RHENEN, the Netherlands, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Four-year-old Freya's eyes filled with tears as she watched a vehicle carrying giant panda Lang Yue slowly pull away from Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen, the Netherlands.
Her family had bought annual zoo passes so they could visit the panda regularly. For Freya, watching Lang Yue's progress had been an important part of her own growth. "One day, I want to visit her in China," she said.
Nearly 100 people came to the zoo on Friday morning to bid farewell to the panda, who was born there in July 2024. Children wearing baseball caps and waving small flags bearing images of Lang Yue gathered outside the Chinese-style panda house for the farewell ceremony.
Dragon and lion dances accompanied the farewell. On the departing vehicle, a message wished Lang Yue good luck.
Zhang Yi, charge d'affaires ad interim at the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, said at the ceremony that giant pandas were envoys of friendship between the two countries. He added that cooperation on panda conservation reflects their shared commitment to protecting wildlife and preserving biodiversity.
Zhang also invited Dutch visitors to explore China, especially Sichuan, home of the giant panda.
Lang Yue is the second cub born to Wu Wen and Xing Ya, who arrived in the Netherlands in 2017. Their first cub, Fan Xing, was born in May 2020 and left for China in September 2023.
For giant panda keeper Brenda van Ekeren, who has cared for Lang Yue since birth, the departure brought back memories of their first encounter.
"She was very soft," van Ekeren recalled. The cub was curious and willing to approach, but still kept checking for her mother.
Lang Yue has a more timid personality than her older sister Fan Xing, the keeper explained. Faced with an unfamiliar situation, Lang Yue would watch her mother before trying it herself. However, once she feels reassured, she becomes playful and eager to explore, van Ekeren said.
Zoo Director Robin de Lange said it was an emotional day for the staff. However, alongside his sadness, he said he was happy that Lang Yue would help with the conservation of giant pandas in China.
The zoo is proud to have raised two cubs, he added. Behind those births were years of cooperation with Chinese colleagues.
Van Ekeren has visited China several times, learning from keepers, veterinarians and managers about daily care, breeding and raising cubs. The Dutch team records the pandas' growth, sharing information and exchanging questions with their Chinese counterparts. Comparing the two cubs has also taught keepers how differently individual pandas can behave.
Rhenen Mayor Geran Kaai told Xinhua that the pandas mean a great deal to the town and are a source of pride for its residents. He said they have helped bring Chinese and Dutch people and cultures together, pointing to the zoo's Chinese-style buildings, music and dragon and lion dances.
The area was dotted with colorful lanterns shaped like giant pandas and other figures, bringing a touch of Sichuan, the pandas' home province, to the Dutch farewell.
De Lange said the displays were part of the zoo's years-long cooperation with partners from Zigong, a city in Sichuan known for its lantern-making tradition.
Visitors Jesse and Judith, who came from nearby Ede for the farewell, said they had watched Lang Yue grow through almost monthly visits.
For van Ekeren, meanwhile, the goodbye came with a wish to meet again. "I would love to visit her when she's in China," she said. ■
