Ya Ya the giant panda left the U.S. for China on Wednesday after spending the past 20 years at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee.
Memphis Zoo CEO Matt Thompson has previously said that Le Le and Ya Ya were"two of the most spoiled animals on the planet."Ya Ya, a giant panda at the Memphis Zoo, eats bamboo, April 8, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. Ya Ya began a trip to China April 26 from the Memphis Zoo, where she has spent the past 20 years as part of a loan agreement between the zoo and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens.
"After 20 years, Ya Ya has become like family, and she will be sorely missed by the Memphis Zoo staff and the local community," Memphis Zoo said in a statement Wednesday."We wish her the best of luck in her new home." The Memphis Zoo threw a farewell party for Ya Ya earlier this month. The zoo said the panda's presence was key to conservation and research projects.Female giant panda Ya Ya is pictured at the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, the United States, April 8, 2023. The Memphis Zoo held a farewell event for Ya Ya on Saturday. Hundreds of people reportedly attended the sendoff at the CHINA exhibit, where they said goodbye to Ya Ya, signed letters, and watched cultural performances.
Giant pandas can live up to 38 years old in captivity settings. Although advocacy groups such as In Defense of Animals and Panda Voice have criticized pandas' zoo enclosures, the average life expectancy of a giant panda in the wild is only 15 years.Giant pandas were once near extinction but are now considered vulnerable. There are more than 1,800 giant pandas in the world.
Visitors attend a farewell event for female giant panda Ya Ya at the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, Tenn., April 8, 2023.Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox
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