The female Giant Panda named Ya Ya, which lived 20 years in a Memphis Zoo in United States, has been returned to China.
It arrived Shanghai on 27 April, 2023 after a 16-hour flight and is on quarantine for 30 days before being re-introduced to the Beijing Zoo.
Ya Ya and a male Giant Panda, Le Le, were part of 60 pandas “rented” out by Beijing to zoos all over the world.
Le Le died of heart disease in Memphis Zoo in February, 2023.
Soon after, animal rights activists reported that Ya Ya was losing fur and weight and is not being cared for adequately.
Ya Ya was born in Beijing Zoo in 2000 and was transferred to Memphis Zoo in 2003 with Le Le.
Memphis Zoo spent $16 million in preparation for their arrival, including planting four hectares (10 acres) of bamboo, the favourite food of pandas.
The activism which attracted up to 430 million people online threatened to worsen China-US relations necessitating the return of Ya Ya to Beijing in a special flight with the body of Le Le.
