Chi Chi the Giant Panda

Chi Chi was captured on 4th July 1957 by a Chinese collecting team. She was taken by rail to Peking Zoo, where she was cared for by a Chinese girl, who lived with her day and night. She was believed to be about six months old on capture.

In 1957 the Austrian animal collection, Mr Heini Denmer, then resident of Nairobi, was commissioned by an American Zoo to negotiate an exchange of animals from East Africa for one Giant Panda. He took a large collection of animals to China, and an exchange was arranged. He was given the choice of three Giant Pandas and he chose Chi Chi, the youngest, and took her into his charge on 5th May 1958. At this time America had broken off diplomatic relations with China, and had imposed an embargo on the importation of Chinese good into America. An import licence was, therefore, not granted to import Chi Chi into America.

Mr Denmer took Chi Chi on a tour of European Zoos and on 5th September 1958, they came to London Zoo - initially on a three-week visit. During this visit negotiations were entered into and, with the assistance of Granada Television, Chi Chi was purchased by the Zoological Society of London at 11.59 pm on 26th September 1958.

In March 1966 Chi Chi was invited to Moscow by the Russian Zoo authorities. She flew out in a specially converted BEA Vanguard, and shortly after her arrival was introduced to the Russian male Panda An An. This meeting was not successful and it was decided to leave Chi Chi in Moscow until the autumn mating period. In October the two Giant Pandas were put together in the same enclosure but Chi Chi rejected An An's advances and the mating attempt was called off. Chi Chi was returned to London, and early in 1967 London Zoo asked if Moscow Zoo would send An An to Regent's Park.