"Now, it's time for Tian Tian and Yang Guang to return to China."
It’s Monday 4th December and today is the day we say goodbye to the giant pandas.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland kindly invited me along to Edinburgh Zoo this morning to wave them off as they head back home to China after spending exactly 12 years here.
Arriving in Scotland to a fanfare on the 4th December, they were the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years.
Now, under the terms of a 10-year loan that was extended due to the pandemic, it is time for Tian Tian and Yang Guang to return to China.
Michael Livingstone, Senior Animal Keeper at RZSS, said, "It's an emotional day for us keepers that have been fortunate enough to care for Yang Guang and Tian Tian over the years. It has been the highlight of my career to work this amazing species and I will definitely miss them. I’m lucky enough to be travelling on the plane with them to China to help them settle in and I think it will be nice for them to hear a familiar voice as they get used to their new home."
🎫 Media Invite
📸 Images by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
🎥 Reel by Jenna's Jamboree
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (rzss.org.uk)
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.