Panda pair to leave for Taiwan

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 12-22-2008 13:41

Tomorrow, the two Chinese mainland giant pandas promised to Taiwan will finally journey to the island.

A caretaker of the Taipei zoo trains Yuan Yuan, one of the  two pandas donated and will be sent by the Chinese mainland  to Taiwan, at a panda breeding base in Ya'an, southwest  China's Sichuan Province Dec. 21, 2008. A Taiwan-based Eva  Air flight left here Monday morning for the mainland to  pick up two pandas offered to Taiwan as a gesture of  goodwill.(Xinhua Photo)

They are the two most famous pandas at the breeding base in Ya'an.

The two four-year-old pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, are a goodwill gift from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan. They were singled out of a total 23 pandas from the Wolong Nature Reserve and are considered the most handsome and compatible pair.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were relocated from Wolong to Ya'an in June. They are now both happy and healthy. On Tuesday, they are scheduled to set off for their new home at the Taipei Zoo to start their new life there."

Tang Chunxiang is the chief veterinarian for the two pandas. He will accompany them to Taipei and plans to stay there for two months to help the pandas adapt to the new environment. He said that though shocked by the May earthquake, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan have recovered quickly and are now in excellent condition. He added that the scheduled long-distance journey shouldn't be a concern.