The Toronto Zoo welcomes two giant pandas to their new home
The Toronto Zoo has a brand new exhibit to add to their facility, and with it brings regular shipments of bamboo. The two giant pandas named Er Shun (meaning “Double Smoothness”) and Da Mao have safely arrived into their new habitat at the zoo.
FedEx took extra precaution with this precious cargo, transporting the female Er Shun from Chongqing Zoo in China and the male Da Mao from Chengdu all the way to Canada. The company built two special enclosures for the giant pandas measuring 198 centimeters in length, 142 centimeters in width and 137 centimeters in height. This is the second time that two giant pandas have made the trip to Canada –back in 1985, two other pandas spent the summer at the Toronto Zoo.
Upon safe arrival, the two pandas were separated for the minimum 30-day quarantine period and remained that way until the Chinese Giant Panda Experts and the Toronto Zoo Keepers determined the best time for their first meeting. This allowed time for the numerous health checks and tests to be performed by the Toronto Zoo’s veterinary team. Zookeepers were also able to closely monitor the panda’s health and behavior while also beginning their training and enrichment programs.
Once the official CFIA quarantine was over, the two giant pandas were able to explore the new habitat surrounding them. The pair’s new home is the newly renovated Amur Tiger Exhibit.
The first shipment of bamboo was also delivered via FedEx and arrived March 22 from the Memphis Zoo. This will be the first of many bamboo deliveries for the pandas whose diet consists of 99 per cent bamboo. A panda spends 11 to 16 hours every day eating 30 to 40 pounds of bamboo.
The decision to transport Er Shun and Da Mao to Toronto is part of a long-term conservation partnership agreement between Canada and China. The president of China, Hu Jintao, and Prime Minister of Canada, Steven Harper, both signed an agreement that would allow China to loan Canada two giant pandas to both the Toronto and Calgary Zoos for a ten year period. The Toronto Zoo will be home to the pair for a minimum of five years until relocating them to the Calgary zoo sometime in 2018. Should the two giant pandas have a successful breeding while in Toronto, both Er Shun and Da Mao will remain with their offspring until they are approved safe to relocate.
The exhibit had its grand opening May 18 and included a new state-of-the-art Panda Interpretive Centre, along with indoor and outdoor holdings to visit Er Shun and Da Mao. The Toronto Zoo website described the Panda Interpretive Centre as a “climate controlled centre [that] will feature many interpretive and interactive elements for visitors to enjoy year round. Interpretive themes will include Eating Bamboo, Threats to Giant Pandas, and Saving Giant Pandas.”
If you have any interest in volunteering with the Er Shun and Da Mao, or any other exhibit at the Toronto Zoo visit www.torontozoo.com.
Be sure to visit the zoo’s page dedicated to the two giant pandas to learn more about the pair and check out their exclusive photos and videos!