‘Finally, they can leave that zoo’: China welcomes news of the return of giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le from US zoo after mistreatment claims

The Chinese public celebrate the return of two sick pandas in the Memphis Zoo in the United States after mistreatment claims

China works on research with 18 countries that keep pandas, including the United States, Germany, Qatar, Singapore and Japan

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The news that two pandas will return to China from the US after a zoo was accused of mistreating the animals is being celebrated on mainland social media. Photo: Memphis Zoo

Liya Suin Shanghai

Published: 9:00am, 24 Dec 2022Updated: 6:57pm, 26 Dec 2022

A US zoo is returning two giant pandas that had been on loan from China, a move welcomed on the mainland following recent allegations of mistreatment by animal rights activists.

The Memphis Zoo announced on December 21 that pandas Ya Ya and Le Le would be sent back to China early next year after a 20-year loan agreement between the zoo and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens ended.

Earlier this year, animal rights groups claimed that the zoo was mistreating the pandas.

In February, the group In Defense of Animals (IDA) released a video online showing the animals pacing around their enclosure and accused the zoo of subjecting them to “physical, mental, and emotional deprivation”.

Female panda Ya Ya in her habitat at The Memphis Zoo in 2020. Photo: Reuters

The Chinese public, which had been shocked by the mistreatment accusations, welcomed news of the pandas’ return to China.

“Are those two pandas very underweight? God bless. Finally, they can leave that zoo,” commented one person on Weibo.

‘Finally, they can leave that zoo’: China welcomes news of the return of giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le from US zoo after mistreatment claims

The Chinese public celebrate the return of two sick pandas in the Memphis Zoo in the United States after mistreatment claims China works on research with 18 countries that keep pandas, including the United States, Germany, Qatar, Singapore and Japan

The Chinese public celebrate the return of two sick pandas in the Memphis Zoo in the United States after mistreatment claims

China works on research with 18 countries that keep pandas, including the United States, Germany, Qatar, Singapore and Japan