Overview
- Huan Huan and Yuan Zi left Beauval under police escort and are flying from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Chengdu on an approximately 12-hour, veterinary‑monitored flight.
- The decision to repatriate the pair early followed Huan Huan’s confirmed chronic kidney disease, with French and Chinese veterinary teams agreeing to move them while travel remains safe.
- The 17-year-old pandas will retire at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where specialized facilities will oversee Huan Huan’s treatment.
- Their departure shortens a loan that began in 2012, during which they served as prominent attractions under China’s panda diplomacy program.
- The pair produced three cubs in France; the 2021-born twins are expected to remain at Beauval for now, and their firstborn, Yuan Meng, returned to China in 2023.