Giant panda cub Yi Yi enjoying her afternoon at the National Zoo's Giant Panda Conservation Centre (GPCC) after her naming ceremony was officiated by Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
PETALING JAYA: Zoo Negara's panda cubs Yi Yi and Sheng Yi will not be returned to China next month.
China Press reported that the zoo's Giant Panda Conservation Centre director Dr Mat Naim Ramli said that Malaysia and China had yet to agree on a date for the “homecoming”.
Once China confirms the date, he said Zoo Negara and the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry would proceed with the preparations.
“If both panda cubs are to be returned together, we recommend doing so between July and September,” he said.
Sheng Yi and Yi Yi are the offspring of Fu Wa and Feng Yi, the giant pandas that were loaned to Malaysia in 2014 for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
The giant pandas were renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang. Since their arrival here, they became parents to three cubs – Nuan Nuan who was born on Aug 18, 2015; Yi Yi on Jan 14, 2018; and Sheng Yi on May 30, 2021.
Nuan Nuan was returned to China in 2017 while Yi Yi’s return was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
