First giant panda cub born in Indonesia, nicknamed 'Rio'
What's the story
The Indonesian Safari Park in Cisarua, West Java province, is celebrating the birth of its first giant panda cub. The cub was born on November 27 to mother Hu Chun, a 15-year-old panda. The park released videos and photos showing the newborn, nicknamed Rio, nursing well, being noisy, and showing signs of good health. The cub has been named Satrio Wiratama, or Rio for short. In Bahasa Indonesia, his name means a brave, noble little fighter with a kind heart.
Name significance
Rio's name symbolizes hope and resilience
His Chinese name is Lǐ'ào, a transliteration for Rio. The name symbolizes "the hope, resilience, and shared commitment of Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species," according to a statement from the park. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced the baby panda's name on Thursday during a meeting with Wang Huning, a senior Chinese political adviser and leading ideologist.
Conservation milestone
Rio's birth marks milestone in panda conservation
The birth of Rio is a major achievement in the conservation of giant pandas, an endangered species. Rio was stable and displayed healthy early signs, such as strong vocalization, effective nursing, and steady weight gain, while being monitored constantly. He was expected to develop better temperature control, fur growth, open his eyes, and move more in the next several weeks. The Indonesian Safari Park has been working closely with China on efforts to protect these animals.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
It’s official! Baby Rio’s Chinese name is 里奥 (Lǐ’ào). In Indonesian, it means knight or hero. He’s the only panda baby born abroad this year and most likely the youngest baby of 2025 💕🐼#pandaRio #huchun #caitao pic.twitter.com/WYMKi8bPHi
— LikingPanda (@likingpanda) December 7, 2025