South Korea is getting ready to bid farewell to its beloved giant panda Fu Bao. According to a CNN report, preparations are now underway for its journey to a new home in China. The panda is a celebrity in the country and has amassed huge fan base. Fu Bao, which means lucky treasure, is the first giant panda born in South Korea. It was born in July 2020 to parents Ai Bao and Le Bao as part of China's "panda diplomacy" programme.
The celebrity bear lives in Everland Resort's Panda World, a theme park in Yongin City. It will bid South Korea a final farewell in April, as per the CNN report.
Fu Bao's last day of public viewing was held on March 2, where it received gifts, including a doll created from bamboo, a bouquet of flowers and heart-shaped pieces of bread from her dedicated keepers.
Thousands of visitors queued up in the early morning, waiting for 5-6 hours to catch a glimpse of the panda.
"I was mentally ill three years ago, but Fu Bao has helped me get through it and brought me a lot of comfort. It's sad to say goodbye, but we need to let her go. I wish she goes safely and will be happy," Kim Min-ji, a 31-year-old visitor, told news agency Reuters.
"This is our last chance, you never know when we'll see her again so I had to come," said 24-year-old Jo Ah-hyeon.
Zoo keeper Kang Cher-won, who has been caring for Fu Bao, said the panda had given him so much love as well as teaching him a lot about the critically endangered species.
According to Everland, Fu Bao will be transferred to the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province.
The agreement mandates the return of mature pandas to China before they turn four years old.
