BBC News Top Stories-Sport Pandas leave Edinburgh Zoo for return to China
December 4, 2023 2 min 265 words
这则报道告别了英国爱丁堡动物园的大熊猫，体现了中英两国在动物保育合作方面的努力。在这个十年的“借款”期满后，由于疫情原因延长两年，天天和阳光将回到中国。报道中提到，为了这趟回程，它们将乘坐中国南方航空公司的波音777货运飞机，伴随它们的还有动物园的饲养员、苏格兰皇家动物学会的兽医和一名中国代表。然而，对于这对大熊猫未能在苏格兰成功繁殖的情况，让人感到一些遗憾。不过，这也凸显了大熊猫保育工作的挑战，期待它们在中国新家园继续繁衍后代，为这一保育计划划上圆满的句号。
The two giant pandas are being moved from Edinburgh Zoo to China
The UK's only giant pandas have left Edinburgh Zoo for their return home to China.
Tian Tian and Yang Guang will depart from the city's airport for Chengdu this afternoon.
A 10-year loan, which was extended by two years during the pandemic, has come to an end.
A Boeing 777 cargo plane, operated by China Southern, will carry them on the journey home.
The pandas were loaded on to a special lorry for transport to Edinburgh Airport
The pandas will travel in two bespoke metal crates, with sliding padlock doors, pee trays and removable screens so keepers can check on them during the flight.
The boxes are 190cm long, 146cm high and 127cm wide - roughly 6ft by 5ft by 4ft.
The pandas will be accompanied on the 13-hour flight by a keeper from Edinburgh Zoo and an RZSS vet alongside a Chinese representative.
It is expected the animals will be quarantined for a brief period before being introduced to their new home in Sichuan province.
A 10-year panda loan was extended by two years during the pandemic
The pair have been in Scotland since December 2011.
Conservationists had hoped female panda Tian Tian and male Yang Guang would breed while in Scotland.
However, the animals were unable to conceive despite several attempts.
The zoo and veterinarians from China made eight unsuccessful attempts at artificial insemination between the pair.
The last attempt was in 2021, after which the giant panda breeding programme was stopped.