Farewell to Tian Tian and Yang Guang: UK's Only Pandas Return to China | Latest News Update

In the past few days, the two giant pandas, Tian Tian (female) and Yang Guang (male), who resided in the UK for 12 years on a lease, boarded a special flight back to their homeland after the completion of their successful diplomatic mission.

These beloved pandas, who thrived under care while in the UK, have now returned to their native land in good health.

However, the departure of these pandas has left the British people feeling incredibly saddened..

Last month, Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, where the two pandas resided, experienced one of its busiest Novembers in history: upon hearing the news of Tian Tian and Yang Guang's impending departure, numerous Britons made special trips to the zoo to catch a final glimpse of them.

The visitors comprised adults, children, seniors, and members of the media. Some had visited the pandas numerous times, while others hadn't spent as many years at Edinburgh Zoo as the pandas themselves.

However, without exception, everyone arrived with immense affection and reluctance, making a special journey to visit the two pandas.

Days before their departure, Tian Tian and Yang Guang underwent quarantine and ceased public appearances. Finally, using the lure of delicious treats, the keepers coaxed them into two specially designed crates—temporary abodes on the plane.

Naturally, fresh bamboo imported from the Netherlands continued to be served, with an entire cartload prepared for the flight—ensuring their comfort during the journey.

Eating, drinking, and sleeping on the plane, they would soon reach their long-departed homeland.

The British authorities also assigned a senior zookeeper and a professional veterinarian from a charitable organization to accompany them, ensuring constant care and a series of quarantine measures.

As the plane departed, most of the zoo staff made a special trip to the airport to bid farewell, their eyes reflecting a mix of wistfulness and reluctance.

This parting scene, so full of reluctance, starkly contrasted the exuberant crowds and excitement when the two pandas arrived here twelve years ago.

In 2011, the Edinburgh Zoo leased the two giant pandas for a staggering annual fee of up to £700,000, marking the beginning of the pandas' journey in the UK.

As the only pair of giant pandas in the UK, the arrival of Yang Guang and Tian Tian couldn't have thrilled the British populace more: 'Finally, we have our pandas!' was the collective sentiment.

When the FedEx 'Panda Express' charter flight landed, crowds lined the streets from the airport to the Edinburgh Zoo to welcome them. The zoo even staged an elaborate military band performance at the zoo gates. The VIP treatment, akin to that received by national leaders, was truly envy-inducing...

However, hosting these esteemed guests, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, was undeniably costly.

The pandas resided in separate single-cage villas. Due to the cold and damp British climate being unsuitable for bamboo growth, bamboo had to be imported from neighboring countries. Moreover, the pandas necessitated a dedicated conservation and caretaking team, incurring expenses for staff salaries, training, and consultations with hired experts.

The zoo reported that the annual expenses for the two pandas reached a staggering £1 million!

Nevertheless, the zoo's initial month with the pandas was a windfall: they were overjoyed! The visitor numbers surged by a whopping 50% upon the pandas' arrival.

It seems that's the power of celebrity endorsement effect in action...

After settling in Scotland, the zoo attempted to encourage breeding between Tian Tian and Yang Guang to produce panda cubs.

However, they probably never anticipated that this endeavor would result in a decade-long series of unsuccessful attempts, costing millions of pounds, and ultimately leading to a heartbreaking string of failures. The reasons behind the failure of the breeding program were particularly disheartening...

Tian Tian, as a female panda, had previously given birth to cubs in China before arriving in the UK, so initially, the British authorities were quite optimistic and had high hopes.

However, their numerous attempts to foster a romantic connection between this male-female panda duo were repeatedly thwarted by reality.

The two pandas simply didn't hit it off. Staff reported that while the male, Yang Guang, was affectionate, the female, Tian Tian, maintained a rather aloof demeanor and wasn't inclined to interact with humans.

In an attempt to spark a connection, the zoo resorted to some rather unconventional methods. They barred drones from flying over the zoo to prevent any noise disturbances that might affect the pandas' mood. Similarly, leaf blowers near the panda enclosure were also banned, replaced by manual brooms for cleanliness.

And it went further: employees were forbidden from wearing brightly colored clothing, fearing it might be visually jarring for the pandas and impact their mood for mating.

The zoo even went as far as extensively renovating the pandas' living quarters, striving to create a comfortable, naturalistic environment conducive to romance...

During their annual mating season, romantic music was played for the pandas in hopes of fostering an emotion that wasn't naturally present between them.

Despite all these efforts, it became evident that the pandas simply weren't compatible; they continued to ignore each other.

Experts admitted defeat: "Tian Tian probably isn't into Yang Guang's type. If they were on Tinder, Tian Tian would definitely swipe left on Yang Guang."

With the hope of natural breeding dashed, the zoo turned to artificial insemination for Tian Tian, conducting it a total of eight times annually. Every spring, the media caught wind of potential pregnancy news, creating headlines speculating about possible panda cub births in Scotland.

However, months later, these reports were always left hanging without follow-ups...

This confusion couldn't be blamed on the media. Detecting panda pregnancy is incredibly difficult; neither experts nor specialized equipment could reliably confirm it, let alone remote media hoping for cub news...

In 2018, hope for natural breeding was completely shattered when Yang Guang was diagnosed with testicular cancer, resulting in the removal of his testicles.

Artificial insemination persisted until 2021, facing opposition from various quarters before finally being halted.

After living at Edinburgh Zoo for an additional two years beyond their ten-year contract due to the pandemic, the two pandas finally returned to China on December 5, 2323, starting a new phase of their lives.

Currently, both pandas are undergoing quarantine. Soon, they will join many other pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding who share their likeness.

The hearts of the British people undoubtedly contain an intricate mix of emotions toward these two giant pandas at this moment...

"Will their Scottish accents cause problems?"

"At least they will be warmer"

"Was a big fan of the panda cams. Safe home Yuan Guang and Tian Tian"

"Amazing pictures. We were at Edinburgh Zoo yesterday saying goodbye to Yang Guang and Tian Tian. Altho we have seen them many times before yesterday was bittersweet as it was our last time ever seeing them even shed a tear leaving.Thank you so much for having them the last 12 years was so wonderful to see magestic Pandas in the flesh and learn so much about them.Good luck to the keepers tomorrow and up until they leave for China and best of wishes for Yang and Tian in their new home in China, my husband and I wish them long and happy lives.Thank you for wonderful memories/pictures and footage to treasure.Will be glued to the cameras till they're switched off"

Very strange seeing the panda cam on BBC Breakfast this morning, Glad the presenters found it as fiscinating and calm as the millions of viewers.

Going to miss that web traffic for sure. Almost as much as the pandas.

Hope the pandas' new life goes smoothly.

Source: Official media/online news