Giant panda years ago) from the main ursine stock; since it is the most basal member of the group, it is equidistant from all other extant ursids. The giant panda has been referred to as a living fossil. Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the "pseudo thumb" (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat) the giant panda and red panda are only distantly related. The word "panda" was borrowed into English from French, but no conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word "panda" has been found. The closest
Su Lin (giant panda, born 2005) Su Lin (giant panda, born 2005) Su Lin () is a female giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo on August 2, 2005. Her name — one of five options in an online poll — means "beautiful jade" in Chinese. Su Lin is the third cub born to her mother Bai Yun, and the second to her sire Gao Gao. Su Lin has one half-sister, through Bai Yun, Hua Mei. Like her full siblings Mei Sheng, Zhen Zhen, Yun Zi, and Xiao Liwu, she was conceived via natural mating. Su Lin made her public debut in early December, 2005,