Fu Bao the panda has now left the building – almost. After delighting crowds of admiring fans and zookeepers in Everland’s Panda World for almost four years since her birth, Fu Bao is preparing to move to China, the ancestral home of giant pandas.
Last days in Korea
Fu Bao, firstborn daughter of Le Bao and Ai Bao, said goodbye to her fans in Korea on March 3. For the next few weeks, she will be out of sight of the public, in quarantine and preparing for her big trip across the sea to China.
Fu Bao’s enclosure at Panda World in Korea’s premier theme park, Everland, was fully booked by panda fanciers who wanted to catch one last glimpse of the panda before her departure. Everland released Fu Bao all day long during the three-day Panda World operation hours, especially from March 1 to 3, so that fans could make more memories with Fu Bao. In addition, on March 3, when her fans could last see Fu Bao in Korea, a real-time YouTube live broadcast was also held to soothe the sorrow of parting.
During her last days in Korea, zookeepers and other Everland staff prepared a number of different events to help her remember her time here fondly, and to give panda fans a chance to wish her well as she goes forth into the world.
Named “Meeting you was a miracle. Thank you, Fu Bao,” this program gave an emotional and heartfelt send-off to the young panda princess. Her devoted keepers or “panda grandfathers” Kang Chul-won (known as “Kang Bao”) and Song Yeong-gwan (known as “Song Bao”) made new copies of the bamboo toys that she played with as a little panda cub to help her remember her time at Everland. They also prepared enrichment accessories like hammocks and benches just the way Fu Bao likes them. What’s more, a patch of yellow canola flowers, something that had been made for Fu Bao every spring, was planted.
Bao Haus
Visitors to Everland during Fu Bao’s last weeks stopped by the special Bao Haus panda gallery. There they could see videos, photos, and fan artworks of Fu Bao, her parents, and her younger twin sisters Hui Bao and Lui Bao. In addition, some left messages of support to Fu Bao, wishing her well in her new home in China.
These messages will be fashioned into pretty canola flower shapes and will decorate the streets of Everland on the day when Fu Bao is moved in early April.
In accordance with international regulations that govern the movement of wildlife, Fu Bao will be in closed quarters under the careful monitoring of her health and weight, and she will also be given time to adapt to the enclosure in which she will be moved from Everland to her new home. During this time, she will be under the close care of the panda grandfathers.
For loyal Fu Bao fans, a special video filmed from Fu Bao’s point-of-view is being screened twice a day at Everland’s Live Butterfly Experience Center from March 4 to April 2, the day before Fu Bao’s departure for China.
The panda grandfather zookeepers Kang Bao and Song Bao also made touching video messages to the Bao family, which can be viewed inside Bao Haus, which is still open and will continue to hold rotating seasonal exhibitions, so those who already miss Fu Bao can still go and feast their eyes on her images.
