The newest giant panda in South Korea has a name. On September 11, Everland, the theme park and zoo in Yongin, announced that its female cub born June 3 will be called Shu Bao.
The name means “a treasure as bright as the light of dawn,” according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.
A family of four cubs
Shu Bao is the fourth cub of Ai Bao, 12, and Le Bao, 13. She weighed 171 grams at birth, the Korea Herald reported. By her 100th day she weighed about 5.5 kilograms, more than 30 times that.
Her oldest sister, Fu Bao, was the first giant panda born in South Korea. Fu Bao moved to China in April 2024. Twin sisters Rui Bao and Hui Bao were born in 2023 and are expected to leave for China this winter.
“I’m so happy and grateful to meet another new life after Fu Bao and the twins,” Everland zookeeper Kang Cheol-won, known to fans as “Grandpa Panda,” told the Korea Herald in June. “We’ll care for her with everything we have.”
Named by the public
Everland opened a naming contest in July and received more than 10,000 suggestions. A committee of zookeepers, veterinarians and staff narrowed the list to five finalists, and about 220,000 votes were cast. Shu Bao won with 42 percent.
Female giant pandas are fertile for only one to three days a year, usually in spring, the Korea Herald noted. Everland hopes to introduce Shu Bao to visitors later this year, once she is used to her surroundings.
Giant pandas have been on the move in the United States too. The San Diego Zoo welcomed Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in 2024.
Sources
- Korea JoongAng Daily, Shu Bao, Korea’s newest giant panda cub, makes debut at Everland (Sept. 11, 2026)
- The Korea Herald, Everland’s pandas welcome fourth cub (June 10, 2026)
- Korea.net, Fourth cub born to giant panda family living at major theme park (June 11, 2026)
