China to monitor conditions of giant pandas abroad
China intends to monitor the living conditions of giant pandas in other countries of the world, TASS reports
The representative of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Zhang Yue, told a press conference, “In order to strengthen the protection and supervision of giant pandas abroad, starting from 2023, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China has established structures for on-site inspections and assessments of twenty-three foreign facilities across nineteen countries in order to obtain complete data on the living conditions of all giant pandas abroad.”
The official noted that at present these conditions generally meet the requirements in terms of setting up enclosures, breeding and caring for sick animals, as well as disease prevention measures.
Zhang Yue clarified that there are 56 pandas in foreign zoos. According to him, the health of these animals is generally assessed as good. Some older individuals in poor health receive proper diagnosis, treatment and good care.
In the future, it is planned to increase international co-operation in this area, establish daily monitoring of the health status of pandas, and improve the mechanism for inspection and supervision of their content. Through partnerships with foreign institutions, 41 giant panda cubs have been born outside China since the 1990s, the official said.
Giant pandas are the unofficial symbol of China. In nature, they live in bamboo forests in Sichuan Province and some other areas of the country.
