For those who can tell the difference between individual pandas, they may notice that there are several very similar pandas in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Although these pandas are separately living in the Delivery House, Giant Panda Cub Enclosure, Adult Giant Panda Enclosure and etc., they have some similar features, such as a pair of standard black oval rims, big round ears, black nasal tip with black spots, and black fur around the mouth which looks like they secretly ate some black sesame paste.
Look at the picture below, can you tell that the following rims are from different pandas?
These ears are not from the same panda, either.
These pandas look so alike because all of them are Qiao Qiao’s son or daughter. Qiao Qiao's strong gene makes his babies who even though from different moms, have similar oval black rims and big round ears.
Let's back to today's topic. It should be starting from July 18, 2014 when a new baby weighing 212g was born in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It is the ninth baby of panda mom Cheng Ji. In Chinese, the pronunciation of “nine” is “Jiu”, so keepers named this baby Cheng Jiu who also is the first baby of Qiao Qiao in the panda base.
There are more and more Qiao Qiao’s babies born in these years. The standard oval rims and a series of similar characteristics, as shown at the beginning of the article, let people quickly recognize the progeny of Qiao Qiao. Because Cheng Jiu is Qiao Qiao's first child, everyone jokes that every Qiao Qiao's baby is Cheng Jiu. Let's take a look at these “Cheng Jius”.
Da Ni & Xiao Ni: We are not Cheng Jiu. He is our uncle.
Ya Zhu & Ya Yun: We are girls, too!
Wen Wen: I'm not like Cheng Jiu!
“I'm not Cheng Jiu. I’m his dad Qiao Qiao.”
Cheng Jiu: Is my pose like my dad’s?
After viewing the pictures above, do you think “Cheng Jiu” is everywhere?