Good news for Thailand and the Chiang Mai Zoo this week. The zoo has announced they’ve come to an agreement with Chinese officials so baby panda bear cub Lin Ping will be allowed to stay at the Chiang Mai Zoo for two more years before being sent permanently to China.
Originally, Lin Ping was due to be sent to China on her second birthday but Thai authorities asked the Chinese to make an exception. Lin Ping’s parents won’t be returning to China for two more years and the Chiang Mai Zoo wanted Lin Ping to go at the same time.
Under Chinese law, when a panda is lent to any zoo around the world, it has to be returned to China within four years. And, if a baby panda is born to Chinese panda bears while in a zoo in another country, that bear must be sent to China, to live out the rest of its life, when it’s two years old. With these laws, China has managed to keep the once-endangered panda population alive.
Chiang Mai Zoo plans on throwing a big celebration party for Lin Ping (and Thailand!) as soon as they get the official letter from the Chinese confirming the agreement. After all, Lin Ping is Chiang Mai Zoo’s biggest attraction and currently the only baby panda anywhere in the world outside China.
Don’t forget, you can also watch Lin Ping live on camera if you can’t make it to Chiang Mai.
