Two giant pandas, Jiujiu and Youyou, have arrived at Guangzhou Zoo from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, commencing a five-year scientific and educational exchange program. The four-year-old male twins were born at Madrid Zoo, Spain, in September 2021.
Giant panda brothers Jiujiu and Youyou (Photo: Madrid Zoo, Spain)
The brothers, whose names together signify "lasting friendship" between China and Spain, were returned to Chengdu in March 2024 along with their parents, Bing Xing and Hua Zuiba. They are the first pair of panda twins born at Madrid Zoo since 2016 and quickly became local favorites during their initial public appearance in 2022.
To accommodate the new residents, Guangzhou Zoo, which has housed 17 pandas since 1965, developed a new panda facility spanning 3,813.16 square meters. The enclosure includes indoor and outdoor areas with climate control, climbing structures, pools, and natural landscaping. The zoo has also established a stable supply chain for fresh bamboo and specialized feed, alongside a team of experienced keepers and veterinary staff trained at the Chengdu base.
The arrival of Jiujiu and Youyou underscores Guangzhou's role in global wildlife education and conservation. The zoo, which hosts 5 million visitors annually, aims to enhance public awareness of panda protection through this exchange.
Indoor animal enclosure
Outdoor activity area
The terrain features natural undulations with trees, shrubs, and lawns, equipped with climbing structures, slides, fallen logs, drinking pools, and play pools.
Indoor activity area
The viewing surface uses double-laminated tempered glass. Inside are climbing frames, artificial trees, drinking pools, and play pools.
Outdoor visitor pathway
Science education facilities and research classroom
Guangzhou Zoo has secured a stable local supplier through procurement, with deliveries every three days to ensure freshness. Bamboo and shoot sources are reliable and sufficient.
The panda enclosure has full facilities for producing fine feed, making steamed corn buns (wowotou) daily based on the Chengdu Panda Base recipe. Raw materials are supplied by fixed vendors and stored separately. The kitchen is equipped with sterilization and dehumidification devices.
Feed preparation room
Feed storage room
The panda enclosure employs eight dedicated keepers. The supervisor has extensive experience in giant panda care; other keepers are trained at the Chengdu Panda Base as needed. Support includes 10 maintenance staff, 10 security personnel, and 10 cleaners.
Additionally, Guangzhou Zoo's veterinary hospital has 13 professional staff members, including five senior technical experts, nine clinical veterinarians, and dedicated lab technicians, ensuring comprehensive health and safety for the giant pandas.
Treatment room
Veterinary hospital
Author | Feng Huiting
Photo | Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Editor | Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
