Two giant pandas to depart for Spain from China on April 29

Giant Panda Zhuyu. (Photo/Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding)

Two giant pandas, Jinxi and Zhuyu, will depart for the Madrid Zoo in Spain next Monday for a 10-year residency, according to the China Wildlife Conservation Association on Wednesday.

The panda couple is from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The male panda Jinxi was born on September 1, 2020, and the female panda Zhuyu was born on October 25, 2020.

This action is based on the agreement on international conservation cooperation and research of giant pandas reached between two sides to further the friendship of two countries built upon pandas. According to the reports, three Spain-born giant pandas, together with their parents, returned to China on February after living in Spain for more than a decade. 

The Chinese and Spanish sides are actively moving forward with all  preparations before transportation, making every effort to ensure that the two giant pandas safely arrive at Madrid Zoo, and adapt to the new environment. 

According to the Xinhua News, the base has customized a special air transport cage to ensure that pandas can move freely, feed and rest inside the cage, and that the temperature inside the cabin is maintained at a suitable level. It will also prepare a sufficient amount of fresh and high-quality local bamboo and bamboo shoots in Sichuan, and arrange breeders and veterinarians to travel with the plane to take care of the health and diet of two pandas.