Adventure World, Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan - home to 7 Giant pandas, the biggest panda family outside of China
Name: Eimei
Sex: Male
DOB: Sept 14, 1992, at Beijing Zoo, China
Name: Meimei (梅梅) - died on Oct 15, 2008
Sex: Female
DOB: August 31, 1994, at Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center, Chengdu, China
Died on: October 15, 2008, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Name: Rauhin
Sex: Female
DOB: September 6, 2000, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Parents: father: Eimei; mother: Meimei
Name: Yuhin - Left for China
Sex: Male
DOB: November 17, 2001, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Parents: father: Eimei; mother: Meimei
Left for China: June 21, 2004.
Now lives at Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center, Chengdu, China
Names: Ryuhin & Shuhin (Twins) - Left for China
Sex: Male
DOB: September 8, 2003, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Left for China: October 27, 2007
Parents: father: Eimei; mother: Meimei
Name: Kouhin
Sex: Male
DOB: August 23, 2005, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Parents: father: Eimei; mother: Meimei
Names: Aihin & Meihin (Twins)
Sex: Aihin: female, Meihin: male
DOB: December 23, 2006, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Parents: father: Eimei; mother: Meimei
Names: Meihin & Eihin (Twins, newly named on Nov 13, 2008)
Sex: Meihin: Female, Eihin: male
DOB: September 13, 2008, at Adventure World, Shirahama
Parents: father: unknown; mother: Rauhin
Adventure World located in Shirahama, which is famous for its well-developed hot springs (onsen) resort 100 kilometers south of Osaka. Its popularity as an entertainment destination and its proximity to Osaka has made Shirahama as one of Japan's three biggest hot spring resorts, along with Beppu on Kyushu and Atami on the Izu Peninsula.
The name Shirahama is Japanese for "white beach", and refers to the resort's other major attraction, a 500 meter long sand beach. Many large hotels are situated around the beach so that visitors will be just a few steps from the water. Nightly fireworks are held during summer.
(Left) Shirasuna is one of the beach-side onsen in Shiraham, which has a large bath that can accommodate about 100 people. Because this bath is in plain view to pedestrians, bathing suits must be worn, contrary to regular onsen etiquette. (Right) The entry gate of the amusement park Adventure World in Shirahama, where the largest numbers of giant panda outside of China reside in the Panda Land inside of the park.
The appearance of beach culture and amusement parks may be a relatively recent phenomenon, but Shirahama's status as a travel destination is not. First mention of the town's hot springs was recorded over a thousand years ago. Shirahama is ranked with Kobe's Arima Onsen and Matsuyama's Dogo Onsen as one of Japan's three oldest onsen.
The Adventure World is a large amusement park with Ferris wheels and roller coasters as well as an animal park. A particular rarity, the amusement park is the home of the largest giant panda family outside of China in the Panda Land section inside of the animal park, which attracts thousands of visitors each day.
The main reason of the large panda family in the Adventure World has been the hero mother Meimei, a giant panda who gave birth to a total of 10 cubs in China and Japan.
Meimei came to Japan in 2000, and gave birth to eight cubs, including twins. She had already given birth to two cubs in China.
In December 2000, Meimei hold her cup Rauhin
In July 7, 2000, MeiMei came to Adventure World as a promising bride for breeding with male Eimei under the joint program with China for international cooperation in giant panda breeding. In September of the same year, Meimei's first cub in Japan - Rauhin was born at Adventure World in Shirahama. Again in November 2001, Yuhin was born.
Then in September of 2003, MeiMei became a mother of twin cubs, Ryuhin and Shuhin, the first giant panda twins in Japan. After that she gave birth Kouhin in August 2005, and followed by another twins Aihin and Meihin in December 2006.
Four-month old twin cups Aihin & Meihin and with their mom Meiemi on April 14, 2007
In September 2004, Meimei was awarded a Breeding Prize by Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, for her contribution to the first twin born by natural hybridization in Japan.
In the winter of 2007, Meimei suffered a series of health problem. She soon recovered but became ill again on October 4, 2008.
Meimei died on October 15, 2008 at Adventure World, and she was 14 years old, which in human terms would make her around 50.
A month before her death, Meimei became a grandmother of twins who were born to her 8-years old daughter Rauhin.
One-month-old twin cubs (Meihin and Eihin) that were born on Sept 13, 2008 to mother Rauhin were displayed in public for the first time on Oct 11, 2008. The twin cups are the grandchildren of the late Meimei who died on Oct 15, 2008 at Adventure World in Shirahama.
More information on Adventure World, Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan
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