A female giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) named Ran Ran is expected to arrive at Pairi Daiza in Belgium in November 2026, marking a new chapter in the zoo’s long-standing cooperation with Chinese conservation institutions.
The nine-year-old panda currently lives at the Wolong Shenshuping Giant Panda Base in China’s Sichuan Province.
Her exact arrival date has not yet been confirmed and will be announced once final preparations and administrative procedures have been completed.
Ran Ran will join Xing Hui, the male giant panda who has lived at Pairi Daiza since February 2014 and fathered three cubs with female Hao Hao.
Meet Ran Ran: a gentle panda with a preference for bamboo shoots
Ran Ran was born on 31 May 2017 and currently lives at the Wolong Shenshuping Giant Panda Base, operated by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP).
Her Chinese name, 冉冉, conveys gentleness, growth and flourishing.
The female weighs approximately 110 kilograms and is described by her Chinese keepers as having a calm temperament.
She enjoys spending time alone, prefers peaceful surroundings and particularly likes tender bamboo shoots.
These details are already being shared with Pairi Daiza’s animal care team to help prepare her future habitat and support her adjustment to the new environment.
Liu Yang, veterinarian and giant panda keeper at Pairi Daiza, will soon travel to the Wolong Shenshuping centre to meet Ran Ran, observe her behaviour and begin establishing a relationship of trust.
“We are already exchanging information with our Chinese colleagues about her habits and preferences to prepare for her arrival,” Liu Yang explained.
The aim is to ensure that Ran Ran can gradually settle into her new surroundings at her own pace.
Twelve years of giant pandas at Pairi Daiza
Pairi Daiza’s history with giant pandas began in 2014, when Hao Hao and Xing Hui arrived from China.
Their transfer followed a fifteen-year cooperation agreement signed in 2013 between the Belgian zoo and its Chinese partners, focusing on giant panda conservation, scientific research and public awareness.
Their habitat was officially inaugurated a few weeks after their arrival, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, alongside Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
The pair subsequently produced three cubs.
Their first, Tian Bao, was born on 2 June 2016. Twins Bao Di and Bao Mei followed on 8 August 2019.
The births marked important milestones in the cooperation between Chinese and Belgian conservation teams.
On 10 December 2024, the three young pandas returned to China in accordance with the conservation programme’s agreements.
Their mother, Hao Hao, also returned to China to receive specialised veterinary care. According to Pairi Daiza, she continues to receive attention from her Chinese keepers.
Xing Hui, the father of the three cubs, remained at the Belgian zoo, where Ran Ran is now expected to join him.
A new agreement between Belgium and China
Ran Ran’s transfer has been made possible by a supplementary agreement signed on 16 September 2026 between Chinese and Belgian partners.
The agreement builds on the cooperation established in 2013 and comes during the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Belgium.
“The forthcoming arrival of Ran Ran fills us with joy. For twelve years, our Chinese friends have done us the great honour of placing their trust in us, sharing their knowledge with us and inviting us to join their commitment to giant panda conservation,” said Eric Domb, Founder and President of Pairi Daiza.
Domb thanked the Chinese institutions for renewing their trust and highlighted the scientific cooperation and expertise shared over more than a decade.
The programme involves organisations including the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP).
Giant panda conservation and population recovery
The giant panda is native to China, where its conservation depends heavily on protecting mountain forest habitats and maintaining access to bamboo.
According to figures cited by Pairi Daiza, the wild giant panda population has increased from approximately 1,100 individuals in the 1980s to nearly 1,900 today, supported in part by conservation measures implemented in China.
The species is currently classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Despite progress in population recovery, habitat fragmentation and climate change remain significant conservation challenges.
The cooperation between Pairi Daiza and Chinese institutions includes scientific research, animal care, breeding and public education about biodiversity conservation.
Ran Ran’s arrival will mark the next stage of this partnership. Over the coming weeks, the Belgian zoo’s team will continue working with Chinese specialists to organise her transfer and prepare her new environment.
The exact date of her arrival will be announced once the remaining arrangements have been completed.
