The Mexico City Environment Secretariat celebrated 50 years of giant panda presence in Mexico, following the arrival of Ying Ying and Pe Pe in Chapultepec on September 10, 1975.
According to historical records, the two cubs arrived in Mexico at 10 months old thanks to a diplomatic agreement that symbolized the friendship and cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and Mexico.
As a result, Tohui, the daughter of Ying Ying and Pe Pe, was born. She became the first panda to reach adulthood outside of China. This made her a global icon, and her importance transcended the cultural sphere, inspiring songs in her honor.
Furthermore, it allowed the Chapultepec Wildlife Conservation Center to establish itself as the most successful giant panda breeding center outside of China, with the birth of eight cubs in total.
A panda’s lifespan is between 15 and 20 years.
According to specialists, the longevity of these animals has also exceeded expectations. In the wild, a panda lives on average between 15 and 20 years. However, under professional care at Chapultepec, Xiu Hua lived to be over 27 years old and Shuan Shuan to be 35 years old, making her, at the time, one of the longest-lived pandas recorded outside of China.
However, the record now belongs to Xin Xin, who turned 35 a couple of months ago, becoming the longest-lived panda to have lived at the Chapultepec Wildlife Conservation Center and the longest-lived outside of China.
Xin Xin was born on July 1, 1990, and her name means “hope,” representing the achievement of the professional and dedicated care of the panda bearers, veterinarians, and biologists at the Chapultepec Wildlife Conservation Center.
Today, at 35 years old, he has far outlived his species, although he is in the final stage of his life cycle. Therefore, the city is preparing for the eventual end of this cycle, although the possibilities of continuing the conservation legacy are being analyzed. However, currently, keeping a giant panda outside of China entails an annual cost of approximately $1 million, as well as the signing of contracts for at least ten years, according to the foreign policy amended by the Chinese government in 1984.
Source: msn
