Pandas San Diego Zoo

[Libby]

Is it true? Are the pandas leaving San Diego Zoo?

If so does anyone know when as we are visiting in August and were hoping to see them.

[Clamshell]

Looks like it’s true - they are going back to China at the end of April

[Libby]

That's a shame.

[marypoppins38]

Oh what a shame, I didn't realise they were scheduled to go back. We saw them in 2017 when we went and they were really cute. They had just woken to eat so weren't doing much. Their keeper that was doing a talk said that was pretty much all they did... sleep, wake to eat then sleep again. I was kind of hoping to see them rolling around as you see on YouTube but not to be.
The gorilla enclosure however was amazing. Mum had recently had a new baby was was just sat by the glass cradling him. The zoo wasn't very busy so we quietly sat by the glass next to her. She kept looking me in the eye then lifting her baby up almost as if to show him off to us. It was very emotional, I had tears streaming. Just a lovely moment and something we will never forget.

[Aims]

April 27, to be exact, will be the last day to see them. 🙁 I have a zoo membership and got this email from them yesterday:

“Dear Amy,

As part of the San Diego Zoo Global Family, I want you to be one of the first to know that we are preparing to bid farewell to Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu, our giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo.

Our long-term panda loan has come to an end, and as part of the agreement, it is time for them to return home to China. These pandas, although beloved by San Diegans, are native to China where they are considered a national treasure.

San Diego Zoo's giant panda program began in 1996 and has made significant contributions to the conservation of this iconic species. We are very proud of our past success, and we also recognize it is time to move forward as we repatriate these pandas to their homeland and address new conservation challenges for their species and others.

We are grateful for the six cubs born in our care and for the time we had to share these amazing animals with our guests. Together, we made a difference. We look forward to hosting pandas here again in the future and are currently in conversations with our colleagues in China to determine how our panda program will proceed over the next 25 years.

The giant panda habitat at the Zoo will be open for guest visits through April 27, 2019. Please celebrate the success of the panda program by sharing your favorite memories and best wishes for the future of the program on your favorite social media channels using #Panda4Ever.

Thank you for supporting San Diego Zoo Global and for being a special friend to wildlife around the world.
Sincerely,
Douglas G. Myers
Douglas G. Myers
President/CEO
San Diego Zoo Global”

[Pumpkin Pie]

Originally Posted by Libby

That's a shame.

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Come to Edinburgh and see ours!

[marypoppins38]

Originally Posted by Aims

April 27, to be exact, will be the last day to see them. 🙁 I have a zoo membership and got this email from them yesterday:

“Dear Amy,

As part of the San Diego Zoo Global Family, I want you to be one of the first to know that we are preparing to bid farewell to Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu, our giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo.

Our long-term panda loan has come to an end, and as part of the agreement, it is time for them to return home to China. These pandas, although beloved by San Diegans, are native to China where they are considered a national treasure.

San Diego Zoo's giant panda program began in 1996 and has made significant contributions to the conservation of this iconic species. We are very proud of our past success, and we also recognize it is time to move forward as we repatriate these pandas to their homeland and address new conservation challenges for their species and others.

We are grateful for the six cubs born in our care and for the time we had to share these amazing animals with our guests. Together, we made a difference. We look forward to hosting pandas here again in the future and are currently in conversations with our colleagues in China to determine how our panda program will proceed over the next 25 years.

The giant panda habitat at the Zoo will be open for guest visits through April 27, 2019. Please celebrate the success of the panda program by sharing your favorite memories and best wishes for the future of the program on your favorite social media channels using #Panda4Ever.

Thank you for supporting San Diego Zoo Global and for being a special friend to wildlife around the world.
Sincerely,
Douglas G. Myers
Douglas G. Myers
President/CEO
San Diego Zoo Global”

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Hopefully they will be back one day. I read that before pandas came to the zoo successful breeding of pandas in a US zoo had less than 10% chance of raising a live infant. Due to the fantastic work at San Diego Zoo with their panda research program this has now risen to over 90%. That is a fantastic legacy to have.

[Aims]

Originally Posted by marypoppins38

That is a fantastic legacy to have.

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Absolutely! They have a lot to be proud of, this was a very successful loan of the pandas. Hopefully more will be coming in the future!

[abiknox]

Aww that's a shame, I had a selfie with Bai Yun in the background back in 2014. I had to be dragged away from watching them much. Such beautiful animals.

[Sas]

We saw them in February but tbh they were asleep and all we saw were their bums! We couldn't even stand and wait to see if they did anything because it was like a walk through attraction and lots of people queueing behind us.
As someone else said go to Edinburgh x