大熊猫“如意”“丁丁”启程前往俄罗斯
Chinese researchers held a send-off ceremony for a pair of giant pandas who are to depart for Moscow on Monday for a 15-year collaborative research.
中国研究人员周一为一对即将旅居莫斯科的大熊猫举行了一个欢送仪式，它们将在莫斯科进行一场为期15年的合作研究。
Ru Yi, the male panda born in 2016, and Ding Ding, the female panda born in 2017, are scheduled to board a flight at 1:45 p.m. in Chengdu and arrive in Moscow at 10:00 p.m. Beijing Time the same day, the panda research base in southwest China's Sichuan Province said.
Li Shuming, deputy director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, presided over the ceremony at the Bifengxia base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP). Svetlana Akulova, head of the Moscow Zoo, also attended the ceremony.
Staff at the center prepared buns, bamboo sprouts and baby formulas for the pandas in the journey. Caretaker Wang Pingfeng and veterinarian He Ming will travel with the pandas to Russia.
"My job is to keep them calm in case of any stress symptoms. We will make sure they are accustomed to their new life in Moscow," said Wang.
"Ru Yi is outgoing and vivacious, but Ding Ding is quiet. We have carried out quarantine and health checks for them. They are in good shape," said He Ming.
The pair of giant pandas will live in the Moscow Zoo for 15 years, according to the research project.