Three giant pandas which were born in Belgium have left their home at Pairi Daiza zoo, and have embarked on their journey to China.
Tian Bao, Bao Di, and Bao Mei left their home at the Cambron animal park on Tuesday morning. They travelled in two trucks to Brussels Airport.
Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
A farewell ceremony was held in the presence of Fei Shengchao, the Chinese Ambassador to Belgium, Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of Wallonia, and Eric Domb, founder and president of Pairi Daiza.
Crowds of visitors also attended the ceremony to witness the pandas' departure. The trio will join the Sichuan Giant Panda Conservation and Research Centre in China.
Visitors attending the farewell ceremony for the pandas on Tuesday morning. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
This move is part of a major collaboration reflecting over 30 years of conservation efforts by China in partnership with Pairi Daiza and various academic programmes. Currently, there are nearly 1,900 giant pandas living in the wild, up from just 1,100 in the 1980s when the species was classified as endangered. Today, the giant panda is considered vulnerable.
Tian Bao was born in Cambron on 2 June 2016, while twins Bao Di and Bao Mei were born on 8 August 2019. Their parents, Hao Hao and Xing Hui, which arrived at Pairi Daiza on 23 February 2014, will remain at the park for another five years.
In 2013, the animal park signed a 15-year international cooperation agreement with China to support giant panda conservation and host the iconic animals.
