Pairi Daiza Names Golden Monkey Babies in Historic Ceremony
Pairi Daiza, the renowned Belgian zoo in Brugelette, celebrated a historic milestone on Thursday with a grand 100-day naming ceremony for two endangered golden snub-nosed monkey cubs, an event the zoo described as “a day that will remain engraved in history.” The female babies, born on March 17 and April 20, were officially named Zhenzhen (meaning “gentle, beautiful and precious as a pearl”) and Xi Le (meaning “joy and simple happiness”) in a ceremony steeped in Chinese tradition.
A Historic First for Belgium
The births mark the first golden snub-nosed monkeys ever born in Belgium and represent a significant achievement for the 10-year conservation cooperation program between the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and Pairi Daiza. According to Xinhua News Agency, the three adult Qinling golden monkeys — females Juan Juan and Lu Lu, and male Liuyun — arrived at the zoo from Shaanxi Province, China, in May 2025.
Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao, who attended the ceremony, remarked on the rapid success of the program. “Last year, three Qinling golden snub-nosed monkeys came from Shaanxi Province. In less than one year, three became five,” he said, as reported by China Daily.
The 100-Day Tradition
The ceremony followed the traditional Chinese “bǎi suì” (100-day) celebration, a milestone that symbolically marks the transition from a particularly fragile period of infancy to a more serene stage of life. Traditionally, the baby’s name is formally announced during this celebration.
Eric Domb, founder and chairman of Pairi Daiza, explained the significance of the tradition. “I love the Chinese idea that when you give a name to your baby, you also give a meaning to the name. It means you wish your baby will have the qualities represented by the name,” Domb told China Daily. He added that the golden monkeys serve as “a wonderful way for us to show the beauty of the Chinese culture.”
The names were chosen through an online public vote that attracted more than 8,600 participants, according to the zoo’s official announcement.
Conservation Significance
The Qinling golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is considered one of the rarest primate species in the world. Native to the temperate forests of central and southwestern China, particularly the Qinling Mountains, the species faces threats from habitat loss and fragmentation.
Pairi Daiza’s veterinary team provided round-the-clock monitoring before the first birth. Yang Liu, veterinary surgeon at the zoo, described the moment: “On March 5, we observed sudden changes in Lu Lu’s behavior and appearance, so we immediately arranged round-the-clock monitoring in two shifts. At around 6 a.m. on March 17, video observation reassured us that Lu Lu was calm and moving comfortably. At 7 a.m., she successfully gave birth to a cub in a small indoor wooden shelter.”
Diplomatic and Cultural Dimensions
The ceremony carried notable diplomatic significance, with the Chinese Ambassador personally attending and delivering remarks about China-Belgium cooperation. Ambassador Fei Shengchao observed that “we don’t need complicated theories to understand the relationship between humans and nature. By walking into nature and visiting places like Pairi Daiza, we can better appreciate that relationship.”
Under the 10-year agreement, golden monkeys bred in Belgium will eventually return to China, mirroring the successful giant panda conservation model that Pairi Daiza has previously participated in. The zoo has already welcomed the birth of three panda cubs that were later returned to China.
What to Watch For
The successful births demonstrate that the conservation program is yielding results less than a year after the adult monkeys arrived. Domb expressed optimism about the future, stating he looks forward to “improving these achievements in the coming years so that we can contribute even more effectively to China’s conservation efforts.” The zoo’s partnership with China continues to focus on breeding, scientific exchanges, animal care, nutrition, and behavioral observation.
As reported by La Libre Belgique, the event marks a significant milestone for international wildlife conservation and cultural exchange between Belgium and China, with the two baby monkeys now on display for visitors in the zoo’s Middle Kingdom section.