he Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has announced plans to give giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian a ‘giant farewell’ from Edinburgh Zoo as the wildlife conservation charity prepares for the pair’s return to China later this year.
A new series of events and experiences will be available to book from Monday 9 January, including exclusive ‘Panda Magic Moments’ which will only be available to RZSS members, patrons and giant panda adopters.
Yang Guang and Tian Tian arrived in Edinburgh in December 2011 as part of a 10-year arrangement between RZSS and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, which was extended by two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The giant pandas could leave the capital as early as the end of October 2023 with travel details to be confirmed closer to the time.
David Field, RZSS chief executive, said, “We were thrilled to extend Yang Guang and Tian Tian’s stay at Edinburgh Zoo, especially as the pandemic made it much harder for people to visit and would have prevented our giant panda keepers from travelling to China to help the pair settle into their new homes.
