“It was a miracle to meet you. Thank you, Fu Bao,” the message accompanying photographs of the panda, which adorned the vehicle, indicated that Fu Bao, meaning “lucky treasure,” had completed a month-long quarantine period and had not been presented to the public.
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“This day has really come … the day you are beginning a long journey for the next part of your life,” zoo keeper Kang Cher-won, who had been caring for Fu Bao, said in a farewell message. “Thank you and we’re proud of you.”
A month ago, thousands of visitors formed long queues in the early morning chill to catch a last glimpse of Fu Bao, expressing their sadness over her impending departure. The panda is en route to China’s Sichuan province.
The cub’s parents, 10-year-old female Ai Bao and 11-year-old male Le Bao, were brought to South Korea in 2016 from Sichuan province, the native habitat of giant pandas, as part of China’s “panda diplomacy.” Last July, Ai Bao gave birth to giant panda twins in South Korea. Female pandas have a narrow window of opportunity for conception, occurring only once a year, and cubs face significant challenges in surviving as they are frequently born prematurely, typically weighing less than 200 grams (0.44 lb.)
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