UK-only giant pandas return to China after 12 years in Edinburgh

Yang Guang and Tian Tian, ​​the UK’s only giant pandas, returned to China on Monday after a 12-year stay at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland.

They took off from Edinburgh Airport in two customized metal boxes on a cargo plane operated by China Southern Airlines.

The keeper and veterinarian of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, or RZSS, the charity that owns Edinburgh Zoo, traveled with them with a Chinese guard and a supply of bamboo for Yang Guang and Tian Tian to eat during the trip. , the BBC reported on the same day.

Yang Guang (E) and Tian Tian

The pandas arrived in southwest China’s Sichuan province on Tuesday after a 13-hour flight and will undergo a month-long quarantine at the Animal Protection and Research Center’s Yan site, the broadcaster said. Chinese Giant Pandas (CCRPC)

“This is an emotional day for us who have been privileged to care for Yang Guang and Tian Tian for many years,” said RZSS Senior Animal Keeper Michael Livingstone, who will accompany the pandas on their way home. “Working with this incredible breed was the highlight of my career and I will certainly miss them. I was lucky enough to fly with them to China to help them settle in and I think it’s good for them to hear a familiar voice as they adjust to their new home.”