Celebrating Yuanyuan: Taipei Zoo's Panda Turns 20 Amid Reflections on Conservation

Well-wishers gathered at Taipei Zoo to celebrate the 20th birthday of their senior panda, Yuanyuan. Born in China and arriving in Taiwan in 2008, Yuanyuan has become a beloved attraction. Her life story also highlights important aspects of panda conservation amid declining populations in their native habitat.

Hundreds of well-wishers put politics aside to gather at Taipei Zoo and celebrate the 20th birthday of their senior panda, Yuanyuan.

Visitors crowded around Yuanyuan's enclosure, capturing photos of her with a birthday cake shaped like the number 20. Yuanyuan, who was born in China, arrived at the zoo in 2008 alongside her partner Tuantuan, who passed away last year. The pair have two female cubs, Yuanzai and Yuanbao, still residing at the zoo.

Danielle Shu, a Brazilian student in Taiwan, is among the many who adore the pandas. "I just find it really funny and cute," she said. Native to China, giant pandas are often sent abroad as symbols of goodwill. Yuanyuan and Tuantuan's arrival came during a more peaceful period in cross-strait relations.

However, the bigger story lies in the conservation challenges facing giant pandas. Due to declining habitat and low birth rates, their numbers have dwindled to about 1,900 in the wild and 600 in captivity worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)