The giant panda gifted to Taiwan has a second child and is now worrying about the "blind date"

The giant panda donated to Taiwan from the mainland has a "second child", and now people are worrying about the "blind date" of the boss again...

　　On June 28, Yuanyuan, a giant panda donated by the mainland to Taiwan, successfully gave birth to his "second child" at the Taipei Zoo, a healthy female cub. In Taiwan, a call for names for giant panda babies is underway. After enthusiastic submissions from the public, the six names of Rourou, Tuanzi, Mochi, Pearl, Yuanbao, and Yuanniu will enter the second round, and the final decision will be made by the public.

Data map: Giant panda Yuanyuan successfully gave birth to cubs at Taipei Zoo on June 28. Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo

　　In a blink of an eye, the pair of giant pandas Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan donated by the mainland to Taiwan have been settled in Taipei for 12 years. They carry the affection and good wishes of the compatriots on both sides of the strait. Experience rich and varied".

Outstanding "draft"

　　In May 2005, Chen Yunlin, then director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, announced in Shanghai that compatriots from mainland China would present a pair of giant pandas symbolizing peace, unity and friendship to compatriots in Taiwan.

　　Subsequently, the Sichuan Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center, which has the largest number of captive giant pandas, selected more than a dozen lively, cute, and reproductive giant panda sub-adult populations between 1 and a half to 4 years old through optimized combination and careful selection. Only a female born in August 2004 and a male born in September of the same year stood out.

Data map: The picture shows Tuantuan and Yuanyuan interacting. Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo

　　On January 6, 2006, the "golden boy and jade girl" were unveiled at the China Giant Panda Research Center in Wolong. Experts from the center said that their "male beauty and female beauty" met the age, physical condition, and physical condition set by the previous "draft". Five specific criteria including psychological status, external characteristics and heredity. More than 200 reporters from dozens of media at home and abroad flocked to the scene, and TV stations on both sides of the strait simultaneously conducted live broadcasts, which was unprecedented.

Named to condense good wishes

　　After the giant pandas were presented to Taiwan, the call for names officially began. By convention, the name of the giant panda will adopt a double-name system, namely the milk name and the big name, both of which are two Chinese characters. The pair of giant pandas will collect their names in mainland China and their names in Taiwan. The call for names was very enthusiastic, and many Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas compatriots also actively participated in naming giant pandas through text messages, phone calls, emails, letters, etc.

Data map: Giant pandas are enjoying food. Photo by Chen Xiaoyuan

　　If you have watched the 2006 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, you must still have an impression. One of the links is to let the audience vote for the name of the giant panda and announce the final result. Previously, among the more than 70,000 names collected, the recognition rate of "Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan" and "Harmony and Beauty" was the highest. On New Year's Eve, the audience of the Spring Festival Gala had a bright vision and voted for the meaning by SMS. Calling for the reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and looking forward to the reunion of relatives. Does this also have your vote?

There were twists and turns before going to Taiwan

　　Since the mainland announced that it would present two giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots, and the news that Taiwanese people gave them names back to Taiwan, the Taipei Zoo in the Muzha area, southeast of Taipei City, has continuously received calls and emails from people. -Mail, they are all asking questions about giant pandas. A spokesperson for the zoo said that the phone calls were almost battered.

Data map: Giant Panda Tuantuan and Yuanyuan donated to Taiwan from the mainland. China News Agency issued Li Zhiquan photo

　　The "Xinguang Special Exhibition Hall" under construction at the Taipei Zoo has become the new home of giant pandas in Taipei. In addition to arranging a number of breeders to take care of the daily life of the giant pandas, the garden has also formed a team of dozens of experts, and has close exchanges and discussions with expert consultants in Wolong, Sichuan.

　　The DPP authorities in power at that time were hostile to the mainland and repeatedly obstructed the giant pandas from setting off to Taiwan. People from all walks of life expressed their dissatisfaction with the practice of forcing scientific conservation to give way to ideology, and called on the Taiwan authorities not to paint "political paint" on giant pandas. The zoo, which has invested a lot of money, has suffered considerable losses. The children who are looking forward to the pandas do not understand why the cute pandas can't come to Taiwan?

