San Diego Zoo Says Good-Bye to 4 yr Panda, Yun Zi
San Diego has one of the great zoos in the country and one of the few zoos who has a Panda Exhibit. On Jan 9, 2014, San Diego Zoo sent their 4 year old panda, Yun Zi, back to his homeland in China.
A few weeks ago, the staff started crate training. They let him explore and eat inside the crate so he would get used to it. Later they started giving him food and snacks through the holes in the crate.
He was crated up and traveled by vehicle to LAX where he was loaded on a plane along with his zoo keeper, Jen, who had been with him since his birth plus a zoo veternarian was along on the trip in case he had any problems. They had changed his food in the past few months to get him used to the different food he will be feed back in China. Also, the temperature is cooler, so the zoo had fattened him up a little to give him some extra insulation for his transition.
They have prepared videos with Jen and Yun Zi of their training program here in San Diego. The zoo staff in China will be able to incorporate the same training which will help him to adapt to his new home. He had been trained to sit while they do blood draws and it is a normal part of his life so it doesn't stress him out. This will make it much easier for the new staff to check his vitals.
The staff was very sad to have to say good-bye but he will meet many other giant pandas in China and should be happy there. Good Bye Yun Zi. We will never forget you.
2 days later he arrived in China and was moved to Giant Panda Conservation and Disease Control Center in Dujiangyan, near Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan province. He will stay here a month before he is moved with other pandas.
Since 1980, China only leases their Giant Pandas to other countries and when a cub is born, China usually takes them back after the age of three years old. There are only about 1500 pandas and China is working to increase that number. The Giant Pandas are one of the most endangered species. Soon Yun Zi will soon join the panda breeding program.
**Go to the San Diego Zoo and see hundreds of animals, plants, and insects. Fun for the whole family. Lots of hotels nearby and large parking lots near the gate.
San Diego Zoo
San Diego, CA
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