Chi Chi (giant panda)
Encyclopedia
Chi Chi was a well-known giant panda
at London Zoo
in England
.
Chi Chi was not London Zoo's first giant panda; Ming was one of four that arrived in 1938. However, it was Chi Chi who became the Zoo's star attraction and Britain's best-loved zoo animal.
, and moved to Peking Zoo in January 1958. The Austrian animal broker Heini Demmer acquired Chi Chi in exchange for an impressive collection of African hoofstock in May 1958 and brought the animal to Moscow Zoo. After a rest of a week the panda went on journey to Tierpark Berlin, the zoo in the eastern part of the then divided city. By then Chi Chi had already been sold to a zoo in the United States
, but the American government had ceased all trade with communist
China for political reasons. Thus, Chi Chi was refused entry to the USA. Frankfurt Zoo provided a temporary home for the panda until Demmer decided to hire the animal out to European zoos for limited time. Next visit was Copenhagen Zoo, before Chi Chi arrived at London Zoo on 5 September 1958. The Zoological Society of London
had stated that it would not encourage collection of wild pandas, but accepted Chi Chi since she had already been collected. Although Chi Chi's visit was originally planned to last for only three weeks, it was decided to buy her for the amount of 12,000 pounds. Chi Chi became property of London Zoo on 26 September 1958.
Chi Chi was an inspiration for Sir Peter Scott
's simple but distinctive black and white design used as the logo of the World Wildlife Fund.
However the logo shown on this page is not the logo designed by Peter Scott but a later one, designed for WWF when it changed its name from World Wildlife Fund to World Wide Fund for Nature.
There were unsuccessful attempts to mate Chi Chi with Moscow Zoo
's An An.
Chi Chi died on 22 July 1972 and was mourned by the nation.
A post mortem was conducted. Her remains, now a stuffed exhibit, sit in a glass case, at London's Natural History Museum
.
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
at London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Chi Chi was not London Zoo's first giant panda; Ming was one of four that arrived in 1938. However, it was Chi Chi who became the Zoo's star attraction and Britain's best-loved zoo animal.
Life
She was born in 1957, caught in December 1957 in SichuanSichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, and moved to Peking Zoo in January 1958. The Austrian animal broker Heini Demmer acquired Chi Chi in exchange for an impressive collection of African hoofstock in May 1958 and brought the animal to Moscow Zoo. After a rest of a week the panda went on journey to Tierpark Berlin, the zoo in the eastern part of the then divided city. By then Chi Chi had already been sold to a zoo in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but the American government had ceased all trade with communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
China for political reasons. Thus, Chi Chi was refused entry to the USA. Frankfurt Zoo provided a temporary home for the panda until Demmer decided to hire the animal out to European zoos for limited time. Next visit was Copenhagen Zoo, before Chi Chi arrived at London Zoo on 5 September 1958. The Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
had stated that it would not encourage collection of wild pandas, but accepted Chi Chi since she had already been collected. Although Chi Chi's visit was originally planned to last for only three weeks, it was decided to buy her for the amount of 12,000 pounds. Chi Chi became property of London Zoo on 26 September 1958.
Chi Chi was an inspiration for Sir Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
's simple but distinctive black and white design used as the logo of the World Wildlife Fund.
However the logo shown on this page is not the logo designed by Peter Scott but a later one, designed for WWF when it changed its name from World Wildlife Fund to World Wide Fund for Nature.
There were unsuccessful attempts to mate Chi Chi with Moscow Zoo
Moscow Zoo
The Moscow Zoo is a zoo founded in 1864 by a group of professor-biologists, K.F. Rulje, S.A. Usov and A.P. Bogdanov, from the Moscow State University. In 1919, the zoo was nationalized. In 1922, the ownership was transferred to the city of Moscow and has remained under Moscow's control ever...
's An An.
Chi Chi died on 22 July 1972 and was mourned by the nation.
A post mortem was conducted. Her remains, now a stuffed exhibit, sit in a glass case, at London's Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
.
See also
- Other notable animals at London ZooLondon ZooLondon Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
- Panda diplomacyPanda diplomacyPanda Diplomacy is China's use of Giant Pandas as diplomatic gifts to other countries. The practice existed as far back as the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Zetian sent a pair of pandas to the Japanese emperor.-Pandas in Chinese politics:...