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▲ A panda "Xiangxiang" meeting visitors at Ueno Zoo in Japan


With the return of the giant panda "Xiangxiang" born in Tokyo to China, attention is being drawn to the arrival of the giant panda "Fu Bao" born in Yongin in 2020.

Today (22nd), Kyodo News Agency, NHK, etc. reported that Xiangxiang, a giant panda born and raised at Ueno Zoo in Japan, moved to Sichuan Province, China on the 21st.

Born at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo in June 2017, Xiangxiang first met the public when he was six months old.

Xiangxiang is a giant panda born at Ueno Zoo 6 years after "Yu Yu" in 6, and has attracted immense attention from visitors to see Xiangxiang.

When news of Xiangxiang's return to China was confirmed, Tokyo's Ueno Zoo was packed with visitors who came to say goodbye to Xiangxiang.

At a nearby department store, large panda-shaped balloons were launched and farewell posters were hung to show the popularity of Xiangxiang.


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▲ Visitors who came to see the panda "Xiangxiang"


Xiangxiang's trip to China was based on the principle that "all pandas are owned by China."

This principle is not limited to parent pandas, but it is known that baby pandas born not only in Japan but also abroad are returned to China when they are 2 years old (24 months old).

We insist on this principle because pandas are classified as a "vulnerable species" (VU) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is 'threatened' status, meaning that it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.

In the case of pandas, there are only about 1,800 pandas left in the wild, and it is known that female pandas have difficulty reproducing as their fertile period is only 1~2 days a year.

As a result, Xiangxiang was scheduled to go to China in June 3, two years after he was born, to breed, but due to growing voices in Japan calling for an extension, he extended his stay in Tokyo, and this year, when he turned five, he was finally confirmed to go to China.


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▲Fu Bao, born in Everland


On the other hand, this principle also applies to the giant panda "Fu Bao", who was born in Everland, Yongin in 2020 and attracted attention.

There are currently three pandas in Korea: Aibao (female) and Lebao (male), who came in 3 when Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to send a pair of pandas during his visit to South Korea, and Fubao, who was born to them.

Each of these pandas was sent from China, or they were born in Korea but actually came to Korea on a "rental basis."

Since the 2014s, China has exported all pandas abroad solely on loan.


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▲ Panda "Fubao"


Everland, where pandas live, sends $100 million (approx. KRW 12.50 billion) to China every year for breeding research and $6,15 (approx. KRW 24 million) for baby panda research.

Parent pandas have a contract period of 3 years, and baby pandas must return to China after 4 months of breeding and about 2020-3 years old.

Fu Bao, who was born in 1 and turned <> this year, is also expected to be discussed for a full-fledged trip to China.

As Fubao's return to China, which is as popular as Xiangxiang's, with <> million views of his growing up video, nears its return, domestic fans who care about Fubao are also regretting.

(Photo = Courtesy of Everland, AP, Yonhap News)