ROK-born giant panda Fu Bao greets the public in SW China, promoting bond between two countries

CHENGDU, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in the Republic of Korea (ROK), met the public for the first time on Wednesday morning since returning to southwest China's Sichuan Province, the hometown of pandas.

Visitors and international media waited for the panda star, before Fu Bao walked into the yard of her enclosure in the Shenshuping giant panda base of Wolong National Nature Reserve at 9:35 a.m., following two months of inspection, quarantine and adaptation.

She paced slowly, sniffing and looking around curiously. After exploring her yard, she found the food prepared for her in the playground, where she indulged herself in a feast of bamboo shoots.

According to Cheng Jianbin, Fu Bao's breeder, the panda is fed 30 to 40 kilograms of bamboo daily, while she is also given five to 10 kilograms of bamboo shoots each day. Veterinarians and breeders monitor her food intake, defecation habits and mental state to ensure that Fu Bao lives a comfortable life.

Li Desheng, deputy director of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, said that Fu Bao's current weight served as proof of her quick adaptation to her new environment. "It has been between 103 and 106 kilograms during the past two months," he said. "It is about the same as her weight in the ROK, and within the normal range of pandas in this age group."

Fu Bao returned to China in early April this year. Wei Rongping from the Shenshuping giant panda base noted that the biggest challenge for her was fitting into the "panda family" at the base.

"During the transitional period, Fu Bao could interact and get acquainted with her pals through odor and sound, or visit her neighbors, so as to adapt to the new environment quickly," said Cheng.

The Shenshuping giant panda base covers an area of 150 hectares and is located at an altitude of 1,700 meters in the Giant Panda National Park. With an ideal natural living environment surrounded by mountains and featuring a mild, humid climate, the base is home to over 70 giant pandas, including Xiao Qi Ji, another popular giant panda, who was born in the United States.

Starting from Wednesday, a flow restriction will be implemented to regulate visitor numbers, thereby ensuring a suitable environment around Fu Bao's enclosure, with the duration of visits limited to five minutes per group.

A BOND BETWEEN PEOPLES

Born in July 2020, Fu Bao, meaning "lucky treasure" in English, is the first cub of giant pandas Ai Bao and Le Bao, who were sent to the ROK from China in 2016 on a 15-year lease. She quickly became an online sensation among netizens in the ROK after her birth, and proved a source of joy for people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fu Bao won the hearts of people in the ROK thanks to her lovely appearance and unique charm. Around 5.5 million people visited Panda World in Yongin park to see the panda family after Fu Bao first met the public in January 2021.

Before she left for China, thousands of panda lovers braved rainy weather to bid her farewell, keeping silent when a specially-made vehicle carrying Fu Bao passed through the crowd in a bid to prevent her from being surprised or frightened by noise.

After the beloved giant panda returned to China, some ROK travel agencies even introduced "panda tourism" packages, offering tourists the opportunity to visit Sichuan and see the pandas up close.

On Wednesday morning, Korean tourists were among about 500 visitors who came to see Fu Bao, many of whom were carrying cameras to capture her images. Some waited for around two hours to see the panda.

"She was born in the ROK, and was like our daughter," said Korean journalist Lee Do-seong (pronunciation) who was reporting from the Shenshuping giant panda base.

According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, by the end of last year, China had collaborated with 20 institutions in 18 countries in promoting giant panda protection. There were a total of 56 giant pandas living overseas at that stage.

Photographer Zhou Mengqi, 70, has spent about three decades taking photos of pandas. He has hosted photo exhibitions in different countries including Australia and Thailand, and witnessed the passion of people across the world for these bears.

"As a unique species and a symbol of China, the giant panda has gained love and recognition around the world, and helped enhance understanding between Chinese and foreign people in a special way," he said. "It has become a bond of friendship between peoples."