Washington, Apr 13 (EFE).- Ya Ya, the giant panda that for two decades has resided in the Memphis Zoo (Tennessee-USA) has already had its farewell party to return to China at the end of April in amid concerns from animal advocates about deteriorating fur.
Millions of people in China on Saturday watched the party for the 22-year-old panda, who arrived in the United States under an agreement between the two countries that ended on April 8.
Some 500 people attended the celebration in Memphis, which included a demonstration by the Happy Kung Fu School of Tennessee.
Efforts to return Ya Ya to her native land intensified after the death last February of her 25-year-old partner Le Le, and the deterioration of the female’s coat due to a skin disease.
A video distributed last year by the groups In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices showed the animals walking in circles, and activists said the pandas appeared to have lost hair and weight.
The zoo has indicated that Ya Ya suffers from a chronic skin condition that “does not affect his quality of life, but occasionally makes his fur look thinner and mottled.”
The zoo denied the claims of mistreatment of the pandas, saying Ya Ya’s condition “is under constant attention” from the animal care team and veterinary staff.
The average life expectancy of forest-dwelling giant pandas is about 15 years, but in captivity some have reached 38 years.
This Tuesday Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that “China has made all the preparations for Ya Ya’s return, and will coordinate with US institutions to complete a health assessment before departure.”
An expert from the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens and two technicians from the Beijing Zoo work with the Memphis staff to care for Ya Ya.
Matt Thompson, president of the Memphis Zoo, recalled that when the park built the exhibit space, it sought to go beyond pandas.
“We wanted to build an exhibition of China, including architecture, music and other animals,” he said. “We have had more than 20 million people visit over the years, visitors who have seen the giant pandas and learned something about Chinese culture,” she concluded.
