Eimei, a giant panda who has 16 cubs and has one of the world's leading breeding achievements, was called "Super Papa".
On February 22, he was returned to China from the theme park "Adventure World" in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, along with his twin daughters "Ouhin" and "Touhin".
We asked Deputy Director Kenko Nakao, who has been taking care of Eimei as a veterinarian since he first came to the zoo, to look back on the 28 years he has walked with Eimei.
(Wakayama Broadcasting Station Reporter Ryo Fukuda)
Eimei is amazing!
Mr. Kenko Nakao, Deputy Director of Adventure World
“Without Eimei, there would be no panda family today,”
said Eimei, who made Nakao say so much.
Looking back on its achievements.
16 children were born.
No. 1 in Japan and one of the best breeding results in the world.
And she had her last child when she was 28.
This is the world's oldest record of breeding by natural mating in captivity.
It's no exaggeration to say that Adventure World's breeding achievements are Eimei's achievements, they're amazing pandas.
Self-taught breeding method
Eimei visited the park in September 1994.
he is one year old.
He came from Sichuan Province, China for breeding research together with a female, Yohin.
Mr. Nakao was in his sixth year with the company at the time.
Suddenly, he is called by his boss and told that he will be in charge of the health care of the pandas.
However, the panda's visit is a top secret.
Unable to consult with anyone else, he frantically read a Chinese book on breeding given to him by his boss.
Mr. Nakao
: “Rather than worrying, I felt that I had to do it. Nowadays, there are many papers in English, and it is easy to search for papers on the Internet, but at the time I was handed over in paper form. I couldn't speak Chinese at all, so I tried my best to look up the dictionary and read it."
Eimei was prone to illness
When Eimei came to Japan, he was prone to gastrointestinal diseases, and it is said that he did not have much of an appetite.
Mr. Nakao thought that the cause was the special dumplings that were given as a staple food.
It is steamed with corn powder, sugar, eggs, etc., and is full of nutrients.
In China, it was commonly fed to pandas.
However, the panda's original staple food is bamboo.
The body is also designed to digest bamboo.
Therefore, Mr. Nakao thought to give bamboo mainly.
Mr. Nakao
: “Dumplings are very high in calories. They fill you up, and when you are full, you fall asleep and stop moving.
Although I tried to make bamboo a staple food...
However, another problem arises.
Yongming was a very gourmet panda.
We do not eat bamboo that has even the slightest unpleasant smell, such as salt from the sea breeze or exhaust gas.
In search of delicious bamboo that Eimei would eat, Mr. Nakao traveled around the country, obtaining permission from the owners of each house.
Yohama's premature death "I can't let Eimei die"
There was another reason why Mr. Nakao went to great lengths to find delicious bamboo.
It is the death of Yohama, a female who came to Japan with Eimei.
Yohama was four years old at the time.
Three years have passed since she came to the park, and it was time for her to breed.
Yongming and Yongbin were pandas borrowed from China for breeding purposes.
In order to connect to the future, I absolutely cannot let Eimei die.
Mr. Nakao desperately searched for delicious bamboo so that Eimei could stay as healthy as possible.
And gradually it became possible to procure the bamboo that Eimei liked.
After about six years of changing his staple food to bamboo, his diet stabilized, and Eimei became completely healthy.
Mr. Nakao:
“Procuring a large amount of bamboo in good condition is a difficult task. There are very few pandas that break."
"Eimei" becomes a super dad
the year of 2000.
Eimei, who has recovered well, has a chance to breed.
A new female, Meimei, has arrived.
Pandas are said to never mate unless they are compatible in the first place.
Mr. Nakao says he was afraid to introduce them.
The day we met for the first time.
When Eimei approached Ume-Ume through the fence, he turned around and was overjoyed.
The next year, when Umebai was in heat, I put the two in the same room, and despite the worries of the people around me, they succeeded in mating.
Mr. Nakao
: “Actually, I was on a business trip to Tokyo at the time, and there were no mobile phones at the time, so when I found a public phone, I asked, ‘How was it? I was so happy.”
And so, our first child, Yuhin, was born.
Eimei has 6 horses between Umebai.
After Ume Ume's death, he had 10 children with "Rauhin".
Due to his outstanding breeding performance, he is now called "Super Papa" by his fans.
The person who gives you delicious bamboo
A relationship of trust was born between Mr. Nakao and Eimei.
Ever since he was little, he would rush to him whenever he got sick, so whenever Eimei heard Mr. Nakao's footsteps, he would approach him.
And it is said that he always begged for the delicious bamboo that Mr. Nakao brought.
Mr. Nakao
: “When I went to see Eimei a few years ago, the breeding staff at the time told me, ‘Please don’t come again.’ When Eimei finally started eating bamboo, I heard my voice. You stopped eating bamboo, didn't you? Maybe I'm the one who gives you the most delicious bamboo."
I want you to spend the rest of your life in good health
The day Eimei and the three of them leave for China.
Mr. Nakao accompanied me to Kansai Airport.
Until Eimei was loaded into a container and boarded an airplane, he gave him bamboo and water to take care of him until the very end.
Mr. Nakao
: I would be lying if I said I wasn't lonely at all, but China is the home of pandas, so I'm glad I could go back. I hope that the situation will continue.”