In 1994, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding started the "long-terminternational breeding cooperation plan of giant panda with Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan, and also opened the "Mei Mei" tour of Japan. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of experts from China and Japan, Adventure World in Shirahama, has established the largest overseas captive breeding population of giant pandas.

The giant panda Mei Mei was born in 1994. When she was five years old, she gave birth to twins for the first time (September 4, 1999). At the age of six (July 7, 2000), she went to Adventure World in Shirahama, to carry out the scientific research cooperation. In September 6th of the same year, she gave birth to thecub Liang Bang in Japan. Since then, she has given birth to a number of cubs and created many firsts. She is a giant panda with strong motherhood instincts.

Mei Mei was born in 1994, and slowly emerged as a beautiful girl and eventually became an excellent mother.

On September 4, 1999, with the birth of "Qi Zhen" and "Qi Yuan", Mei Mei became a mother for the first time. When "Qi Zhen" was born, the inexperienced "Mei Mei" was scared by the pink and hairless thing (Qi Zhen) in front of her. "Mei Mei" scratched the skin on the cub’schest. Fortunately, the experienced keeper rescued the injuredcub that would soon be named "Qi Zhen". Seven stitches were needed to treat the wound. To commemorate this "7-stitches" operation, the cub was named "Qi Zhen" with its homonym(the pronunciation is similar with 7 stitches in Chinese).

On September 6, 2000, "Liang Bang" was born. This was Mei Mei's first cub in a foreign country. Although she was not in her hometown, "Mei Mei" was already a skilled mother at this time.On December 17, 2001, "Xiong Bang" was born. In general, captive giant pandas go into estrus at the end of winter or early in spring and give birth during the summer. But this time Mei Mei was uncharacteristic and went into, estrus in and gave birth in the winter. This is the first case of captive a giant panda giving birth in the winter.

Mei Mei is holding her cubs.

On September 8, 2003, Mei Mei gave birth to twins, "Long Bang" and "Qiu Bang". Not only did she not hurt the cubs this time, but she also raised them independently. This is the first case known so far that a captive panda can care fortwins independently.

On August 23, 2005, "Xing Bang" was born, and was also raised by Mei Mei by herself.

On December 23, 2006, "Ming Bang" and "Ai Bang" were born. This was Mei Mei's last birth.

Schematic diagram of Mei Mei's descendants.

The giant panda "Mei Mei" has become the "hero mother" of breeding giant pandas overseas, and has made many records. Mei Mei, with outstanding motherhood, became ill around January 2008, and died of disease in the early morning of October 15 of the same year. During the 14 years of her life, she had 10 cubs. Currently, only LiangBang is living in Japan. The rest of the cubshave returned to China and live in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It is hoped that Mei Mei's descendants, like their mother, will continue to deliver excellent genes, and hope that this "black and white messenger" representing love and peace will bring happiness to all people in the world..