France Says Farewell to Star Pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi as They Return to China

Two beloved giant pandas who captured hearts in France for more than a decade have begun their journey back to China, the Beauval Zoo announced on Tuesday.

Seventeen-year-old Huan Huan and her partner Yuan Zi, who arrived in France in 2012, are traveling in specially designed crates on a 12-hour flight from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport. The containers feature windows, ventilation holes, and inscriptions reading “Bon voyage.”

Zoo director Rodolphe Delord explained the move is motivated by health concerns and specialized care needs.

“They are reaching an age that requires highly specialized care and will benefit from the optimal environment at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where they were born,” Delord said.

Huan Huan has been diagnosed with kidney failure, a condition not uncommon in pandas of this age. Veterinary teams from France and China coordinated to ensure the transfer occurs while both animals are healthy enough to travel safely.

The pandas have been icons in France for more than a decade. Huan Huan gave birth to Yuan Meng, the first panda born in France, in 2017. He was later sent to China. She also delivered female twins, Huanlili and Yuandudu, in 2021, who will remain at the Beauval Zoo for now. Last year, the zoo welcomed 1.9 million visitors who came to see the family.

China has a long tradition of “panda diplomacy,” gifting or loaning pandas to friendly nations to foster goodwill. While only around 2,000 pandas remain in the wild, approximately 500 live in captivity worldwide, making Huan Huan and Yuan Zi ambassadors for conservation efforts.

Upon arrival in Chengdu, the pair will continue to serve as symbols of species preservation, raising awareness among visitors about the importance of protecting giant pandas.