After two decades, the giant panda Ya Ya received a warm welcome from millions of online and in-person fans upon returning home on Thursday. She arrived in Shanghai via a 16-hour special FedEx aircraft from Memphis, Tennessee. Her Chinese supporters expressed their hopes of seeing Ya Ya living the rest of her life in good health and ‘at home.’
The Sina Weibo hashtag ‘Ya Ya has landed in Shanghai’ had received 430 million views by Thursday evening. However, animal specialists suggest that fans would have to wait to see her because the giant panda would need time to adjust to her new living environment.
According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ya Ya was born at the Beijing Zoo, transferred to the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee in 2003 for joint research and conservation work. She is a beloved figure in China, but she would need to adapt to a new living environment, which may take time since she had been living in a different country for 20 years.
As per Sun Quanhui, a scientist at World Animal Protection, Ya Ya will need to be provided with nutritious food and a suitable living environment to help her get accustomed to the new environment as soon as possible.
Ya Ya is 23 years old, which is equivalent to nearly 80 human years, and may require special care. Under Chinese regulations, she must be quarantined for 30 days to determine whether she has any unknown infections. The Shanghai Zoo has provided her with a unique quarantine area complete with dwellings, sports areas, and food-processing rooms.
The zoo has also prepared a significant amount of bamboo and other food for her. A team of panda experts from Beijing Zoo would be on standby 24 hours a day throughout the quarantine period.
After her quarantine, Ya Ya would be sent to the Beijing Zoo, where living quarters, medical services, and food supplies have been provided. Animal specialists have advised that during the adaptation period, tourists should minimize her disturbance.
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