Adelaide Zoo’s pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni return to China
After calling Adelaide Zoo home for 15 years, pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni have quietly jetted out of Adelaide.
SA News
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After calling Adelaide Zoo home for 15 years, pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni have flown out of Adelaide, back to China.
The pair quietly slipped out on a cargo flight just after 6.30am Friday morning, after a special farewell reception was held for them.
Director of Adelaide Zoo, Dr Phil Ainsley, said it was a poignant moment for the team at Adelaide Zoo.
“It has been an emotional week for so many of our zoo family; from the keepers who have worked so closely with Wang Wang and Fu Ni to our volunteers, staff and panda-lovers from the public,” he said.
“Wang Wang and Fu Ni have made such an impact during their time here; they really were the pioneers for their species in the Southern Hemisphere.
The pair are travelling in specially-designed crates to ensure they are comfortable and safe during the flight.
“We also have a keeper and vet from Adelaide Zoo along with a Vet from the China Panda bases travelling with the pandas to make sure they have everything they need – including in-flight bamboo and panda cake snacks,” Dr Ainsley said.
Wang Wang and Fu Ni are expected to touch down in China at 9pm Friday, ACDT.
In a post on Facebook this week, the zoo’s panda team shared an emotional goodbye to the pair.
Senior Primate Keeper Pij, recalled how he loved greeting the pandas each morning.
“I love rocking up to work and opening the door and having pandas there,” he said.
“They greet you. They verbally greet you and seem happy to see you and welcome you into that environment.”
Zoo keeper Jemma, who has been working with the pandas for four years, said she had learned “so much” from the “incredible” animals.
Once the pandas have arrive in the Chinese city of Chengdu, the Adelaide Zoo team will meet with conservation partners at China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) who will take them to a panda base, where they will meet their new keepers and settle in to their new home.
Back in Adelaide, they are set to be replaced by female panda Yi Lan and male panda Xing Qiu.
Both pandas are from Chengdu and are currently three years old, with Xing Qiu turning four just before his arrival.
Xing Qiu has been described as a “handsome” panda whose name plays homage to the starry autumn night he was born on with Xing Qiu meaning “star Autumn”.
His “playful” pal’s name, Yi Lan means “idly blissful” which is hopefully how she will find her new South Australian home.
It’s hoped the new panda pair will have more chemistry than Wang Wang and Fu Ni, who famously failed to produce a cub despite multiple breeding attempts during their 15 years in Adelaide.
But while Wang Wang and Fu Ni never mated as hoped, they enjoyed a love affair with the public.
The zoo’s post was flooded with comments wishing the couple a beary special goodbye.
“Safe travels to our gorgeous pandas,” one user wrote. “We will miss you both.”
“Very sad to say goodbye” another commented.
It’s been a week of major moves at SA zoos.
Monarto Safari Park’s new Asian elephant touched down in Adelaide yesterday after a 4.5 hour flight from Auckland.
The zoo is expected to provide an update on how the 42-year-old elephant has settled in to her new home later on Wednesday.
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