Pandas could be gone from America’s zoos by the end of next year
1 year, 3 months ago

Pandas could be gone from America’s zoos by the end of next year

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Wearing an “I Love Pandas” T-shirt and clutching a panda-covered diary, Kelsey Lambert bubbled with excitement as she glimpsed the real thing. So we had to do it now that they’re going away.” The National Zoo’s three giant pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — are set to return to China in early December with no public signs that the 50-year-old exchange agreement struck by President Richard Nixon will continue. Visitors watch Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji as he eats bamboo in his enclosure at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. The departure of the National Zoo’s bears would mean that the only giant pandas left in America are at the Atlanta Zoo — and that loan agreement expires late next year. Have I earned enough for a plane ticket to return home?” Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji eats bamboo in his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.

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History of this topic

China’s Panda diplomacy tested as fight erupts over Fu Bao
7 months, 1 week ago

China’s Panda diplomacy tested as fight erupts over Fu Bao

Live Mint  

Beijing is accused of mistreating Fu Bao, a recently returned female panda from South Korea. More recently, people in South Korea, China and elsewhere were troubled over zoomed-in images taken from a livestream feed run by the panda sanctuary that appeared to show Fu Bao’s patchy fur. Her fans claimed that another video circulating on Chinese social media showed a …

The last pandas at any US zoo are expected to leave Atlanta for China this fall
7 months, 3 weeks ago

The last pandas at any US zoo are expected to leave Atlanta for China this fall

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — The last U.S. zoo with pandas in its care expects to say goodbye to the four giant bears this fall. Zoo Atlanta is making preparations to return panda parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang to China along with their American-born twins Ya Lun and Xi Lun, zoo officials said Friday. The four Atlanta pandas have been the last …

Tears as South Korea bids farewell to beloved giant panda
9 months, 1 week ago

Tears as South Korea bids farewell to beloved giant panda

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A crowd of people, some …

Panda diplomacy? China to send pandas to the San Diego Zoo for the first time in years
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Panda diplomacy? China to send pandas to the San Diego Zoo for the first time in years

LA Times  

China could soon be sending giant pandas to the U.S. for the first time in years, reigniting “panda diplomacy” between the two countries. has secured agreements with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the Madrid Zoo Aquarium of Spain regarding the conservation of giant pandas, according to Xinhua, China’s news agency. China’s president suggests they might Chinese President Xi …

China calls for peaceful coexistence and promises pandas on the 45th anniversary of U.S.-China ties
1 year ago

China calls for peaceful coexistence and promises pandas on the 45th anniversary of U.S.-China ties

Associated Press  

BEIJING — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday that the United States and China must insist on peaceful coexistence and transcend their differences like they did when they established diplomatic relations 45 years ago this week. “We must think about how to calibrate the direction of the large ship of China-U.S. relations avoid hidden reefs and dangerous shoals.” Both …

China calls for peaceful coexistence and promises pandas on the 45th anniversary of U.S.-China ties
1 year ago

China calls for peaceful coexistence and promises pandas on the 45th anniversary of U.S.-China ties

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Fans say goodbye to Edinburgh’s giant pandas
1 year, 1 month ago

Fans say goodbye to Edinburgh’s giant pandas

The Independent  

The only giant pandas in the United Kingdom, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, returned to China on 5 December after a 12-year stay at Edinburgh Zoo. Yang Guang, whose name means sunshine, and Tian Tian, whose name translates to sweetie, arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in December 2011 as part of a 10-year agreement between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland …

Could America’s giant panda exodus be reversed? The Chinese president’s comments spark optimism
1 year, 1 month ago

Could America’s giant panda exodus be reversed? The Chinese president’s comments spark optimism

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Panda lovers in America received a much-needed injection of hope when Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that his government was “ready to continue” lending the black and white icons to American zoos. “If I’m at the National Zoo, I’m probably contacting my counterpart and saying, ‘Can we move forward now?’” FILE - Bao Bao, a giant panda …

Panda diplomacy: China may be making the U.S. a cuddly offer it cannot refuse.
1 year, 1 month ago

Panda diplomacy: China may be making the U.S. a cuddly offer it cannot refuse.

Slate  

This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become. Considering the rather frosty relations between the U.S. and China, many people worried that their send-off might foreshadow a future with no pandas in the U.S. Now, a mere seven days later, China’s President Xi …

Pandas could return to U.S. after Xi-Biden summit
1 year, 1 month ago

Pandas could return to U.S. after Xi-Biden summit

Raw Story  

Chinese President Xi Jinping appears ready to deploy his country's soft power after his summit with U.S.President Joe Biden -- in the form of cuddly pandas. But Xi told a dinner after meeting Biden in California on Wednesday that China could send new pandas as "envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American people." "Should the decision be made by …

Xi signals that China will send new pandas to the US
1 year, 1 month ago

Xi signals that China will send new pandas to the US

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled that China will send new pandas to the United States, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” “We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation, and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly …

Are pandas coming back to California? China’s president suggests they might
1 year, 1 month ago

