Memphis Zoo has 2 giant pandas: Ya Ya & Le Le

On April 7, 2003 a giant panda couple arrived at the Memphis Zoo for a ten year loan. Jim Sasser, the United States Ambassador in China from 1996 until 1999, played an important role in this pandadeal.

Ya Ya

Ya Ya (female) was born on August 3, 2000 at the Beijing Zoo. 

She has studbook number 507. 
Her name means “Girl” in Chinese. 

Her mother is Le Le (320) and her father is Ying Ying (369). 

She came to the Memphis Zoo on April 7, 2003 with Le Le. 

Le Le

Le Le (male) was born on July 18, 1998 at the ChongQing Zoo.

He has studbook number 466.
His name means “Happy” in Chinese.  

His mother is Xin Xing (253) and her father is Chuan Chuan (231). 

He moved to the Shanghai Zoo on January 26, 1999. 

He came to the Memphis Zoo on April 7, 2003 with Ya Ya.