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Chinese pandas open to public in Britain

Xinhua, December 17, 2011

• Giant panda Tian Tian walks in the Panda Enclosure of the Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh, Britain, Dec. 16, 2011. Giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian, arriving in the Scottish capital on Dec. 4 for a ten-year cooperation programme, were open for public visit at the Edinburgh Zoo on Friday. [Photo: Xinhua]

  The first pair of giant pandas in nearly two decades were brought to public view in Britain on Friday.

  Nearly 600 excited panda fans watched Tian Tian, or "Sweetie" and her mate Yang Guang or "Sunshine", from behind a glass window in Edinburgh Zoo on the first day.

  Gillian Harper arrived the Edinburgh Zoo in the Morning, with her 3-year old boy Andrew. She told Xinhua the pair of pandas are "wonderful."

  "This is the first time for me to see the panda, though I had watched panda's video from Youtube, they are so cute and peaceful," she said.

  Dr. Tang Chunxiang, vice director of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda, said the two pandas, who were flown to Edinburgh from China just 12 days ago, had settled in well and were enjoying the cold Scottish weather.

  Hugh Roberts, Chief Executive of the Zoo, told Xinhua,"Education is at the forefront of Edinburgh Zoo's role in supporting panda conservation."

  "We hope that our viewing site will spark a global panda debate, proving that our pandas have a genuine world-wide impact and appeal,"Roberts added.

  Internet users can have viewing access to Yang Guang, while Tian Tian will initially only be visible to members of Royal Zoological Society of Scotland using a special "members only" portal.

  Born in 2003, Tian Tian and Yang Guang are under custodianship of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), owners of Edinburgh Zoo.

  The new pair will stay at the zoo for at least 10 years and it's hoped that they will eventually breed. Their arrival represents the culmination of five years of political and diplomatic negotiation at the highest level, spearheaded by the RZSS.

  Tian Tian and Yang Guang's arrival marked the first time in more than 17 years that giant pandas reside in the Britain. The giant panda, Ming Ming, left London Zoo to return to China on October 26, 1994.

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