SINGAPORE: Singapore-born Giant Panda cub Le Le safely arrived in Chengdu, China, last night (16 Jan), according to Mandai Wildlife Group.
Le Le returned to China on a specially chartered Singapore Airlines freight flight that departed around 7:15pm, accompanied by a veterinarian and two breeders from Mandai Wildlife Group.
Special guests from the Singapore Government and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore sent off the cub at Changi Airport. The plane landed at Chengdu around 11pm.
Le Le was born to Giant Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia at Singapore’s River Wonders on 14 Aug 2021. According to the agreement between Singapore and China, locally-born giant pandas must be returned when they turn two to participate in the giant panda conservation program.
The cub will be quarantined at a facility in Sichuan. China’s CCTV News outlet reported that the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center is focused on safeguarding and resettling the cub to ensure Le Le can successfully adapt to his new environment.
Mandai Wildlife Group will continue to monitor Jia Jia and Le Le as the Giant Pandas are separated