Genealogical stud no.: 717
Sex: male
Date of birth: 4th August of 2008
Place of birth: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Birth weight: 158 grams
Current weight: 58 kg
Infant name: Shu Xiang
Appearance: With a big and straight pair of “bat ears”, he has a given alias “Mickey Mouse”; dark in colour above and below his nose.
Course of growth: “717” is one of the twins given birth by giant panda “Shu Qin” (480) in 2008. His twin brother is “Shu Yun”. Same as “710”, he enjoys a happy childhood. His mother is the “super wet-nurse” at the research base with sufficient milk to feed her babies.
Character: active and vivacious, likes to participate in “group activities”, a greedy fast eater.
Mother: Shu Qin   In the evening of 4th August of 2008, the "Lucky Cloud" torch of the Beijing Olympic Games arrived at Chengdu. Right after the arrival of the “Lucky Cloud” torch, mother giant panda “Shu Qin”, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, gave birth to her twins in the late night of August 4 and the early morning of August 5. The staff of the research base gave this pair of twins their infant names after the “Lucky Cloud” which pronounces as “Xiang Yun” in Chinese, hoping that their birth would bring fortune and happiness to the Sichuan people who were suffering from natural disasters.   Talking about “717”, we should also mention about his mother. When she is in good mood, she can waggle left and right with the rap beats similar to a street dancer. Mother Xiang is strong in reproductive ability. She has successfully bred seven cubs in four pregnancies with 100% survival rate.   When “717” was 180-days old, he has grown like the “Mickey Mouse”. With a pair of big black ears, a long dumpy nose and a smiling mouth, he was given an alias “Mickey Mouse”. This active and vivacious “Mickey Mouse” is so lovely and clever, and always wonders around the playground. Among the 13 cubs raised in 2009, he was the first one to master the riding skills on a rocking horse.   Reasons to be chosen: Four meetings have been held by the “Expert Group for Selection of Giant Pandas for Conferment to Macao” for determining the selection criteria on age, physical condition, psychological status and behaviour, appearance and genetic factors. In the preliminary screening, 38 giant pandas were selected for the second screening of eight pairs of giant pandas. In the third screening based on appearance, three pairs of giant pandas were chosen for in-depth observation and comparison of their behaviour and affability. At last, the active and lovely “717” and “710” were chosen to be the gifts from the central government for the Macao SAR.   Similarities:
1. A twin
2. Born in 2008 (the Olympic year), almost two years old
3. The mothers of both giant pandas are strong in reproductive ability

Genealogical no.: 710
Sex: female
Date of birth: 26th July of 2008
Place of birth: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Birth weight: 132 grams
Current weight: 48 kg
Infant name: Qi Miao
Appearance: broad nose, eye circles in water-drop shape
Course of growth: “710” is one of the twins given birth by giant panda “Qi Yuan” (490) in 2008. Her twin sister is “Qi Fu”. They are the first twin cubs born in Chengdu after the 5.12 Earthquake.   Character: Mild, smart, gracious, charmingly naïve, lazy but lovely, likes to lean on the tree or lie on the ground when eating.   Mother: Qi Yuan   Born to a noble family at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, “710” is a renowned international star among her family members with a group relatives residing overseas. For instance, her grand uncle “Cobe”, who was born in 1992 on the opening day of the Barcelona Olympic Games, was named after the mascot of the event by the former President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch. Her grandmother “Mei Mei”, the mother who gives births to most giant pandas overseas, also breaks various world records for her “oestrus in autumn and give birth to giant panda cubs in winter” and “successfully raising a pair of twin giant pandas at the same time”, thus gaining a number of “World’s Number One”. Her cousin “Wu Yi”, whose birth weight was only 51 grams, holds the world record for surviving giant panda of the lightest birth weight.  Therefore, we can say that “710” is born to an outstanding family. Both male and female members from this giant panda family are strong in reproductive ability. It is believed that “710” also has a strong breeding potential, which is critical for Macao’s giant panda breeding and raising in the future.
Reasons to be chosen: Four meetings have been held by the “Expert Group for Selection of Giant Pandas for Conferment to Macao” for determining the selection criteria on age, physical condition, psychological status and behaviour, appearance and genetic factors. In the preliminary screening, 38 giant pandas were selected for the second screening of eight pairs of giant pandas. In the third screening based on appearance, three pairs of giant pandas were chosen for in-depth observation and comparison of their behaviour and affability. At last, the active and lovely “717” and “710” were chosen to be the gifts from the central government for the Macao SAR.   Similarities:
1. A twin
2. Born in 2008 (the Olympic year), almost two years old
3. The mothers of both giant pandas are strong in reproductive ability