The chartered flight carrying Fu Bao, South Korea's beloved panda, safely landed on Wednesday in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. This marks the first naturally born panda from South Korea arriving in China.
After a thorough inspection by customs at the Chengdu airport, Fu Bao will be transported to the Shenshuping Giant Panda Base in Wolong National Nature Reserve. There, she will undergo a quarantine period to ensure her smooth adaptation to the new environment.
\"We are fully prepared to welcome Fu Bao with our comprehensive resources and facilities,\" said Li Guo, deputy director of the Shenshuping Giant Panda Base. \"Determining when she meets the public will depend on her adaptation, which may take from one to eight months or even longer based on our experiences.\"
Known as the \"top celebrity in South Korea\" or \"Princess Fu,\" Fu Bao was born on July 20, 2020, to Le Bao and Ai Bao—the pandas leased by China to South Korea since 2016. She has garnered massive popularity across the country and internationally over the years.
Under the terms of the giant panda research cooperation program, all pandas born overseas are required to return to China before they turn four years old, coinciding with the age of sexual maturity for giant pandas.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com