All of the world’s pandas belong to China, however Beijing has been leasing animals to overseas nations since 1984.
Three large pandas from the Washington Zoo will return to China as scheduled final December, Chinese language International Ministry spokesman Mao Ning informed.
She was requested if the transfer was a mirrored image of the deteriorating relationship between the US and China underneath so-called panda diplomacy.
“Large pandas are usually not solely China’s nationwide treasure, however they’re additionally welcomed and beloved by individuals all around the world, and could be mentioned to be ambassadors and bridges of friendship.” <…> We’re able to proceed working with companions, together with the USA, to strengthen cooperation within the area of endangered species safety,” Mao Ning mentioned.
Zoos in Atlanta, San Diego and Memphis have both already transferred their pandas again or will accomplish that by the tip of subsequent yr, in response to Bloomberg. That method, all of the pandas will go away the US.
In April, Beijing took Ya Ya the panda from the Memphis Zoo, which was despatched to the USA as a friendship ambassador in 2003.
The zoo introduced in December 2022 that it could return Ya Ya to China, ending 20 years of collaborative analysis.
In February, consultants in China found that she had a pores and skin illness that brought on hair loss, however the panda’s common well being was regular.
All of the world’s pandas belong to China, however Beijing has been leasing animals to overseas nations since 1984.
This software of public diplomacy utilized by China to enhance relations with overseas nations is known as panda diplomacy.
Among the many non-political causes for the pandas’ return is that the pandas are reaching the age at which they have to return to China: the departure of some animals needed to be postponed as a result of coronavirus pandemic, the company famous.
As well as, in 2021, the Chinese language authorities lowered the conservation standing of pandas from “endangered” to “weak”, as their inhabitants within the wild started to get better and reached 1.8 thousand people.
China is already creating its personal community of nationwide parks that will not require sending animals overseas for breeding and conservation, the article mentioned.
A Bloomberg supply aware of US President Joe Biden’s administration’s findings on the matter mentioned Washington plans to debate the panda lease with Beijing earlier than the animals from the Washington Zoo journey to China.
Liu Pengu, a spokesman for the Chinese language embassy in Washington, mentioned the 2 nations had been “discussing future cooperation within the area of large panda conservation and analysis.”
Requested concerning the prospects for additional negotiations, a State Division spokesman informed the company that the panda settlement was not between governments, however between the Nationwide Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Affiliation.
He emphasised that the cooperation thus far is a “gesture of goodwill on either side”.
Pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian got here to the Washington Zoo in 2000 as a part of an settlement between the zoo and the China Wildlife Affiliation.
The pair was supposed to remain for ten years for a analysis and breeding program, however the settlement with China was prolonged a number of occasions.
On August 21, 2020, the couple gave start to a male cub named Xiao Qi Ji, and the identical yr the zoo introduced that it had signed one other three-year extension to maintain all three pandas till the tip of 2023.
Illustrative Photograph by Diana Silaraja: https://www.pexels.com/photograph/photo-of-panda-and-cub-playing-1661535/