This Sunday, it was time to say goodbye to Pairi Daiza. The three giant pandas who were born in Belgium in 2016 and 2019 will soon travel to China. Although their departure is not scheduled until mid-December, this was the last day to observe them before their quarantine.
One last little tour, one last goodbye and the three panda children retreat to their inner territory, to the applause of the public. Now visitors will no longer have the opportunity to see them. “I saw them born, grow up, leave… I am devastated“, sobbed a regular.”I’m very sad, but you have to bite the bullet. I try to look good despite everything, but I still have it quite big, yes“, another tells us.
For about a month, big brother Tian Bao and twins Bao Di and Bao Mei will live out of sight in quarantine to prevent them from falling ill before their trip to China. Only their caregivers will still have contact with them. “I had the chance to see them born, so it’s true that it does something to us, but we are sad and at the same time happy because it’s an adventure that is ending and we hope that in the future, we will still have the possibility of having births and that new adventures begin with our pandas“, despite everything, rejoices Robin Bouttefeux, caretaker of giant pandas.
It’s hard to see him go
Fans immortalized every moment of this last day. Meals, games, naps,… many enthusiasts wanted to be there for a last goodbye. “Lots of emotions, yes. Lots of emotions. It’s for her as it is for the four of us, in fact“, admits with a trembling voice a father, his daughter in his arms. “It’s hard to see him go. We don’t realize it like that, but it’s true that every year, we came to see him and it was always the little ritual“.
“Tian Bao, especially. There is Bao Di and Bao Mei too, but a lot of him… We saw him grow, evolve, do his stupid things. We will miss him“, cries another visitor.
The births of these three pandas within the park have enabled real progress in the species conservation program. “We were able to improve, on the one hand, the detection of the female’s fertile period and, moreover, to develop pregnancy tests, in a way, for the female giant panda.“, explains Catherine Vancsok, scientific director of the Pairi Daiza foundation.
The parents, Hao Hao and Xing Hui, are still very present. They remain at the park for the next five years.
Pairi Daiza pandas geants chine Bao Di et Bao Mei Hao Hao et Xing Hui Tian Bao
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