Gao Gao had a difficult beginning. An injured young Gao Gao (pronounced gow-gow) was found in March 1993, dehydrated and with the left side of his head bloody where nearly two-thirds of his ear had been torn away. He was taken to China’s nearby Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve and nursed back to health. He came to the San Diego Zoo January 15, 2003.

Gao Gao is rambunctious, inquisitive, and alert, and loves the variety of bamboo he is offered at the Zoo—keepers say he is a bamboo-eating machine! Gao Gao is the father of Mei Sheng, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, and our newest cub Yun Zi.

Su Lin is the third panda to be born at the San Diego Zoo. Her parents are Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Following Chinese tradition, she was given her name at 100 days of age.

Now out on her own in the panda exhibit daily, Su Lin has grown into a confident panda. Watch her daily on Panda Cam!

This little gal is the fourth panda to be born at the San Diego Zoo. Her parents are Bai Yun and Gao Gao. The cub received her name from the results of an online naming poll. She is now a lively youngster; keepers say Zhen has nonstop energy and quite the independent streak!

Little Yun Zi is our youngest panda. The fifth cub born to mother Bai Yun and the fourth offspring of his father, Gao Gao, he is proving to be a mellow fellow so far. But watch out, world! We predict great things in store for the little guy, and he already has a legion of fans from around the world.

Mei Sheng is the second cub to be born at the San Diego Zoo. His mother is Bai Yun and his father is Gao Gao. During his time in San Diego he delighted visitors and Panda Cam viewers with his sweet and playful personality.

Mei Sheng moved to China at age four to be part of the giant panda breeding program. We hear he is doing very nicely there and we are very proud of him!

Hua Mei became the first giant panda born in the Western Hemisphere since 1990 when she was born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999. In 2004, she went to live at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in China, per stipulations of the Zoo's research loan with China.

In September 2004, Hua Mei gave birth to twins at the Wolong facility. She had another set of twins in August 2005 and another pair in July 2007. After an earthquake damaged Wolong, Hua Mei was moved to Bi Feng Xia in 2008 and gave birth to a singleton cub July 2009, making her the mother of seven!

Shi Shi was born in the wild in China's Sichuan Province. In March 1992, he was critically wounded, probably from a fight with another male panda. He was rescued and taken to the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center. Because of his injuries, he was not able to be returned to the wild. Shi Shi came to the San Diego Zoo as part of a research loan in September 1996. He provided us the opportunity to learn about caring for an older panda.

Shi Shi fathered Hua Mei through artificial insemination. He returned to China in 2003, where he lived out his final years at the Guangzhou Zoo. He died on July 5, 2008. Shi Shi will be remembered fondly by all who knew him.