Ri Ri

Ri Ri is a male giant panda who was born on August 16 2005 in China.
After the events of the 2011 [Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami], he and his partner, Shin [Shin (giant panda)|Shin Shin], traveled from China to Tokyo, where they arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21 2011, to lift the mood of the Japanese public.
In early 2012, Ri Ri was found mating with Shin Shin, who gave birth to a male cub on July 5 that year. The cub died from pneumonia six days later. Ri Ri and Shin Shin later had three more cubs together: Xiang Xiang (giant [panda, born 2017)|Xiang Xiang], and twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei .
On September 29 2024, he was returned to China, along with Shin Shin. They were scheduled to be returned in early 2026, along with Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, but were returned sooner to receive treatment for health issues.