and had a low body temperature of 31.5°C. Thanks to the cooperation of Japanese and Chinese staff in caring for the mother and cub, we were successfully able to raise the cub despite these hurdles.

Publications

Our research efforts on giant panda rearing management and research on breeding as well as studies and activities in the field of veterinary medicine are published and presented at conferences such as those held by the China Giant Panda Breeding Technology Commission and the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).