When the Chinese realized that the giant panda population was at a critical low level and they needed to become involved in saving them, they called on others across the globe, to assist them. The cooperation between countries in this effort has been successful, with research/science and breeding pairs in place from Austria to Australia.
Today, at 11:00 am, PST, they will be holding a naming ceremony for the fifth panda cub that has been born at the San Diego Zoo as part of this international effort. As we await the news of the naming of the new cub in San Diego, in another part of the world, we have experienced the joy of Fu Long's young life.
Today marks the last day Fu Long will be living at Zoo Vienna because it is time for him to take his place in China as part of this world wild effort to save pandas from extinction. And new programs continue, as Australia makes final preparations to their brand new panda habitat with their pair of pandas, Wang Wang and Fu Ni who you will be able to visit beginning December 13, 2009. Check out their new giant panda website at the Adelaide Zoo. I just read this news that a new panda habitat being built in Shanghai, that will be called Wildlife Reserves Singapore. It is scheduled to open sometime in 2012. We will keep our eyes on that for future information as it develops.
You have helped bring these pandas into our lives with your great stories, photos, videos. The zoos are also doing wonderful job of providing more information about their pandas to the public so that we have a clearer understanding of the long term goal as it relates to the pandas future in China.
Although it is hard to say goodbye to a cub who we have watched grow, fortunately, with the help of the world wide web, we have the ability to connect with fellow panda lovers who live in China and others who travel to China that now provide a bridge for us to continue following the lives of these pandas.
And of course, where would all of these programs be without your involvement. Thanks to all of the many ways each of you have supported these panda programs. Some volunteer their time working at the zoos, while others donate funds for equipment and other request from the zoos. Many of you have joined non profit organizations who work directly with China and the pandas. Of course, we can't forget all of the panda merchandise that is bought that goes toward the programs.
I know many of us experience a range of emotions with these pandas as they come and go around the world. Lets look forward to a bright future for pandas and their release back into the wild. I like to think about how exciting it is that the cubs I have witnessed being born and grow into an adults are contributing their genes to the future of pandas for generations to come. Here is a video that takes us back to when Fu Long was born and follows him up to today. Thanks to pandanews08 of YouTube for putting this video together. Good luck, Fu!
