A few days ago, two giant pandas far away in the United States attracted widespread attention from Chinese netizens, they are Yaya and Lele. In 2003, he flew to Tennessee, USA, and officially stayed at the Memphis Zoo, where he has lived for 20 years. Not long ago, some netizens posted pictures of Yaya and Lele being skinny, yellowing hair, and suspected of serious stereotyping.
Netizens broke the news about Panda Yaya's life status, source: Google
Although Yaya, who is now 22 years old, is old according to the age of human beings, many people still feel very worried when they see its situation, and they are calling for this pair of national treasures that have been wandering for many years to take home and enjoy their old age.
This reminds us of Spain's giant pandas, so how are they doing here now?
The king and queen were personally greeted
In 1978, the fifth year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and China, the then King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia paid a friendly visit to China. During this period, the giant pandas "Qiangqiang" and "Shaoshao" were invited back to Spain.
King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Queen Sofia visit China, source: www.hola.com
Since then, Spain has had pandas, and pandas have been pampered from top to bottom in Spain. The queen at that time, today's Queen Mother Sophia often called for them on the platform, and the baby panda was particularly affectionate to them, and coquettish in the arms of the Queen Mother.
Queen Sophia and Baby Panda, source: www.hola.com
The name was voted by the nation
In September 1982, "Qiangqiang" and "Shao Shao" gave birth to twins, and although one cub died of pulmonary edema three days after birth, the other survived tenaciously, but this also became the first case of panda birth outside China.
Baby Panda Zhulin, source: Google
Immediately, Spain launched a national vote to name the child, and in Spain, even the contestants may not have such enthusiasm for the public. Finally, "Chulin" was chosen, which means "treasure of the bamboo forest".
Zhu Lin attracted many curious tourists as soon as she appeared, and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it went down in history as "the most valuable animal born in a zoo", and the number of visitors when it first met the public broke the record.
For a glimpse of Zhulin, source: El País
On April 29, 1996, the park star died of inflammation of the prostate, and the Madrid Zoo erected a bronze statue of him. Its remains were specially specimend and displayed in the Spanish National Museum of Natural Science.
Sculpture of Zhu Lin in the Madrid Zoo, source: www.madridiario.es
Meritorious couple
From 1996 to 2004, the left-wing Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) was replaced by the right-wing People's Party (PP) as the opposition, and Spain never added a new panda.
In 2004, the PSOE party won the general election, and Spain once again welcomed back two giant pandas from China, the "Ice Star" and the "Flower Mouth". They can be described as a meritorious couple who strengthened the Spanish panda family.
Flower mouths and ice hearts, source: El Mundo
On September 7, 2010, they successfully gave birth to a pair of male babies through artificial insemination, one named "Dede", taken from the word "De" in Chinese "Madrid", and the other named "Po", taken from "Kung Fu Panda".
Dede and Po, source: www.huffingtonpost.es
On August 30, 2013, "Xing Bao" was born and returned to Chengdu in 2017.
Xingbao, source: www.elperiodico.com
On August 30, 2016, the female giant panda "Chulina" was born.
Zhulina, www.madridiario.es
It continues to multiply under the epidemic
On February 23, 2018, Madrid Zoo and Aquarium of Madrid renewed the "Sino-Western Giant Panda Cooperation Research Agreement" with China until 2023.
Spanish doctors examining pandas, source: El Mundo
In 2020, the epidemic swept the world, but despite the careful care of Chinese and Western experts, in September 2021, Bingxin and Hua Zui successfully gave birth to twins in Madrid.
Newborn panda, source: Público
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the two baby pandas, the mayor of Madrid and the Chinese Embassy in Spain presided over the naming ceremony for them. The two pandas are named You You and Jiu Jiu respectively, which means that the two children live a long and healthy life, and the friendship between the two countries lasts for a long time.
Friendship and Hisashi Naming Ceremony, source: www. theobjective.com
100 days of friends and friends, source: Madrid Zoo Aquarium
Friends and long-term daily life, source: Madrid Zoo Aquarium
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the West, and 45 years have passed since the Panda family landed in Spain.
From the successful landing of the first panda under the welcome of the king and queen, to the enthusiastic expectations of the Spaniards, to the happy news of the growth of the panda family, a total of 11 pandas have brought endless joy to the Spanish people over the years, and Chinese national treasures have also received meticulous care in Spain.
Flower mouth eats "cake" on the 50th birthday of the Madrid Zoo Aquarium, source: El País
Even today's Madrid Zoo Aquarium has giant pandas on its logo, and it is one of the few parks in the world today that can have pandas.
Madrid Zoo Aquarium Logo, source: Madrid Zoo Aquarium
Children in Spain are also curious about pandas, and countless people visit the zoo every year.
Panda fever for Spanish children, source: www.planinfantil.es
Over the past few decades, China and Spain have achieved good results in their cooperation, made great contributions to the protection of endangered species, and witnessed friendly exchanges.
Queen Sophia and the Panda, credit: La Vanguardia
Compared with the Yaya at the Memphis Zoo in the United States, although Spain cannot take out a palace for pandas to live in like the Dutch, although it does not raise pandas as strong as hairy bears, it shows enough attention and love. There was once a joke that an institution wanted to go to the Madrid Zoo and Aquarium to sponsor Chinese pandas, and people replied——
"Sponsorship? How much are you prepared to sponsor? The cost we spend on panda promotion alone is tens of millions of euros a year. ”
Dede and Po, source: www.autopista.es
All kind people in the world should have the same heart to love animals. I sincerely hope that Yaya can return to her roots, and also hope that all the "national treasure messengers" in the world can be treated like the Spanish panda family, live happily, and be healthy no matter where they are.