Pandas born in Japan are returned for breeding
Print Edition
THREE giant pandas born and raised in Japan have returned to China under a standard agreement to improve the breeding success of the rare animals.
The 6-year-old twins Hai Bang and Yang Bang and their 4-year-old sister You Bang had been living at Wakayama Adventure World in southern Japan.
On Monday, the three arrived in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, home to most wild pandas, as well as sanctuaries and breeding centers.
They were on their way to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding yesterday, where they will be quarantined for a month while they acclimatize to their new home before going on show to the public.
“They are expected to adapt to changes in food, environment, language, and even the taste of bamboo. We will perform health checks on the pandas,” said Yang Zhi, a disease prevention expert with the center.
Wakayama Adventure World and the Chengdu base have been cooperating on panda breeding research since 1994.
The program has led to the births of 15 pandas, eight of whom have now returned to China, Xinhua said.
Cubs born to pandas that are “on loan” from China must be returned to China after they reach sexual maturity or when the cooperative agreement ends.
Around 420 pandas live in captivity, the majority within China, while an estimated 1,864 live in the wild.
China has for decades gifted friendly nations with its unofficial national mascot in what was known as “panda diplomacy.”
The country more recently has loaned pandas to zoos on commercial terms.
Most loans last from 10 to 15 years, with fees of as much as US$1 million per year.
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