On November 16th, The Copenhagen Post gathered some of our readers for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the pandas at Copenhagen Zoo. The event was held in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Denmark.
At the event, we got a deeper insight into the collaboration between China and The Copenhagen Zoo on the exchange of the two pandas Mao Sun (female) and Xing Er (male).
The two pandas arrived in 2019, and The Copenhagen Zoo has collaborated with Chengdu Panda Base. The collaboration also includes knowledge sharing on panda behavior and reproduction.
In 2024, Copenhagen Zoo implemented a new strategy for panda mating, inspired by methods used in other zoos around the world and in collaboration with the Panda Research Center in Sichuan, China, with the hope of achieving successful reproduction.
In April 2024 The Copenhagen Zoo still had high expectations for a successful mating season sharing a press release on their strategy.
“We have had various approaches to the mating seasons over time, hoping to make it successful. However, we have observed that the two bears have not quite been able to read each other’s signals and behavior, and therefore have had difficulty finding common ground. We have seen a bit of the same behavior every year, where he seems interested one day, and she the next. But not at the same time. So now we are shaking things up and trying something completely new. We will close the bears together in one of the barns, where we also have the appropriate introduction gates for the purpose,” says zookeeper Nadja Søndergaard.
In practical terms, this will mean that Xing will be introduced to Mao Sun in the barn when the zookeepers can see that the mating season has begun. Only the permanent staff will have access, so the two pandas will only have to interact with each other and what they are familiar with.
“This is a completely new situation for the bears, and since the introductions will take place indoors in new surroundings, it is important that they feel safe and calm. Of course, it is unfortunate that our visitors won’t be able to follow the process as they have in previous years when it took place outside in the enclosures,” says Nadja Søndergaard, who has been caring for the two pandas, Xing Er and Mao Sun, since they arrived at the zoo in 2019. Stated the press release.
While we hope for a fruitful 2025 for the pandas, we also hope to revisit the Zoo with our connect club.
In this year’s event, the Chinese ambassador in Denmark Mr. Ambassador Wang Xuefeng delivered a speech, where he talked about the collaboration between Denmark and China.
He said: “Family of Denmark and the government and people of Denmark. We know Copenhagen Zoo is one of Europe’s oldest and most respected zoological gardens, renowned for its commitment to wildlife conservation and education. It has been a perfect new home for Maosun and Xinger. Till now they have been here for 5 years and I am sure that they have
enjoyed their life very much.”
Read more about the Connect Club event here.
About the Pandas at Copenhagen Zoo:
- The pandas arrived in Denmark on April 4, 2019 from the Chengdu Panda Base in China.
- Upon arrival, Mao Sun was five years old, while Xing Er was six.
- They belong to China, but have been leased to Denmark for 15 years.
- If the pandas have cubs, Copenhagen Zoo keeps them until they are two years old. Then they go to China.
- They live in a large panda enclosure designed by world-famous architect Bjarke Ingels.
