Giant pandas have become very popular in U.S. zoos. One in particular, the San Diego Zoo, has been extremely successful at making the pandas feel at home and getting them to breed. In 1999, it became home to the first surviving panda cub born in the United States. There have now been five panda cubs born there and it has developed the best breeding program for the animals in the country.

The San Diego Zoo is home to five pandas: Bai Yun (adult female), Gao Gao (adult male), Su Lin (juvenile female), Zhen Zhen (juvenile female) and Yun Zi (male cub). Bai Yun and Gao Gao are the parents of all three of the young pandas (Su Lin, Zhen Zhen and Yun Zi) and are also the parents of Mei Sheng, which was sent to China in November 2007.

Bai Yun is the mother of Hua Mei, the first giant panda to be born in the United States and survive into adulthood. Hua Mei was born in August 1999 and moved to China in February 2004. Hua Mei has since given birth to seven cubs in China. Su Lin, a four-year-old juvenile female, is scheduled to go to China in 2010, but the exact date has not yet been decided. She would be the third giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo to be sent to China, following Hua Mei and Mei Sheng.

Beijing Review talked with Christina Simmons, the zoo's director of public relations, on January 21, about breeding giant pandas there.

Beijing Review: What are the primary food sources for giant pandas?

Christina Simmons: The giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo eat primarily bamboo, and they are also given a specialized biscuit that we call a leaf-eater biscuit.

Do they have any challenges living in environments outside of China?

Giant pandas are adapted to living in high-altitude, temperate-zone bamboo forests, so they can easily deal with the local weather. We have had pandas here since 1996 and have had no challenges with the living environment.

Do they receive special care from veterinarians?

We have a team of four veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo. These veterinarians have extensive experience with bears and have also worked with colleagues in China.

Why are they so popular at your zoo?

Giant pandas are very striking with their black-and-white markings and their very appealing habits. They are one of the better-known and recognizable animals at the San Diego Zoo.

Why did the San Diego Zoo initially want to exhibit giant pandas?

The San Diego Zoo brought giant pandas to San Diego as part of a long-term conservation and research program. The San Diego Zoo is a conservation organization and our goal is to learn about giant pandas so that this knowledge can be applied to protecting them in the wild. Our hope is that the work of the San Diego Zoo to learn about giant pandas will help conservation efforts in China, as well.