Two giant panda bears arrived in Toronto on March 29; they were welcomed by various dignitaries, including Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at Toronto International Airport.
The pandas, named Er Shun and Da Mao, will be making the Toronto Zoo their new home for the next five years. It is hoped that the two will mate while here. The pandas’ arrival in Canada was due to a deal made between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Harper. The animals will stay in Toronto for five years and will then be relocated to the Calgary Zoo for another five years, before returning to China. Any offspring will also be returned to China.
The bears are currently in a 30-day quarantine period and have yet to meet each other. They are placed where they can see and smell each other, though. They are also enjoying plenty of bamboo which will be shipped regularly to Toronto from the Memphis Zoo.
The Toronto Zoo is currently renovating the former Amur tiger exhibit in the Eurasia section of the complex to house the pandas; there will be 3 outdoor areas and 2 indoor areas for them to enjoy. The zoo is also building an ‘interpretive center’, which will help educate the public about the status of panda bears. The pandas are expected to draw plenty of visitors.
There has already been a lot of excitement about the arrival of the giant pandas in Canada. The Toronto Zoo has likely been working with local printing companies to provide literature to any visitors who are interested in these unique animals.
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