Giant Panda

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Giant Panda Forest Yangtze River

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Protecting Wildlife
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Quick facts

Lifespan

Usually up to 26 years under human care

Diet

Bamboo

Habitat

Bamboo and coniferous forests

Range

Mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces

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The giant pandas

Kai Kai and Jia Jia

The names for our black and white “permanent residents” were selected from 1,000 entries received during a nationwide naming contest. Our male was named Kai Kai, which means ‘victorious’ in Chinese, while Jia Jia (meaning ‘beautiful’) was chosen for our female.

Kai Kai and Jia Jia are on a 10-year loan from China and their auspicious names bode well for the friendship between China and Singapore. Singapore is the ninth country to receive panda loans from China.

Routine care and checks

Since their arrival in Singapore, our vets and keepers have been busy getting the pandas up to speed on routine medical training. They are trained to be weighed, and quite amiably allow keepers to check their teeth, paws and other body parts. Jia Jia is now trained for procedures such as ultrasound and urine collection, while Kai Kai cooperates for dental X-rays. Both pandas also accede to teeth brushing and will even get in position for an injection, albeit with some protest!

The lovable “Mr Onion Head”

When Kai Kai first arrived, he preferred to partake of his meals in privacy and would retreat to a quiet spot to dine solo. Now, he is more outgoing and openly chews his bamboo or takes a nap in full view of visitors. But life has not been entirely relaxing for our lovable male, who’s been dubbed “Mr Onion Head” for the tuft of fur on his head. To improve his stamina and strength, Kai Kai’s keepers trained him to ‘squat’ on his hind legs for a few seconds at a go.

Panda gym

These squat exercises served to strengthen Kai Kai’s hind quarters, to help improve success rates during mating. However, he was found to be relying too much on his forelimbs to hoist himself up so his keepers have since progressed him on to the next level - the ‘crab walk’. For this exercise, Kai Kai practises walking sideways along the wall, which helps build more strength in his hind legs and overall endurance.

Mating pandas

Before they are put together for mating, keepers get the pandas to swap exhibits and dens, as smelling the scent of another gender stimulates their mating instincts and encourages hormonal changes. Artificial insemination is also carried out to maximise the pandas' chances of conceiving.

Keeping tabs on Jia Jia

Jia Jia takes a daily dose of folic acid, a pre-natal and pregnancy supplement. To prepare for the possible arrival of a cub, she also receives daily conditioning sessions for cub retrieval and urine collection. Keepers will need to collect fresh urine samples to monitor Jia Jia’s progesterone levels to confirm pregnancy. Getting Jia Jia used to handing her cub to the keepers also means they can easily check its health and provide foster care if required.

Together, we protect wildlife

Conservation, not destruction

Humans destroy, but humans can also choose to protect. Concerted conservation efforts have lifted the panda’s status from endangered to vulnerable. Having the pandas under human care contributes to valuable knowledge of the species, which can then be put to good use in conservation initiatives in the wild.

The IUCN Status

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.

Data Deficient

Unknown risk of extinction

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

Endangered

At very high risk of extinction in the wild

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

Extinct in the Wild

Survives only in captivity

Extinct

No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity

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50¢ from every ticket purchased goes towards wildlife conservation in the region

Giant Panda

Quick facts

Usually up to 26 years under human care

Bamboo

Bamboo and coniferous forests

Mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces

The giant pandas

Kai Kai and Jia Jia

Routine care and checks

The lovable “Mr Onion Head”

Panda gym

Mating pandas

Keeping tabs on Jia Jia

Together, we protect wildlife

Conservation, not destruction

The IUCN Status

Visit us

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About us

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Giant Panda

Quick facts

Usually up to 26 years under human care

Bamboo

Bamboo and coniferous forests

Mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces

The giant pandas

Kai Kai and Jia Jia

Routine care and checks

The lovable “Mr Onion Head”

Panda gym

Mating pandas

Keeping tabs on Jia Jia

Together, we protect wildlife

Conservation, not destruction

The IUCN Status

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Data Deficient

Least Concern

Near Threatened

Vulnerable

Endangered

Critically Endangered

Extinct in the Wild

Extinct

Visit us

You might also like

Need help?

About us

Events and Venues

Get involved

Careers

Press

Opening hours

Address

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