The Chinese Embassy in Paris has promised that new giant pandas will be sent to France following the repatriation on Tuesday of Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, the stars of the Beauval zoo. “Rest assured, French friends, new giant pandas will arrive in the future”said the embassy’s charge d’affaires, Chen Dong, from Roissy airport where the panda plane was about to take off.
The only pair of giant pandas living in France left the Beauval zoo in Centre-Val de Loire on Tuesday morning, November 25, under the watchful eye of several fans, to return earlier than expected to their native China for medical reasons. The two 17 year old ursids were placed in two white boxes marked with inscriptions “have a nice trip”took turns riding on trucks containing their images, Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists said. Due to their departure, there are only two pandas left in Beauval, born from their union.
Due to diplomatic issues, the pair, loaned as a gift by Beijing to France in 2012, left shortly after 5am, under police escort, in the direction of Roissy. The minister responsible for the ecological transition, Mathieu Lefèvre, and the head of the Chinese embassy in Paris met them there for a final farewell, before take-off.
Minutes earlier, the pandas had made their final appearance to ten guards who had come to bid them farewell, through their square Plexiglas window. Some, who had been with them for thirteen years, had wet eyes. The commotion did not seem to bother the plantigrades who were making the journey carrying 180 kilograms of fresh bamboo and several jerry cans of water.
“Panda Diplomacy”
“It seems like things are almost business as usual for Huan Huan. She scratches, she feels comfortable.”laughed the park’s director, Rodolphe Delord, also deeply moved. “Animals are prepared for transportation. Departure and arrival are zoo life”he said with a sigh. Their departure, which was caused by kidney failure suffered by Huan Huan, the woman, saddened many of their admirers. In fact, around ten people were present at the entrance to the zoo to see the procession pass by.
Since their arrival in 2012, the pandas have underpinned the success of Beauval zoo, which has welcomed two million visitors and reached a turnover of 113 million euros in 2023. They have also given birth to three cubs, the first in France: a male born in 2017 and left for China two years ago, but also two female twins, who will stay at Beauval until at least January 2027.
A journey of nearly 9,000 km awaits the pair, who must reach the Chengdu Conservation Center, as part of an international research and reproduction program for giant pandas. Initially, they were only scheduled to leave in early 2027.
A rare and vulnerable species, this large teddy bear with a white head and dark eyes surrounded by black spots evokes sympathy around the world. In the wild, they are found only in China, where they are used as a tool of influence in international relations. As part of it “panda diplomacy”Beijing lends some animals abroad to strengthen its ties with certain countries. Outside China, only about twenty zoological parks have this herbivorous plant.
Huan Huan suffered from kidney failure “quite a common disease” at this age, recalls Rodolphe Delord. “Consult with Chinese authorities”departure has been moved forward. Beauval Zoo is now hopeful “start discussion” with China “to expand partnerships (…) and why not bring in other pandas in the future »according to Mr. Delord.
