Farewell: Two-year-old Sheng Yi and five-year-old Yi Yi (right) are the offspring of Xing Xing and Liang Liang.
KUALA LUMPUR: The return of panda cubs Yi Yi and Sheng Yi to China on Aug 29 will be carried out in accordance with the International Giant Panda Conservation Agreement between Malaysia and China.
The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry said the return of the two panda cubs has been delayed for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The giant panda pair of Fu Wa and Feng Yi was loaned to the Malaysian government in 2014 for 10 years, in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
To date, the panda pair, renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang (female), has produced three cubs, namely Nuan Nuan on Aug 18, 2015; Yi Yi on Jan 14, 2018; and Sheng Yi on May 30, 2021.
Nuan Nuan was sent back to China in 2017, the ministry said yesterday as reported by Bernama.
Meanwhile, the ministry said the giant panda couple Xing Xing and Liang Liang celebrated their 17th birthday at the Giant Panda Conservation Centre in Zoo Negara.
The event was organised by the China Cultural Centre Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with Zoo Negara and was attended by the ministry deputy secretary-general (natural resources), Abdul Wahid Abu Salim.
