Heartwarming scenes unfolded at Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan, central France, on Tuesday (July 25) as the first giant panda ever born in the country, Yuan Meng, prepared for his journey back to China. A symbol of the "absolutely unbreakable friendship" between France and China, as per French First Lady Brigitte Macron, Yuan Meng's departure comes just ten days shy of his sixth birthday.

Zoo-goers braved the chilly wind, waving flags adorned with images of the beloved panda, lining up in hopes of saying a final goodbye as the transfer truck departed.

Visitor Marilys shared, "It's still very sad about his departure. I had become attached to him." Another visitor, Damien, added, "It's a bit sad. But that's the day in fact. It's the exchanges between zoos, and he'll go to another zoo, and I think it's good for preserving the species."

Yuan Meng, whose name translates to "the realization of a dream" in Chinese, was born in Beauval on August 4, 2017. His parents, Huan Huan and Yuan Zai, were loaned to France for a decade in 2012, causing the number of Beauval Zoo visitors to double to 1.5 million that year.

Rodolphe Delord, Beauval Zoo's general director, expressed hope that the partnership between Beauval and China will continue, saying, "It allows us to raise public awareness of the conservation of these extraordinary animals."

Meanwhile, Delphine Pouvreau, Manager of the koala and panda division at Beauval Zoo, was emotional, admitting, "It was the first panda that was born in France. We really liked him. So it was very emotional to be with him and to see him go. The whole team is full of emotion, it's going to be sad."

STORY: First giant panda born in France heads to China, given warm farewell
DATELINE: July 26, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:59
LOCATION: Paris
CATEGORY: SOCIETY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of the giant panda leaving France
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): MARILYS, Visitor
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): DAMIEN, Visitor
4. various of the giant panda in the zoo
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (French): RODOLPHE DELORD, Beauval Zoo's general director
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (French): DELPHINE POUVREAU, Manager of the koala and panda division, Beauval Zoo
 
STORYLINE:
 
Yuan Meng, the first giant panda born in France, has left the country for China.
 
He represents an "absolutely unbreakable friendship" between the two countries, said French first lady Brigitte Macron. She saw him off at the airport.
 
Visitors at the Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan, central France, gathered Tuesday morning to bid farewell to Yuan Meng ahead of his departure back to China, 10 days before the giant panda's sixth birthday.
 
Waving flags with Yuan Meng's photos, his fans were queuing in the cold wind hoping to catch a glimpse of the transfer truck and say goodbye to him.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (French): MARILYS, Visitor
"It's still very sad about his departure. I'm very sad because I had become attached to him."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (French): DAMIEN, Visitor
"It's a bit sad. But that's the day in fact. It's the exchanges between zoos, and he'll go to another zoo, and I think it's good for preserving the species."
 
Yuan Meng, meaning "the realization of a dream" in Chinese, was born in Beauval on Aug. 4, 2017. His parents Huan Huan and Yuan Zai arrived in France in 2012 on a 10-year loan. Since the couple's arrival, the number of visitors to the Beauval Zoo has doubled and reached 1.5 million that year.
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (French): RODOLPHE DELORD, Beauval Zoo's general director
"We hope that this partnership between Beauval and China will continue. It allows us to raise public awareness of the conservation of these extraordinary animals. And through the emotions that the sight of a panda brings, it allows us to move the public."
 
SOUNDBITE 4 (French): DELPHINE POUVREAU, Manager of the koala and panda division, Beauval Zoo
"It was the first panda that was born in France. We really liked him. So it was very emotional to be with him and to see him go. The whole team is full of emotion, it's going to be sad."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Paris.
(XHTV)