Greek musician Yanni has a new addition to his family.
He's the proud father of a baby female panda.
Yanni travelled to the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base in southwest China to meet his two-month-old.
He was invited by the centre to adopt the panda - a first for a Western artist.
Such privileges are usually reserved for countries rather than personalities.
Officials from the research base said they had chosen Yanni because of the inspiration and harmony that derives from his music.
At the adoption ceremony Yanni told reporters of his pride of adopting the panda.
SOUNDBITE: Yanni, Musician, saying (English):
"I accept this gift and this honour with great humility and a profound sense of responsibility towards the country of China."
Later at the adoption ceremony, the singer explained why he named the panda after the Greek island of "Santorini".
SOUNDBITE: Yanni, Musician, saying (English):
"Santorini includes the word 'irini', which in Greece, in Greek language, means 'peace'."
The mother of the baby panda is Mao Mao, which served as a model for one of the five mascots, "Jingjing", of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Mike Davidson, Reuters
