In brief
Lang Yue, a four‑year‑old panda cub born July 2024 at Ouwehands Zoo, was carried away to China on a special transport vehicle, with almost 100 visitors waving goodbye. The farewell, marked by dragon and lion dances, underscored the diplomatic and conservation partnership between the Netherlands and China. Chinese embassy officials noted the panda’s role as a friendship envoy, while zoo staff reflected on her upbringing and the zoo’s international achievements.
On Friday morning at Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen, a vehicle carrying the four‑year‑old giant panda Lang Yue slowly pulled away, marking her transfer from the Netherlands to China as a symbol of bilateral friendship and conservation cooperation.
The farewell ceremony drew nearly one hundred attendees, who gathered outside the Chinese‑style panda house and waved small flags bearing Lang Yue’s image. Traditional dragon and lion dances performed on site added a festive yet bittersweet tone to the departure, and a message wishing her good luck was visible on the departing vehicle.
"One day, I want to visit her in China," said a young visitor named Freya, who has followed Lang Yue’s growth since the cub’s birth in July 2024.
"One day, I want to visit her in China."
Zhang Yi, the charge d’affaires ad interim at the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, noted that giant pandas serve as envoys of friendship between the two countries, adding that the transfer reflects shared commitments to wildlife protection and biodiversity. He also invited Dutch visitors to explore China, especially Sichuan, the panda’s natural home.
Lang Yue is the second cub born to Wu Wen and Xing Ya, who arrived in the Netherlands in 2017. Their first cub, Fan Xing, was born in May 2020 and was sent to China in September 2023. The zoo director, Robin de Lange, expressed emotional sadness but also pride in the zoo’s role in international panda conservation.
Keeper Brenda van Ekeren, who has cared for Lang Yue since birth, recalled the cub’s gentle nature:
"She was very soft."She noted that Lang Yue’s quieter temperament made her cautious until a familiar presence reassured her.
With the transfer of Lang Yue to China, the Ouwehands Zoo continues its long‑standing partnership with Chinese colleagues, strengthening both conservation efforts and cultural exchange between the two nations.
