Panda breeder Tan Jintao, known as "Grandpa Tan" by his fans on the internet, received an official invitation to Spring Festival Gala recently. 

Short limbs, fluffy face, bad at climbing trees, are characteristics on Panda Hua Hua's official introduction. A highly-recognizable appearance gained her millions of fans on the internet, and posts with her hashtag are read more than 100 million times a day.

Along with the giant panda, Tan also went viral on the internet. He says taking care of panda cubs is just like taking care of growing children.

The 51-years-old has been working at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding since 1999, where he is responsible for caring pandas aged 2 to 3 years old. As many pandas have grown up and become parents, Tan has gone from being a "nanny daddy" to a "grandpa."

Tan's daily schedule revolves around his responsibilities at the panda base. He wakes up at 6 a.m. to check the enclosures, and provides bamboo and water for the pandas. In the morning, while the pandas enjoy their outdoor activities, he quickly cleans the enclosures. Occasionally, he also adds bamboo for the pandas at night.

For Tan, the pandas are like members of his own family. "You need to be extra careful, and adjust their diet according to their weight and faeces conditions," Tan said. "She (Hua Hua) is the smallest panda born in 2020, and is relatively weak. Just like people, weaker pandas need more attention and care."