Preparations begin for giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni’s journey back to China

Their relationship might not have blossomed as hoped, but Wang Wang and Fu Ni captured the hearts of South Australians. Now they’re getting ready to head back home.

It should have been a love story for the ages – but Adelaide Zoo pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni were arguably just never given a chance.

Apart from brief stints each year when they were thrown together for mating attempts, they’ve been separately housed.

No wonder they never seemed romantically inclined when brought together for the brief window for passion each year, and there was never any happy announcement of baby bears.

The poor buggers barely knew each other.

Now, they will leave much as they lived here – quarantined separately before their homeward journey to China – having completed their foreign ‘panda diplomacy’ posting Down Under.

Giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni arrive at Adelaide Airport.

The truck carrying the two giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni pass Bonython Hall (Adelaide Uni) en route to their new home at the Adelaide Zoo.

Maybe they only ever wanted to be faithful to their country, rather than any other bear.

They’ve served with distinction for 15 years in Adelaide, though many have observed that they never seem to do all that much.

You probably don’t have to when you look that cute.

The quarantine is to ensure that no disease is spread between them.

Adelaide Zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley said that staff were “going through the regulatory processes” before moving into the next stage of planning for the pandas’ departure.

But there are precious few details about what the departure lounge will look like for the pair.

Probably bamboo-lined?

Wang Wang (pictured) and Fu Ni wasted no time settling into their temporary home in Adelaide. Picture: Brenton Edwards

There are perhaps some clues to be found in looking back at how they came to be in Adelaide in the first place, way back in 2009.

The arrival of then-four-year-old Wang Wang and three-year old Fu Ni was met with excited cheers from a small but expectant crowd at Adelaide Airport.

Born at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, in Sichuan province, the pandas were flown to Adelaide on board a Mega Ark cargo plane in crates labelled “Gifted to Australia from China”.

Twelve model pandas lined the runway at Adelaide Airport to welcome Wang Wang and Fu Ni.

However, their initial arrival was delayed by two hours to allow for a storm to pass, with zoo officials waiting in the rain on the tarmac where 12 model pandas lined the runway.

The crates were then taken to the zoo in a climate-controlled truck – with a “Giant Pandas Are Cool” sign – as part of an 18-vehicle procession fit for a king and queen. But before they could meet their adoring fans, the pandas had to undergo a 30-day quarantine indoors.

Their exhibit was officially opened by former governer-general Quentin Bryce in December 2009, with tickets to see the star attractions selling out fast.

Will this process just be carried out in reverse?

Odds are that, given the performance of airlines lately, they’ll probably be stuck on the tarmac after multiple flight delays and cancellations.

Maybe as a result they’ll have to be put up overnight at a swish city hotel. Could their last night here be their only true night of passion?

Very soon they’ll be gone. And we’ll have a new bear pair about which to care.

Originally published as Preparations begin for giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni’s journey back to China