After almost twelve years in Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo’s giant pandas are set to return to China in early December.
The pandas, named Yang Guang and Tian Tian, arrived in Edinburgh in 2011 as part of an agreement between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
Their 10-year loan to Edinburgh Zoo was extended by two years due to the pandemic.
During their stay in Edinburgh, veterinarians made eight attempts to breed the pair. Due to the challenges of breeding pandas in captivity, none of the attempts were successful.
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However, David Field, RZSS chief executive, said: “We have made a significant contribution to our understanding around giant panda fertility, husbandry, and veterinary care.”
Alison Maclean, who has been caring for the pandas since their arrival in Scotland, will travel to China with them to help them settle in.
China has been leasing pandas since 1984, a practice known as ‘panda diplomacy.’
Edinburgh Zoo has been paying China £750,000 a year to host the pandas.
Panda diplomacy has become one of Beijing’s main tools of soft political power, with 20 countries around the world now hosting them in zoos.
When the pandas first arrived in Edinburgh, Alex Salmond, then Scottish First Minister, said: “The great gift of these pandas symbolises the great and growing relationship between Scotland and China.”
“Panda eating bamboo at Edinburgh Zoo” by Andy Hay is licensed under CC BY 2.0.