Canadian zoo forced to return pandas to China as coronavirus hinders bamboo shipments

A zoo in Canada will ship two giant pandas back to China due to supply chain struggles caused by the coronavirus leading to a lack of bamboo to feed the animals.

The pandas, Er Shun and Da Mao, were provided on loan from China and previously resided at the Toronto Zoo before they were transported in 2018 to their current residence at the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, The Guardian reported.

The animals were slated to remain at the Calgary Zoo until 2023, but will be returned to China, where their food source is more prevalent, Zoo President Clément Lanthier announced this week in a press release.

“It’s about the animals. At the end of the day, we cannot pretend that we care for animals if we don’t take those tough decisions,″ Lanthier said. “We believe the best and safest place for Er Shun and Da Mao to be during these challenging and unprecedented times is where bamboo is abundant and easy to access.″

He said that the zoo had established plans for a regular supply of bamboo, but limited flights from China got in the way of the zoo receiving consistent deliveries.

“Every week, every 10 days, there is more and more problem moving bamboo to Calgary. This risk is unacceptable,” Lanthier added. “We don’t feel comfortable at all that we can impose that risk on the health and the welfare of the pandas.”

Some deliveries were reportedly expired upon arrival, and Lanthier said that some shipments included varieties of bamboo that the zoo’s pandas did not like.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, on average, pandas consume 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo daily.

Lanthier said the pandas brought some of the biggest crowds, but added that animal welfare is the top priority for the zoo.

“I cannot imagine if one day, two days, three days in a row, I am unable to provide the bamboo,” Lanthier said. “That would be catastrophic.”