Wang Wang & Fu Ni returned to China
On the early morning of November 2024, Adelaide Zoo officially waved a paw goodbye to Giant Pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni.
After 15 years in Adelaide, the pair have left Australia to return home to their native, China.
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.
“They sparked a love and appreciation for Giant Pandas not only here is South Australia but across the country and gave people a greater understanding into these amazing animals and their conservation in the wild.
“We are very excited to meet Yi Lan and Xing Qiu later this year, but we are never going to forget Wang Wang and Fu Ni. They will hold a place in the hearts of many for years to come.”
To say farewell, the black-and-white duo will receive special enrichment boxes created by the zoo’s BEEZA (Behavioural and Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Animals) team, covered in the public’s well wishes, letters and drawings from the zoo’s Panda Postbox.
Bamboo Forest was closed on Wednesday evening, as the bears dedicated keeping team prepared them for their giant journey home.
“Wang Wang and Fu Ni are travelling in specially-designed crates, which ensures they are comfortable and safe during their flight,” Dr Ainsley said.
“It has been a smooth journey so far, both Wang Wang and Fu Ni were resting as we travelled through the city and to the airport in the early hours of this morning.
“The keeping team completed extensive training with both pandas in a mock-crate space, so that they were used to this environment before their journey.
“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!”
Once the pandas have touched down in 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 transport the bears to a panda base, where they will meet their new keepers and settle in to their new home.
Zoos SA will provide an update on Wang Wang and Fu Ni once they have acclimatised to their new habitat.
It is expected that the new Giant Pandas, Yi Lan and Xing Qiu, will arrive at Adelaide Zoo before the end of the year before completing a mandatory quarantine period.
Zoos SA looks forward to sharing more black-and-white news with the community as the next chapter of the zoo’s panda journey begins.
Source: Adelaide Zoo
