(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) China's brigades and pandas will return to China three years earlier due to the epidemic
China News Service, Toronto, May 12 (Reporter Yu Ruidong) The Calgary Zoo, Canada announced on May 12 local time that due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, the giant pandas "Large" and "Ershun" leased to Canada by China will soon contact Canada in advance The people say goodbye.
The zoo has not announced a specific date for the giant pandas to return home, but this is almost three years ahead of their original planned departure time.
The zoo said that in the past two months, the impact of the epidemic on the transportation industry has led to the destruction of the supply line of the bamboo that the pandas eat. The significant reduction in international flights has brought many challenges to the transportation of fresh bamboo, and the quality of bamboo has also been affected. The garden has made continuous efforts, but the related variables and influence have exceeded the garden's ability to control. At the same time, the garden realized that there was still a risk of a second wave of outbreaks in the area, and the fresh bamboo supply chain continued to face challenges.
Clément Lanthier, president and chief executive of Calgary Zoo, said that for this panda, the safest place is the place where bamboo is abundant and easily accessible. The garden had to make a "very difficult decision".
The male giant panda “Big Hair” from Chengdu and the female giant panda “Ershun” from Chongqing went to Canada in March 2013, and originally lived for 10 years. They first lived in Toronto for 5 years. In the meantime, Ershun gave birth to the twin dragons and phoenixes "Jiapanpan" and "Jiayueyue" on October 13, 2015 using artificial insemination technology. This is the first pair of panda cubs born in Canada. In March 2018, 4 giant pandas moved to Calgary, which ushered in a record-breaking increase in the number of visitors to the zoo.
The Calgary Zoo implemented artificial insemination for the 11-year-old Ershun in April 2019, but failed to make it pregnant again. In mid-January of this year, according to relevant agreements, "Jiapanpan" and "Jiayueyue", who had reached the age of 4, returned to China and joined the giant panda breeding program. "Da Mao" and "Er Shun" will continue to live in Calgary until 2023.
Calgary Zoo said its employees, volunteers, donors and tourists from all over the world will miss the giant pandas. Because the zoo is still closed due to local epidemic prevention restrictions, the park hopes that the public will bid farewell to the giant pandas through the panda live video page on its website. (Finish)