• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Childrens Fun
• Vienna - Palais Lichtenstein

© Daniel Zupanc/ Tiergarten Schönbrunn

07. 11. 12. - 14:30

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

07. 11. 12. - 14:30

Panda cub sleeps for first step of trip back to China

A baby panda successfully born in captivity at the world's oldest zoo in the Austrian capital Vienna has been sent back to China.

All of the giant pandas in captivity remain the property of China and even those few that live outside the country remain the property of the People's Republic - with an agreement in place that any offspring need to be returned to China within two years of being born.

Although giant pandas rarely breed outside of the reservations in their Chinese homeland the Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna has been the only one in Europe to successfully produce offspring with their pair of pandas.

Panda cub Fu Hu was the second to be born after Fu Long, who is three years older - and although they have never met the pair will be together on the same reserve once Fu Hu is back in China.

Zookeepers had already been preparing the panda cub for the long trip back to his Chinese homeland by rewarding him with carrots and sweet potatoes every time he climbs into the travel cage now being used to transport him.

The cage was also temporarily closed and lifted into the air to make him used to the experience - and the start of his journey by lorry to the airport in Amsterdam was reportedly without incident. From Amsterdam the panda will be flown to Chengdu, and then driven the last few kilometres to the giant panda station in China.

In fact his keeper Renata Haider who is travelling with him said he had slept most of the way so far.

She said: "This strategy for getting him used to the cage worked very well with his brother Fu Long, when he was shipped back to China he was very relaxed over the whole journey and simply ate bamboo or slept."

Once back in China he will end up at the panda research Centre at Bifengxia where his brother is also located.

Zoo director Dagmar Schratter said it was time for the young panda to move on anyway: "At this stage the young pandas will leave their parents anyway when they are in the wild. We had already been noticing that his mother Yang Yang was starting to get a bit fed up with him. He has learnt all that he can from his mum - he know needs to get to know pandas of the same age."

Vienna Times

Related articles: Vienna focus

1. A night of glitz and glamour at Vienna Filmball 2013

   » Panorama 2013-03-18

   Glamour and glitz were out in force at the weekend as stars from Austria and further afield flocked over the red carpet into the Vienna City Hall for a night of awards, dance and partying!

2. Bonbon Ball crowns Miss Bonbon 2013!

   » Panorama 2013-02-11

   By far the sweetest event in the Vienna Ball season - the Bonbon Ball took place this weekend.

3. Demonstration to remain in front of Votiv Kirche

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Following lack of progress made by talks between representatives of the Church, the charity Caritas and refugee activists at the Votiv Kirche in Vienna, protesters are set to stay camped outside the building.

4. Man goes on supermarket axe rampage

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A supermarket worker and three supermarket customers were attacked by a man on the rampage with an axe in a supermarket in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

5. Runners caught short in Vienna Indoor Marathon

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Marathon runners who thought they'd clocked up record times were caught short when organisers confessed that the course wasn't long enough.

6. Underground rape suspect arrested in Graz

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A man accused of raping a 23-year-old woman on an underground line during rush hour in the Austrian capital has been arrested in Graz, Styria.

7. Woman stabs boyfriend in head then goes to bed

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A woman stabbed her partner in the head before going to bed after a row in her apartment in Vienna, Austria.

8. Parking permit zones to be extended

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Discussions are ongoing about making a park permit zone in the Vienna Districts of Hietzing and Währing from 2013 as a result of a knock on effect from surrounding districts.

9. Indoor pool in Vienna open after renovation work

   » Panorama 2012-12-18

   Vienna's indoor swimming pool the Amalienbad is open again after it was closed for renovations over the summer.

10. Price rise set for many in Vienna housing associations

    » General News 2012-12-10

    The year 2013 is going to start off an expensive one of the 2500 people living in Vienna.

Army officer sentenced over getting recruits to lay flooring at his house
The state court of Vienna sentenced a second lieutenant of the Austrian Army to nine months in jail due to misuse of authority. He had three recruits lay the flooring in his own house.

Child injured on zebra crossing
A ten-year-old girl was severely injured in a car accident in Vienna-Margareten yesterday (Wed). A car hit her on a zebra crossing. It remained unclear whether the girl or the driver was supposed to wait.

Long Night of the Churches
Hundreds of churches Austria-wide to open their doors for the "Long Night of the Churches" (original: "Langen Nacht der Kirchen") on May, 24.

Cheapskate Tourist Almost Died In Sewer Visit
A German tourist had a lucky escape after he decided to go underground to get a view of the Vienna sewers, and fell badly breaking several bones including his hip and his leg.

Preparation for Life Ball begins
The preparations of the Life Ball in Vienna are at full blast after delays due to bad weather last weekend. Star guests like Eva Longoria and Carmen Electra are expected at Vienna Airport on Friday.

Woman killed by Vienna tram
A female pedestrian tried to cross a street in Vienna Hietzing yesterday afternoon (Tues) without paying attention to the traffic. She was hit by the tram number 60 and died at the scene.

15 minutes free parking instead of 10
The 15-minute parking ticket will replace the 10-minute parking ticket in autumn. The only alternative is to buy your parking ticket with your phone. A parking clock does not protect you from a fine.

Lightning storm causes damage in Lower Austria
810 lightning strikes have been counted in Lower Austria last night (Tues). Meteorologists state that this is not an extraordinary number but some lightning strikes resulted in fires. The fire brigade had to set out in several towns.

Spanish Riding School for everyone
The riding centre of Heldenberg, district of Hollabrunn (Lower Austria) is now offering exclusive courses: professional riders of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna teach interested riders.

Vienna advocates a ban on pesticides
Vienna has now joined those Austrian states that advocate a cooperative strategy for a ban of the neonicotinoids pesticides. Apparently, there are tested alternatives for the pesticides that are harmful for bees.