News Source：San Diego Union-Tribune
The San Diego Zoo issued a statement today saying that the 27-year-old giant panda Bai Yun and her 6-year-old son Xiaoliwu are expected to leave the United States at the end of April and return to China, their home country.
This also means that the Panda Pavilion at the San Diego Zoo will be temporarily closed and there are no plans for giant pandas to visit in the short term. “We have high expectations for the return of giant pandas, but I don’t know if they might come back,” said Shawn Dixon, Chief Operating Officer of the San Diego Zoo.
Bai Yun was born on September 7th 1991. Her father is China’s first star giant panda, Pan Pan. Her mother is Dong Dong. Because the giant panda’s sexual desire is extremely low, it is difficult to see giant pandas naturally conceive. As Bai Yun was naturally born by Pan Pan and Dong Dong, in the United States, they became a media spotlight.
In 1996, the 5-year-old Bai Yun came to the United States. The journey was called the “Panda Envoy” because she was transported in a rental truck, with the California Highway Patrol escort on the freeway. All of the news outlets covered the trip along the way, to the point when they drive through the gates of the zoo. It was a scene usually reserved for heads of state.
After arriving in San Diego, Bai Yun quickly became the “treasure of the town” of the zoo, and even became the mascot of San Diego. The photo of Bai Yun quickly became the official postcard of San Diego and an important magic weapon for promoting San Diego tourism. The photo of Bai Yun was printed with a T-shirt, which was quickly sold out. Many tourists come to the San Diego Zoo for a glimpse of Bai Yun.
In 2004, Bai Yun also starred in the movie “Anchorman”, in which the news anchor reported a show “Panda Watch” every day, which recorded the arrival of panda.
When she first crossed the United States from China with Bai Yun, she also had her first husband, Shi Shi. However, Shi Shi was not interested in things like mating. In the end, in 1999, through artificial fertilization, “Baiyun” gave birth to the first child in San Diego, named Huamei. Huamei, who was also the first giant panda born and raised in the United States.
According to the Giant Panda Lease Agreement between China and the United States, a panda born in the United States will return to China without compensation after three years of age. Therefore, Huamei became the “first returnee” when it was three years old.
In 2003, the male giant panda Gao Gao came to the San Diego Zoo and quickly became a good partner of Bai Yun. They gave birth in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2012, which were all born through natural pregnancy. Xiaoliwu was the least little one. That is why Bai Yun also deserved to become a “heroic mother.”
Bob Weise, Chief Life Science Officer at the San Diego Zoo, said that in 1996, when Bai Yun came to San Diego, the giant panda was an Endangered Animal. Because the giant panda does not breastfeed, the survival rate of the pup is only 10 % to 20%. Now, the survival rate of young babies can reach 95%. This is important because nutrition scientists at the San Diego Zoo have developed a giant panda cub formula for Bai Yun, which is now widely used in giant panda breeding bases around the world.
Giant Pandas are Vulnerable Animals now.
“Bai yun” is going to return to China, but there is no new Panda replacement. The San Diego Zoo said that it has already negotiated with China and hopes to re-lease another giant panda. Currently, it is certain that the last giant panda show at the San Diego Zoo is April 27. Want to see the giant panda’s children’s friends, let’s hurry and go.
By the way, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu is going to go back and live in Dujiangyan Panda Base where we just visited last year.
This article was originally edited by Express News. The information comes from San Diego Union-Tribune. The pictures are from the Internet except for the signature. The copyright belongs to the original author. It can not be reproduced without permission. Otherwise, it will be held accountable.
