Paris says goodbye to pandas, which are returning to China

• Pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi are returning to China after 13 years in France.
• The panda was diagnosed with health problems, which influenced the decision to return them.
• Bois de Vincennes park will remain a popular place, regardless of the departure of the pandas.

Paris (AP) — Two famous giant pandas, which have lived in France for 13 years, are returning to China on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, announced the Bois de Vincennes park. Huan Huan, the female, and her partner Yuan Zi, both 17 years old, will embark on a 12-hour flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport in large white boxes with windows, breathing holes, and the inscription "Bon voyage."

The director of the park, Rodolphe Delord, during the farewell ceremony stated that the panda needs to be returned, as it requires specialized care, and in China they receive optimal living conditions. Huan Huan was diagnosed with chronic kidney insufficiency, which is not a rare condition for her species. French and Chinese veterinary teams decided to return them, as their condition allows safe travel.

The pandas became well-known in France since their arrival at the Bois de Vincennes park in 2012. Huan Huan gave birth to the first panda born in France, Yuan Meng, who in 2023 was sent back to China. In 2021, she also became a mother to two female twins, who will remain in the park for some time. The Bois de Vincennes park in 2023 welcomed approximately 2 million visitors.

In Chengdu, the pair will continue to increase the population of this endangered species, noted the park. There are nearly 2000 pandas living in the wild in China, and another 500 in captivity worldwide.

Tags: China/Europe