Rui Bao and Hui Bao

Must be transferred before turning 4 under international agreement

Farewell program planned for visitors

Twin giant pandas Rui Bao (right) and Hui Bao (left) at the panda second house at Everland [Everland]
Twin giant pandas Rui Bao (right) and Hui Bao (left) at the panda second house at Everland [Everland]

Everland, the resort arm of Samsung C&T, announced Wednesday that twin giant pandas Rui Bao and Hui Bao will be transferred to China in the third week of December.

The park has been in close consultation with the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the Panda Conservation and Research Center to ensure the twins, born in July 2023, can make the move at the optimal time. Under an international agreement, all giant pandas born outside China must be returned before they turn 4 — the age at which they reach breeding maturity.

The exact transfer date and destination will be determined after taking into account the pandas' health, temperatures and conditions on the ground. As was the case with Fu Bao, the twins will enter a roughly one-month health monitoring and quarantine period before the move. Details on public viewing schedules during quarantine will be announced once confirmed.

Everland said it will make every effort to ensure a safe transfer for Rui Bao and Hui Bao. The park also plans to hold a farewell program for visitors to celebrate and remember the twin pandas.

Meanwhile, once Rui Bao and Hui Bao depart, Shu Bao will be the only panda cub born at Everland still remaining at the park. Born in June weighing 171 grams, Shu Bao has surpassed 5.5 kilograms earlier this month and is growing healthily. The park said it is reviewing plans to open Shu Bao to the public before the end of the year, closely monitoring the cub's development.

"We will take meticulous care of Rui Bao and Hui Bao right up until the day they leave, so they can stay healthy and happy in their new environment," an Everland official said. "We ask for your warm support as the twin pandas embark on this new chapter."


jeongwan@heraldcorp.com