Er Shun (adult female) with its twin cubs at the Toronto Zoo. (Photo by Jereon Jacobs, Toronto Zoo)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Family reunion in the works

Calgary Zoo’s giant pandas heading back to China after long delay

Nov 27, 2020 | 3:01 PM

CALGARY, AB – Er Shun and Da Mao are hopping on the panda express.

The Calgary Zoo announced Friday that “TODAY is the day!” Through a partnership with the Calgary International Airport and International Animal Lounge YYC, the two giant pandas are beginning their voyage.

Back in May, the Zoo announced plans to take the pandas back to China due to barriers with transporting fresh bamboo, which makes up 99 per cent of their diet.

On average, a fully-grown giant panda will eat 40 kg of bamboo every day.

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Thanks to international travel restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were significant delays in getting the necessary permits.

Lufthansa Cargo will be responsible for taking the VIPPs (Very Important Pandas and People).

Er Shun and Da Mao arrived in Canada in 2014 as part of a 10-year agreement between the two countries. After spending five years at the Toronto Zoo, the pandas came to the Calgary Zoo in March 2018 alongside their cubs Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue.

The cubs left for China in January 2020, leaving their parents as the lone pandas in Calgary. A family reunion is said to be in the works.

The Calgary Zoo plans to offer updates on the trip on their social media.