<P> Su Lin (Chinese: 蘇 琳; pinyin: Sūlín) was the name given to the giant panda cub captured in 1936 and brought to America by the explorer Ruth Harkness . The first panda kept outside of China, it would die just two years later, but marked the beginning of an extensive series of pandas being taken abroad from China . </P> <P> Harkness mentioned in her 1938 book The Baby Giant Panda that the capture took place within a day's walk from the Min River in Sichuan . Su Lin, about 9 weeks old at the time of his capture, was named after Su - Lin Young, the sister - in - law of Harkness's Chinese - American expedition partner Quentin Young . Harkness translated Su Lin as meaning "a little bit of something very cute". (Harkness and Young were unaware that the baby panda was, in fact, a male .) </P>

When did the first panda come to america