Are pandas coming back to California? China’s president suggests they might

LA Times  

Xiao Qi Ji, a panda cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, was returned to China earlier this month. Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled late Wednesday that China will send new pandas to the U.S. — possibly to California — calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” “We are ready to continue our cooperation with …

National Zoo’s giant pandas fly home amid uncertainty about future panda exchanges
1 year, 2 months ago

National Zoo’s giant pandas fly home amid uncertainty about future panda exchanges

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The day that panda lovers have been dreading has finally come. The National Zoo’s three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji. Smith noted that during the 50 years of panda exchanges between China and the National Zoo, giant pandas have been removed from the list of endangered species. The departure of the …

DC pandas will be returning to China in mid-November, weeks earlier than expected
1 year, 2 months ago

DC pandas will be returning to China in mid-November, weeks earlier than expected

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The National Zoo’s three celebrity giant pandas will be heading home a little earlier than expected. “Discussions with our Chinese partner, the China Wildlife Conservation Association, to develop a future giant panda program will likely start after the current pandas have returned to China,” zoo spokesperson Annalisa Meyer said in an email. “After 51 years of success, we …

DC pandas will be returning to China in mid-November, weeks earlier than expected
1 year, 2 months ago

DC pandas will be returning to China in mid-November, weeks earlier than expected

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Pandas could be gone from U.S. zoos by the end of next year
1 year, 3 months ago

Pandas could be gone from U.S. zoos by the end of next year

LA Times  

Wearing an “I Love Pandas” T-shirt and clutching a panda-covered diary, 10-year-old Kelsey Lambert bubbled with excitement as she glimpsed the real thing. So we had to do it now that they’re going away.” The National Zoo’s three giant pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — are set to return to China in early …

Eats, sleeps and leaves: Why pandas are bidding bye-bye to US zoos
1 year, 3 months ago

Eats, sleeps and leaves: Why pandas are bidding bye-bye to US zoos

Firstpost  

China has for decades ‘gifted’ the creatures – in a scheme labelled ‘Panda Diplomacy’ – to serve as goodwill ambassadors and soften its image. Alan Chong, a soft power expert and senior fellow at RSIS said the animals “serve as an index as well as a vehicle for promoting good relations between China and the recipient country.” A piece in …

‘Bring Ya Ya home’: How a panda in the US turbocharged Chinese nationalist sentiment
1 year, 8 months ago

‘Bring Ya Ya home’: How a panda in the US turbocharged Chinese nationalist sentiment

CNN  

CNN — When Ya Ya, a giant panda from China, landed in the United States in 2003, several hundred spectators at the Memphis International Airport broke into cheers to welcome the fluffy goodwill ambassador from Beijing. In contrast, China has not granted any panda loans to the US for two decades, since Ya Ya and Le Le arrived in Memphis, …

Naughty Beijing Zoo giant panda again goes viral
1 year, 8 months ago

Naughty Beijing Zoo giant panda again goes viral

China Daily  

With a round head and fluffy face, giant panda Meng Lan at the Beijing Zoo has again gone viral for his naughty behavior, CCTV News reported. This photo shows Meng Lan "stealing" keys from a zoo keeper. Since born in July 2015 in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Southwest China's Sichuan province, Meng Lan has received much …

Naughty Beijing Zoo giant panda again goes viral
1 year, 8 months ago

Naughty Beijing Zoo giant panda again goes viral

China Daily  

With a round head and fluffy face, giant panda Meng Lan at the Beijing Zoo has again gone viral for his naughty behavior, CCTV News reported. This photo shows Meng Lan "stealing" keys from a zoo keeper. Since born in July 2015 in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Southwest China's Sichuan province, Meng Lan has received much …

Panda Politics: Why are US zoos sending back the bears to China?
1 year, 8 months ago

Panda Politics: Why are US zoos sending back the bears to China?

Firstpost  

Ya Ya, a 22-year-old female giant panda, is all set to return to China from United States’ Memphis Zoo in Tennessee. As per South China Morning Post, the hashtag “Ya Ya eats iced fruit cake” garnered 100 million views on China’s microblogging platform Weibo. Ya Ya to return to China Ya Ya’s return comes as Memphis Zoo’s 20-year loan agreement …

Japan bids teary farewell to pandas sent to reserve in China
1 year, 10 months ago

Japan bids teary farewell to pandas sent to reserve in China

The Hindu  

Japanese panda fans bid teary farewells to their idols Xiang Xiang, “super papa” Eimei and his twin daughters who were sent to China on February 21 to swap their home at the zoo for a protected facility in Sichuan province. Hundreds of people who waited outside Tokyo's Ueno Zoo took photos, wiped tears with handkerchiefs and waved at a white …

Pandas in the pandemic cause both delight and disappointment
4 years, 7 months ago

Pandas in the pandemic cause both delight and disappointment

LA Times  

The excitement has been a lot to bear, but so has the sadness. Unfortunately, across the Atlantic, crestfallen staff and visitors to the Calgary Zoo are bidding goodbye three years earlier than expected to a pair of adult pandas on loan from China. “This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but the health and well-being of the animals we …

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