The Sign Reads: "Su Lin
A Popular Panda:
Su Lin was the first panda to live in the United States. Ruth Harkness captured Su Lin in Szechwan, China during her expedition and brought him to the U.S. to raise awareness of the threat that hunting posed to pandas. Su Lin arrived at the Brookfield Zoo February 1937 and died there of pneumonia at about two years old, in April 1938. An autopsy revealed that Su Lin- thought to be female- was really male. His body was sent to The Field Museum for scientific study and eventual display. During his brief life, Su Lin charmed Brookfield Zoo visitors and the whole country. He appeared frequently in the press, newsreels, and on the radio."
