Giant panda returns to China from US zoo looking malnourished, gains 20kg over 2 years

A giant panda that spent 20 years in the United States has returned to China, gaining 20 kilograms over two years. 

Latest images of the panda in January this year showed a drastic improvement in its condition from the malnourished-looking state in which it first arrived, media outlets reported.

Ya Ya, a 25-year-old female panda, had lived at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee since 2003 before returning to China in April 2023, reported Global Times.

Images of Ya Ya in poor shape — first released while she was still in the United States — had sparked widespread concern for her well-being. 

According to the Beijing Zoo, Ya Ya weighed only 75 kg when she returned to China, reported Shin Min Daily News. Besides looking gaunt, she also suffered from skin issues. 

After more than two years, however, Ya Ya now weighs 95 kg and appears to have grown a thick and glossy coat of fur.

In a video shared on the Beijing Zoo's social media page on Friday (Jan 30), Ya Ya can be seen looking healthier and was seen adjusting well to her habitat.

The footage also showed her enjoying the sun and her food.

In the comments section, netizens expressed their delight at Ya Ya's improved physical condition.

"Ya Ya has changed so much since she returned to China. She has gained weight and became much healthier" said one netizen. 

Another expressed gratitude to the zoo staff, saying: "Thank you to all the staff at Beijing Zoo for letting us see Ya Ya, who is so well-fed and chubby."

US zoo claimed panda's size linked to "familial genetics"

As part of China's "panda diplomacy", giant pandas are sent to host countries as symbols of friendship and goodwill. 

Ya Ya's physical appearance in 2023 had sparked accusations of mistreatment against the Memphis Zoo, amid tense US-China relations.

Ya Ya and her male companion, Le Le, were originally scheduled to return to China at the end of 2023 following the conclusion of their 20-year loan, but Le Le died suddenly of heart disease in early February 2023, further fuelling suspicions of mistreatment, reported CNN. 

Addressing Ya Ya's condition then, the Memphis Zoo had stated on its website that her "familial genetics", not nutrition, were responsible for her small size, reported NBC.

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com