South Korean people bid farewell to their beloved giant pandas in tears and set off for China

A group of people, some crying, gathered at a rain-soaked amusement park in South Korea on Wednesday to say goodbye to a beloved giant panda.

Fu Bao has been a highlight at Everland near Seoul since he was born in 2020, from pandas Ai Bao and Le Bao, who were born in 2016 through a 15-year leasing program. China is here.

China sends giant pandas abroad as a show of goodwill but retains ownership of the animals and their cubs. Decades of field conservation work and captive research have saved the species from extinction, increasing its population from less than 1,000 individuals at one time to more than 1,800 individuals in the wild and in captivity.

Many panda fans in South Korea braved the rain to attend a farewell ceremony at Everland on Wednesday for Fu Bao, who will fly to China later that day.

As a truck carrying Fubao slowly drove towards the square in the rain, many tourists wearing raincoats or holding umbrellas waved flags, shouted goodbye and took photos with their mobile phones.

Some cried loudly, and some wiped away tears.

The truck was decorated with a large photo of Fubao and the words “It’s a miracle we met you. Thank you, Fubao.”

But she did not appear in public Wednesday. The park last displayed her to the public on March 3.

Zookeeper Jiang Zheyuan said in his speech at the ceremony: “Even if 10 or 100 years have passed, you will always be our baby panda.” “Everyone, Fubao is leaving. Please remember Fubao for a long, long time – also Please don’t cry too much!”

Fu Bao’s mother Ai Bao gave birth to twin female cubs last year, the first pair of giant panda twins born in South Korea.