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
Shi Shi (giant panda) by Gao Gao as Bai Yun's mate. Shi Shi lived out his remaining years in China at the Guangzhou Zoo and died on July 5, 2008. Shi Shi (giant panda) Shi Shi (; c. 1970s – d. July 5, 2008), or "Rock", was a male giant panda who briefly stayed at the San Diego Zoo. He was the father of Hua Mei. Shi Shi was taken from the wild in Sichuan, China in 1992. He was rehabilitated and sent to San Diego Zoo as the mate for Bai Yun in 1996. In 1999, Bai Yun was artificially inseminated with sperm