Memphis Zoo holds farewell party for Ya Ya the giant panda ahead of return to China

Name: With tears and waves, Japan sends giant panda ‘home’ to China
Uploaded: 2023-04-08T18:50:21.000Z
Duration: 1 min 26 s
Description: With tears and waves, Japan sends giant panda ‘home’ to China

Highlighted by Chinese cultural performances, the party marked the end of a 20-year loan agreement with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens

The zoo says Ya Ya and Le Le, a male panda who died in February, were key to research and conservation projects and helped people experience Chinese culture

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Ya Ya the Giant Panda has been on loan to Memphis Zoo for 20 years. Photo: Reuters

Associated Press

Published: 2:50am, 9 Apr 2023

Visitors at the Memphis Zoo said goodbye on Saturday to giant panda Ya Ya during a farewell party ahead of her departure back to China.

Highlighted by Chinese cultural performances, the send-off marked the end of a 20-year loan agreement with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens that landed Ya Ya in Memphis. About 500 people attended the event, which featured a demonstration by the Tennessee Happy Kung Fu School.

Ya Ya was born on August 3, 2000 in Beijing. She was joined in Memphis under the loan agreement by Le Le, a male panda who was born July 18, 1998 and died in February ahead of the pair’s planned return to China.

Ya Ya is likely to head back to China at the end of month, according to zoo spokeswoman Rebecca Winchester.

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With tears and waves, Japan sends giant panda ‘home’ to China

The zoo says the pandas were key to research and conservation projects and helped people experience some of Chinese culture.