Giant Pandas at Toronto Zoo

       Giant Panda

Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Ailuropoda melanoleuca, meaning "cat-footed, black and white animal".

What is black and white and loved all over? The giant panda of course!

                     The giant pandas are here!

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For the second time ever, two giant pandas are in Canada. The first time was in 1985, when two giant pandas spent the summer at the Toronto Zoo. This time, the pandas will be in Canada for at least 10 years (a minimum of five years at the Toronto Zoo and five years at the Calgary Zoo) as of March 2013. The two giant pandas that have joined Toronto Zoo's family are Er Shun (female) and Da Mao (male). The name 'Er Shun' means 'Double Smoothness'. Er Shun was born at the Chongqing Zoo on August 10, 2007 and was raised by her mother. Da Mao was born on September 1, 2008 at the Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding. This pair was chosen as a good genetic match for breeding.

In China, the giant panda is a national treasure. It has been the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF's) logo since 1961. The inspiration for this logo came from Chi-Chi, a giant panda that had arrived at the London Zoo in 1961, the same year WWF was formed.

The giant panda is one of the most beloved animals in the world and is perhaps the most powerful symbol in the world for wildlife conservation. It is also one of the most endangered    

species in the world, with only around 1,600 left in the wild.