Panda Cub

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Panda Cub
Alias(es)	Yuan Yuan (“Round Round”), a name suggested by viewers because of its exceptional appetite and expected round build 30 37
Species/Race	Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) 1 3
Affiliation	Lin Xuan’s household and care; originally Panda Mother’s triplet litter 12 73
Occupation/Role	Hand-reared giant panda cub; recurring animal companion in Lin Xuan’s livestream and wildlife-care activities 12 207
Status	Alive; remains with Lin Xuan and uses the climbing frame built for the panda cubs 299 300
First Appearance	Born during Panda Mother’s delivery 3

Background / History

Birth and hand-rearing

Yuan Yuan was the last-born member of Panda Mother’s litter of three. During labor, it was positioned transversely in the birth canal; Lin Xuan used his medical rescue skill to push it back and correct its position, allowing Panda Mother to deliver it safely. 3 169

Like its siblings, Yuan Yuan was born tiny, blind, and covered in white newborn fur. It soon distinguished itself through an unusually large appetite: it cried when Panda Mother’s milk proved insufficient, drank formula greedily, and was visibly heavier than the other two cubs. 9 10 11 12

Concerned that Yuan Yuan’s feeding competition would endanger its siblings, Lin Xuan took the cub into temporary care with Panda Mother’s consent. He prepared a heated incubator with blankets and sterile pads, fed it formula by bottle, helped it burp, and regulated its intake after overeating caused constipation. 12 13 20 21

Viewers first proposed the name “Yuan Yuan” because the cub’s routine seemed to consist of eating, sleeping, and growing rounder. Lin Xuan accepted the name despite usually avoiding naming wild animals, since he believed names could make eventual separation more difficult. 30 37

Entrusted to Lin Xuan

Lin Xuan initially intended to return Yuan Yuan to Panda Mother once it was older. When he finally brought the cub back, Panda Mother recognized it and licked it—but then picked Yuan Yuan up, placed it at Lin Xuan’s feet, and returned to her den. Lin Xuan understood this as Panda Mother entrusting the cub’s continued care to him. 73

Under Lin Xuan’s care, Yuan Yuan’s ears, back, and body gradually developed the characteristic black fur of a giant panda. Although it was the last cub born, it opened its eyes before its two siblings, becoming curious about its surroundings immediately afterward. 53 169

After opening its eyes, Yuan Yuan became strongly attached to Lin Xuan. It did not recognize Panda Mother as its primary caregiver and would whimper anxiously when Lin Xuan was absent, only calming down once he held it. Lin Xuan began taking the cub into the mountains so it would not panic when waking up alone. 170 171

Growth and social life

As Yuan Yuan grew, it began eating fruits such as cucumbers, playing with its siblings, and actively seeking Lin Xuan’s attention. At nearly three months old, it appeared older than its actual age because it was larger than the other cubs. 207 211

During a visit to the Xia Country Endangered Animal Research Institute, Yuan Yuan hesitantly entered the bamboo forest to meet other giant pandas. It soon befriended a female giant panda named Hua Hua; later, Yuan Yuan brought Hua Hua back to Lin Xuan’s home as its mate. 259 260 264

Lin Xuan and An Ke'er later built a large climbing frame for Yuan Yuan and its siblings. Yuan Yuan eagerly climbed the inclined ladder, enjoyed the suspended tire, and used a wooden scratching rake added to the structure. 299 300

Appearance

Yuan Yuan began life looking like a small, hairless mouse-like newborn, with white fur and pink eyes. Its eyes later darkened, black markings developed across its ears and back, and it eventually became a chubby black-and-white furball. 3 9 37 53 207

• Born blind; opened its eyes before its older siblings despite being the last-born cub. 169
• Noticeably larger and heavier than its two siblings due to its appetite and supplemental feeding. 12 211
• Has a rounded, stocky build that inspired the name “Yuan Yuan.” 30 37
• Outgrew the initial proportions of its climbing frame but continued to enjoy using it. 300

Personality

Yuan Yuan is strongly food-motivated. As a newborn, it drank formula so quickly that Lin Xuan had to monitor its portions and prevent constipation; later, it eagerly reached for cucumbers and became excited upon seeing bamboo. 11 13 21 207 259

It is deeply dependent on Lin Xuan, treating his presence as a source of safety and comfort. Yuan Yuan seeks him out, clings to his leg, remains calm in his arms, and becomes distressed when it cannot find him. 170 207 211

Yuan Yuan is also curious and playful. It explored the outdoors after opening its eyes, approached other giant pandas with encouragement, played with a red panda, and enthusiastically tested its climbing frame. 169 224 259 300

Care Equipment & Enrichment

• Incubator — Temperature-controlled resting space lined with a blanket and sterile medical pads; used during Yuan Yuan’s early hand-rearing. 12 37
• Bottle and milk formula — Lin Xuan’s primary feeding method while Panda Mother’s milk was insufficient. 11 20
• Soft towel and cotton balls — Used to hold, clean, and care for Yuan Yuan without exposing it to illness. 11 37
• Panda climbing frame — A large wooden structure with platforms, an inclined ladder, tire swing, food basket, and scratching rake. 299 300

Relationships

• Lin Xuan — Rescuer and primary caregiver. He corrected Yuan Yuan’s birth position, hand-raised it, and continued caring for it after Panda Mother entrusted the cub to him. 3 12 73
• Panda Mother — Biological mother. She permitted Lin Xuan to take Yuan Yuan for hand-rearing, later returned the cub to him when he attempted to reunite them. 12 40 73
• Two panda siblings — Yuan Yuan’s littermates. Its heavier feeding habits initially threatened to deprive them of milk; later, all three played together on the climbing frame. 12 300
• An Ke'er — Assists Lin Xuan with feeding Yuan Yuan and changing its sterile pad. 111 112
• Red Panda — A fellow resident that adapted to Lin Xuan’s home and began playing with Yuan Yuan. 224
• Hua Hua — Female giant panda Yuan Yuan met at the Xia Country Endangered Animal Research Institute and later brought home as a mate. 260 264

Trivia

• Yuan Yuan was born last, yet opened its eyes before either of its older siblings. 169
• Lin Xuan originally avoided naming wild animals because he did not want to encourage captivity or make parting more painful. 37
• At nearly three months old, Yuan Yuan looked closer to five or six months old because of its larger size. 211