　　During this period, on May 12, 2008, a magnitude 8 earthquake occurred in Wenchuan, Sichuan. The enclosure where the giant pandas lived in Wolong was seriously damaged, and Tuantuan and Yuanyuan escaped from it. Through the efforts of the staff, Tuan Tuan was found that day, and Yuan Yuan was also found on the 17th. It can be considered a surprise.

Giant pandas set off a cute whirlwind in Taiwan

　　With the joint efforts of people on both sides of the strait, on December 23, 2008, the giant panda donated to Taiwan finally set off for Taiwan. The media on both sides of the strait once again broadcast live, relaying reports in Sichuan and Taipei. Compatriots on both sides of the strait witnessed this exciting moment through TV screens.

Data map: There are many tourists in Taipei Zoo. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Xiaoyuan

　　Originally, the giant pandas should be recruited for their names in Taiwan, but then the Taipei Zoo decided to continue to use the names Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, which the giant pandas have been used to, instead of giving them another name, lest they become uncomfortable.

　　After a one-month quarantine period, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan officially met with the people in Taipei on January 24, 2009 in their best condition, adding a super cute whirlwind to Taiwan’s Lunar New Year.

Data map. Photo by China News Agency reporter Yang Chengchen

　　At that time, Taiwanese people flocked from all over to get a first glimpse of the demeanor of the two "tender guests." In order to limit the flow of people, the zoo had to adopt the method of arranging numbers to visit. More than 18,000 people came to the zoo to see the pandas on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Many people queued up from midnight. Due to the crowds of visitors, the admission time per person was limited to only 10 minutes. From the first to the seventh day, a total of 144,000 people in Taiwan watched giant pandas live, and the sales of giant panda souvenirs in the zoo exceeded NT$6 million.

Data map: Tuantuan eats "cake". Photo by China News Agency reporter Yang Chengchen

　　Tuantuan and Yuanyuan attracted 3.6 million visitors in their first year. To this day, the Giant Panda Pavilion is still a must-see attraction for visitors to Taipei Zoo. Celebrating Tuantuan and Yuanyuan’s birthdays every year has also become a common holiday for the zoo and panda fans.

Humans love to worry about having children

　　Since Tuantuan and Yuanyuan went to Taiwan at the best childbearing age, when they will be added has become an issue of common concern. In the eyes of ordinary people, it is a happy event that giant pandas can live happily in Taiwan and spread their branches and leaves. In the eyes of professionals, the successful breeding of captive giant pandas in Taiwan is also an affirmation of professionalism. Taiwan's conservation technology has reached a world-class level.

　　In fact, the mainland gave two giant pandas to Taiwan, not only did not make Taiwan pay any fees, but also provided Taiwan with giant panda breeding, breeding and other free services. Taiwan's expert team often goes to the mainland to learn and exchange conservation experience.

The giant panda baby Yuanzi yawns in the incubator. Image source: CFP Vision China

　　Since the pregnancy of giant pandas is not obvious, most of them can only be determined when they give birth. So every May and June, everyone starts to ask, is Yuanyuan born? Good things are hard to come by. On July 6, 2013, the good news came that Yuanyuan gave birth to her first female cubs, later named "Yuanzai", which attracted more than 4 million visitors in the first year.

Data map. Photo courtesy of the Taipei Zoo issued by China News Service

　　Zhang Hemin, director of the China Research Center for the Conservation of Giant Pandas, once went to Taiwan to visit "Yuanzi" in person. He said that from the perspective of spirituality, coat color, and behavior, he grew up very well, and he could be called a "strong girl", and grew stronger than the big pandas born in the same period in the mainland.

　　Now Yuanzi is gradually entering the stage of sexual maturity, and people are thinking about "blind date" for her. It is reported that from a comprehensive perspective such as maintaining the genetic diversity of species, Yuanzi’s "good match" is likely to be selected from the mainland.

In the Taipei Zoo, Yuanzi enjoys frozen bamboo. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Xiaoyuan

　　The giant pandas who settled in Taiwan 12 years ago are now a family of four: 16-year-old Tuantuan, Yuanyuan, 7-year-old Yuanzi, and newborn baby. The two cubs born by Yuanyuan are both females. Some experts point out that having female cubs will help the zoo to breed more panda offspring in the future. Let us also wish Tuantuan, Yuanyuan and their children grow up healthily and happily in Taiwan, bringing more joy to Taiwan compatriots, and continuing the affection and friendship between compatriots on both sides of the strait.

　　Author: Shi Wan York