Two pandas moving to Dutch zoo from China
Updated: 2015-11-05 23:41
By Fu Jing and Gao Shuang in Brussels(chinadaily.com.cn)
|
|||||||||||
Two Chinese pandas will be moving to the Ouwehands Zoo in the Dutch town of Rhenen, about 90 km (60 miles) from Amsterdam, in the latter half of 2016. The move follows the signing of an agreement by the Netherlands and China, said Robin de Lange, director of Ouwehands. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY |
Two giant pandas will be moving from China to the Ouwehands Zoo about 90 kilometres (60 miles) from Amsterdam in the latter half of 2016, the Dutch zoo has confirmed.
The arrival of the 3-year-old pandas, named Xing Ya (male) and Wu Wen (female), follows the signing of an agreement for the move by the Netherlands and China during Dutch King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima's visit to China from Oct 25 to 29.
"We are very excited about their coming and now we have been busy planning and designing to construct a 3,000-square meter home for the pandas," Robin de Lange, director of Ouwehands Zoo told China Daily on Thursday. The pandas' new home will be Chinese-style garden and a bamboo forest next to it.
De Lange said the zoo will pay $1 million every year to rent the pandas for 15 years, and the money will go to Wolong Panda Centre in Sichuan province for the Giant Panda Conservation Project to protect the giant pandas in China.
He said that his team has learned a lot about pandas, including animal management, nutrition, and daily care from zoos around the world.
According to Dirk-Jan van der Kolk, zoological manager at Ouwehands, two of the zoo's staff members will go to the Wolong Giant Panda Centre next spring for 10 weeks of training to give Xing Ya and Wu Wen the best care in their new home in the Netherlands.
De Lange said he expects the arrival of the pandas will lead to about 10,000 visitors to the zoo every day.
"People in Netherlands will love the pandas because it will be the first time that they see pandas again after 28 years," said van der Kolk. "They will be very happy and excited to be able to observe and feed them."
Bert Koenders, Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs, said that China's loaning of the two giant pandas to the zoo reflects the special ties between China and the Netherlands. "I am pleased to hear it. The pandas will be an asset to this country," he said.
Related Stories
Online panda game to raise global awareness 2015-10-26 07:56
Un-bear-ably cute panda cubs meet fans in Sichuan 2015-10-25 21:52
12 twin panda cubs meet public in SW China 2015-10-25 07:23
Report: Logging hurts panda habitat 2015-10-23 07:52
Panda in Britain 2015-10-22 16:42
Chinese group donates statue of Ming the Giant Panda to ZSL London Zoo 2015-10-21 22:11
Today's Top News
Myanmar parliament speaker concedes loss in election
Two pandas moving to Dutch zoo from China
UK unveils new spying powers, raising privacy fears
UN chief commends efforts by China, France to push for climate pact
China and Europe to jointly fund scientific research and innovation
Merkel calls for European solution to refugee crisis
China, France made progress in nuclear energy cooperation
More than 100 UK investment projects revealed
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Xi just needs to turn up for a grand welcome |
Stepping up |
Rural families still hope for male heirs |
Blue skies over Beijing ... for now |
V-Day parade for 70th WWII anniversary |
Tianjin blasts: Death, damage and bravery |