Chi Chi (giant panda) facts for kids
Chi Chi (pronounced Jee Jee) was a very famous female giant panda. She lived at the London Zoo in the United Kingdom. Born in September 1954, she became one of Britain's most loved zoo animals. Chi Chi was not the first panda at London Zoo, but she was certainly the most famous. After she passed away on July 22, 1972, her remains were preserved. Today, you can see her as a special exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London.
Contents
Chi Chi: A Famous Panda's Story
Early Life and Journeys
From China to Europe
Chi Chi was born in the wild in Sichuan, China, around September 1954. She was captured in May 1955 and moved to the Beijing Zoo. In May 1957, a leader from the Soviet Union, Kliment Voroshilov, asked for a panda for the Moscow Zoo. Chi Chi was sent there with another panda. They tried to help the pandas have cubs, but it didn't work. This was because Chi Chi had been raised by people. She didn't know how to act around other pandas. The people at Moscow Zoo thought both pandas might be males. So, Chi Chi was sent back to China in January 1958.
Later that year, an animal expert named Heini Demmer bought Chi Chi. He traded some African animals for her. Chi Chi then traveled to Tierpark Berlin in East Berlin. She was supposed to go to a zoo in the United States. But the U.S. government had rules about trading with China. These rules meant Chi Chi could not enter the country.
Finding a Home in London
Chi Chi stayed for a while at the Frankfurt Zoological Garden. Then, she began a tour of European zoos. She visited the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark. Finally, she arrived at London Zoo on September 5, 1958. The London Zoo usually didn't support taking animals from the wild. But they made an exception for Chi Chi since she was already captured. Her visit was only meant to be for three weeks. However, everyone loved her so much that the zoo decided to buy her. They paid £12,000 for her. Chi Chi officially became a resident of London Zoo on September 26, 1958.
To keep Chi Chi happy, special bamboo was brought for her. It came from an estate in Cornwall, a county in England. Local Scout troop members even helped gather the bamboo. They sent it to London by train.
Attempts to Have Cubs
When Chi Chi was nine years old in 1966, London Zoo wanted her to have cubs. They contacted the Moscow Zoo about their male panda, named An An. Chi Chi traveled to Moscow and stayed for seven months. But she did not get along with An An, and they could not have cubs.
Two years later, in 1968, An An was brought to London Zoo. They hoped a new, bigger home might help. Chi Chi was even given special medicine to help her be ready to have cubs. But again, the attempts were not successful. Chi Chi and An An never had any baby pandas.
A Lasting Legacy
Chi Chi became a global symbol. Sir Peter Scott was inspired by her to create a famous logo. This logo was for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It's a simple but very recognizable panda design. While the WWF logo has changed a bit since then, Chi Chi's image started it all.
Chi Chi passed away at London Zoo on July 22, 1972. Many people across the country were sad to hear the news. After her death, her body was carefully preserved. Today, you can visit her at the Natural History Museum. She is displayed in a glass case, reminding everyone of her amazing life.
See also
- Other notable animals at London Zoo
- Panda diplomacy
- Tián Tián, giant panda at Edinburgh Zoo
- List of giant pandas
- List of individual bears
