Er Shun & Da Mao will arrive at Toronto Zoo on March 25, 2013
Toronto Zoo announced today that Er Shun & Da Mao will be arriving in Canada on March 25, 2013. FedEx will transport the pandas from Chengdu to Toronto.
Here is the Official Announcement by the Toronto Zoo:
After months of much anticipation we are happy to announce that Er Shun and Da Mao, our breeding pair of Giant Pandas, will be arriving to Toronto, from Chengdu, China, on Monday, March 25, 2013. This is an exciting next step in this historic Canadian milestone.
There is so much to do before receiving these amazing creatures and one of the most important things is the safety and welfare of the animals. Several steps are taken including getting the animals use to their shipping enclosures so they feel comfy for the journey.
FedEx has crafted and built panda shipping enclosures specifically for giant pandas. The enclosures are 198 cm L x 142 cm W x 137 cm H and weight approximately 360 kg. Er Shun and Da Mao will have their own enclosures for the transport so no sharing on this trip! Each enclosure is already on its way to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and Chongqing Zoological Gardens, China. The enclosures will be placed into Er Shun and Da Mao’s habitats so that they can see, smell, enter and overall get use to them well before the big departure date.
Partnering with FedEx on this very special shipment gives us peace of mind and we can’t wait for Er Shun and Da Mao to arrive and make their debut at the Toronto Zoo.
Once our special cargo Er Shun and Da Mao arrive in Toronto they will undergo a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) 30 day minimum quarantine. During this time, keepers will work closely with the animals and monitor their overall health and behaviour. Our veterinary team will also perform several health checks and various tests to will occur. Keepers will also start to introduce training and enrichment programs. This is a perfect time for the animals to get use to their new surroundings and for the staff to get to know Er Shun and Da Mao.
After the quarantine period, we will slowly introduce Er Shun and Da Mao to the rest of their habitat leading up the Exhibit Grand Opening in May.
‘Like’ us on facebook to see more pictures of Er Shun & Da Mao => https://www.facebook.com/giantpandazoo
Source: Toronto Zoo
