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ANIMALS

Berlin zoo to welcome two new giant pandas

Two long-awaited giant pandas from China will arrive in Germany in two weeks time, with Berlin rolling out the red carpet for the furry ambassadors' arrival.

Published: 13 June 2017 16:01 CEST
Berlin zoo to welcome two new giant pandas
File photo of an unrelated panda: EPA.

The two new residents, Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, will fly into Berlin on a special Lufthansa cargo plane on June 24th, accompanied by two Chinese vets, Berlin zoo's chief vet, and a tonne of bamboo.

The pandas will be served “bamboo snacks” and water, and their transport box kept dry and odourless with absorbent mats during the 12 hour and 20 minute-long flight.

Meng Meng means “dream” in Chinese while the zoo says Jiao Qing translates to “darling”, although the Chinese characters are a composite of “tender” and “festive”.

Ahead of their arrival, Berlin zoo, the bears' new home, has built a 1,000 metre square (10,700 square feet) enclosure, which includes a wooded climbing area.

SEE ALSO: Europe's oldest gorilla celebrates 60th birthday in Berlin

The zoo will also pay €920,000 a year for the 15-year contract to host the pair, with most of the funds going towards a breeding research programme in China and the protection of pandas in their natural habitat.

Chancellor Angela Merkel previously announced that Germany was in talks with Beijing to bring a pair of the rare bears to Berlin during a visit to China in 2015.

Famed for its “panda diplomacy”, China has sent its unofficial national mascot to only around a dozen countries, to signal their healthy ties with Beijing.

After a period of acclimatization in their new Berlin home, Meng Meng and Jiao Qing are expected to presented to the public.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to travel to Germany to attend the G20 summit on July 7th and 8th, German media has speculated that he and Merkel may jointly unveil the cuddly bears on July 5th.

China has previously gifted three pandas to Germany, but the last one, 34-year-old Bao Bao, died in Berlin in 2012 – he had been the oldest male panda in the world.

Fewer than 2,000 giant pandas are estimated to remain in the wild, in three provinces in south-central China.

PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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