Two giant pandas depart Chengdu for Austria

Two giant pandas, He Feng and Lan Yun, have left Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan, for Austria, China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda said on Wednesday.

The duo, both born in 2020, will stay in Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna for 10 years, the center said in a media release, adding that to ensure their safe journey, the two pandas were accompanied on the flight by a Chinese veterinarian and an Austrian caregiver. The Chinese side also prepared fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, specially crafted steamed buns, drinking water, and medications for them.

To help them adjust to their new surroundings in Vienna, a Chinese caregiver and veterinarian will provide care for them for a period of time, the center stated.

The name He Feng, a male, carries the symbolic meaning of lotus-infused freshness. While the name Lan Yun, a female, symbolizes the transmission of the fragrance of orchids, according to the center.