KUALA LUMPUR: Locally beloved Giant Panda cubs Yi Yi and Sheng Yi will return to China to help with conservation efforts, says Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii.
"The return of these Giant Panda cubs will serve the purpose of Giant Panda conservation, enabling it to socialise and breed with other Giant Pandas," the Deputy Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister said in his speech at the farewell ceremony of the Giant Panda cubs at Zoo Negara Tuesday (Aug 29).
Sheng Yi and Yi Yi are the offspring of Fu Wa and Feng Yi, the pandas previously loaned to Malaysia in 2014 for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
Yi Yi was born on Jan 14, 2018; and Sheng Yi on May 31, 2021; while their older sibling Nuan Nuan, who was born on Aug 18, 2015, had already returned to China in 2017.
"Yi Yi, who is now 5 years old, was initially scheduled to be sent back home in 2020, but the repatriation had to be postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
"After Sheng Yi reached 24 months of age last May, the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) agreed to Malaysia's proposal to send the third Giant Panda cub back together with Yi Yi," he said.
He added that a joint assessment and evaluation would be conducted later this year with the CWCA to determine the success and progress of the International Cooperative Agreement on Giant Panda Conservation so far.
