Tian Tian

添添

Life status: Living
Born: August 27, 1997

Tian Tian spent nearly 23 years at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, taking part in a long-running breeding partnership with Mei Xiang and fathering Tai Shan, Bao Bao, Bei Bei and Xiao Qi Ji. Smithsonian keepers also recorded characteristic behaviors over the years: patrolling and scent-marking his territory, playing in water, and actively seeking attention while staff cleaned his enclosure or set up enrichment.

Read the story Meet the family

Sex: Male
Studbook number: 458
Current place: Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda

No photograph is available yet.

Timeline

9 recorded events

1997-08-27
Born at the Wolong Base
Tian Tian was born at the Wolong Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on August 27, 1997.
Wolong Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
2000-12-06
Arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo with Mei Xiang
Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo on December 6, 2000, beginning a long-term China–U.S. giant panda conservation and research stay.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
2005-07-09
Fathered Tai Shan with Mei Xiang
On July 9, 2005, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang became the parents of Tai Shan, the first giant panda cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo to survive.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
2012-09-16
Female cub born after artificial insemination using his frozen semen
Tian Tian’s frozen semen was used to artificially inseminate Mei Xiang. She gave birth to a female cub on September 16, 2012; the cub died on September 23.
nationalzoo.si.edu
2013-08-23
Fathered Bao Bao with Mei Xiang
Mei Xiang gave birth to Bao Bao on August 23, 2013; DNA testing confirmed Tian Tian as her father.
nationalzoo.si.edu
2015-08-22
Fathered Bei Bei with Mei Xiang
Tian Tian and Mei Xiang became the parents of their son Bei Bei on August 22, 2015.
nationalzoo.si.edu
2020-08-21
Fathered Xiao Qi Ji with Mei Xiang
On August 21, 2020, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang became the parents of their fourth surviving cub, Xiao Qi Ji. The birth was the first outside China to result from successful artificial insemination using only frozen-thawed giant panda semen.
2023-11-08
Departed Washington for China with Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji
Tian Tian left Washington with Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji on November 8, 2023, to return to China. They arrived in Chengdu on November 9 and then traveled to the Shenshuping Base for quarantine.
Washington
2023-12-13
Moved to Dujiangyan Base after quarantine
On December 13, 2023, after completing quarantine, Tian Tian moved from the Shenshuping Base to the senior-panda care area at the Dujiangyan Base.
Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda