Public vote held via Everland app and Chinese Embassy's social media

Name means 'treasure as bright as dawn light'... cub now weighs over 5.5 kg

Baby panda Shubao is seen at 90 days old. [Courtesy of Samsung C&T]
Baby panda Shubao is seen at 90 days old. [Courtesy of Samsung C&T]

Everland, operated by Samsung C&T's resort division, announced Friday that it has named its youngest baby panda cub — born in June and now marking its 100th day — "Shubao." Following the "bao" naming convention shared among the panda family, the name means "a treasure as bright as dawn light."

More than 10,000 people took part in the first round of a naming contest for the baby panda, which began July 13. A naming committee made up of keepers, veterinarians and other experts narrowed the submissions down to five candidates.

A public vote was held both online and offline through the Everland app, at Panda World, and on the social media accounts of the Chinese Embassy in Korea. Shubao received 220,000 votes, or 42 percent of the total, more than any other candidate, to be selected as the final name.

Everland held a naming ceremony and 100-day celebration at Panda World that morning. Zoo staff — including keepers Kang Cheol-won and Song Young-kwan — attended, along with previously invited panda fans and reporters.

Shubao was born through natural breeding on June 3 to father Lebao and mother Aibao. The cub is the fourth giant panda born at Everland, following Fubao in 2020 and Ruibao and Huibao in 2023.

Giant pandas are typically born weighing less than 200 grams, so international convention calls for giving them a Chinese name around the 100-day mark, once their health has stabilized.

Shubao weighed just 171 grams at birth but has since surpassed 5.5 kilograms. The cub recently began sleeping apart from mother Aibao and has started growing teeth, among other signs of healthy development. Keepers have supported Shubao's growth with round-the-clock care and nutritional management.

Meanwhile, an Everland official said the zoo is closely monitoring Shubao's growth and is considering a public debut by the end of the year, once the cub has adapted to its outdoor environment.

Shubao's growth story and the panda family's daily life can be followed in detail on YouTube channels such as Everland and Ppuppa TV, as well as on blogs and the Zootopia Naver cafe.


joze@heraldcorp.com