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Agence France-Presse

Two giant pandas that have been a star attraction at the San Diego Zoo for decades will soon be returned home to China, officials announced.
Bai Yun, the 27-year-old female giant panda, and her son, six-year-old Xiao Liwu, will be repatriated to their ancestral homeland in late April.
“Although we are sad to see these pandas go, we have great hopes for the future,” Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for San Diego Zoo Global, said.
“Working with our colleagues in China, San Diego Zoo Global is ready to make a commitment for the next stage of our panda programme.”
The pandas had been on loan to the zoo as part of a long-term conservation agreement that is coming to an end.

The animals had been a star attraction at the zoo, one of very few in the United States to have giant pandas.
There are still pandas at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC, Zoo Atlanta and the Memphis Zoo.
The species was threatened with extinction when the zoo teamed up with China 25 years ago as part of a conservation programme.
Today, pandas are listed as a vulnerable species. That means that while their survival is still threatened, conservation efforts have helped reduce their danger of extinction.
“We understand that pandas are beloved around the world, including by our staff, volunteers and millions of annual guests,” said San Diego Zoo director Dwight Scott.
“We are planning a fitting celebration next month for Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu that includes a big thank you to the Chinese people for their continued partnership and our combined conservation accomplishments in helping to save this amazing species.”
Additional reporting by Tribune News Service


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Pandas

San Diego Zoo to return beloved giant pandas Bai Yun and son Xiao Liwu to China

Bai Yun cuddles her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu, at San Diego Zoo. Photo: AP

This undated photo provided by San Diego Zoo Global shows giant pandas Bai Yun, a 27-year-old female, and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu, at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego. In honoring the terms of the Zoo's conservation loan agreement with the People's Republic of China, the pandas will leave the San Diego Zoo in April and will be repatriated to their ancestral homeland. "The San Diego Zoo was honored to be chosen by conservationists in China to work with them to develop a new model for species conservation," said Douglas G. Myers, president/CEO, San Diego Zoo Global. "The panda program we began together demonstrates how powerful these collaborative efforts can be. We are extremely grateful to China for sharing the pandas with us and offering us the chance to serve this species in a leadership role." (San Diego Zoo Global via AP)

Chinese girl has close encounter with giant pandas after falling into their enclosure

Neither the little girl nor any of the pandas were hurt in the ordeal. Photo: Thegudda.com

A little girl dropped into the panda breeding pool, the pool raised a number of giant pandas at Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding research base. Giant pandas were walking towards the little girl at the time, with many holding security guards in their legs and hanging upside down before pulling the girl out. Photo: thegudda.com

Giant panda conservation success of China and world’s zoos celebrated in Beijing exhibition

World’s fascination with giant pandas goes back to French missionary Père David’s first account of them in 1869, and multimedia show in Beijing charts the measures taken since to conserve the iconic animals and their habitat

The first captive baby panda was born in Beijing Zoo in 1963 SCMP / Elaine Yau [FEATURES 2018]

Xiang Xiang was the world’s first captive panda released into the wild in 2006. Photo : Courtesy of China Giant Panda International Culture Week Exhibition [FEATURES 2018]

Yang Chao, director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Nature Reserve Management of National Forestry and Grassland Administration. SCMP / Elaine Yau [FEATURES 2018]

the China Giant Panda International Culture Week Exhibition. SCMP / Elaine Yau [FEATURES 2018]

Visitors explore the China Giant Panda International Culture Week Exhibition in Beijing. Photo: Elaine Yau

Panda patriarch Gao Gao returns to China from US, his breeding work complete

Gao Gao had been on loan to San Diego Zoo for 15 years. Photo: TNS

The San Diego Zoo's giant panda cub, Mei Sheng, holds onto a piece of his birthday cake in San Diego August 19, 2005. The cake was designed by zoo staff specifically with the juvenile panda in mind, with his favorite treats like apples, carrots and bamboo. The zoo has the largest population of pandas outside of mainland China, including Mei Sheng, his father Gao Gao, mother Bai Yun, and his two-week-old sibling. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/San Diego Zoo

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The departure will mark the first time in more than two decades that the zoo will be without pandas


San Diego Zoo said its two pandas, 27-year-old Bai Yun and her 6-year-old son Xaio Liwu, will depart as planned next month for China.
