Paris
AP
—
Beauval Zoo announced that a star giant panda couple who lived in France for 13 years and gave birth to three cubs will return to China on Tuesday.
The woman, Huang Huang, and her partner Yuan Zhi, both 17, are traveling on a 12-hour flight from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport in a large white box with windows and breathing holes and a sign that says “Bon voyage.”
“The panda is reaching an age where it requires highly specialized care,” zoo director Rodolphe Delode said at a farewell ceremony at the airport. “The panda will benefit from the optimal environment” at the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, where it was born.
Delord previously explained that Juan Juan had been diagnosed with kidney failure, which is not unusual for a carnivore of his age. He said French and Chinese veterinary teams decided to send them back to China as long as their health conditions allow safe travel.
For decades, China has gifted unofficial mascots to friendly countries as part of its “panda diplomacy” policy. The country currently lends pandas to zoos on commercial terms.
The pair has become famous in France since arriving at the Beauval Zoo in 2012.
In 2017, Huanghuan gave birth to the first panda born in France, a male named Yuan Meng, who was sent to China five years later.
Watch a baby panda take its first steps outside
In 2021, she also gave birth to female twins, Huanlili and Yuandudu. For now, they will be staying at the Beauval Zoo, which welcomed 1.9 million visitors last year.
In Chengdu, the couple “continues to raise visitor awareness about the conservation of this iconic species,” the zoo said.
There are approximately 2,000 pandas living in the wild in China and 500 pandas in captivity around the world.
