WITH the only giant pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, in the United Kingdom set to return to China in early December after a 12-year stay at Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo, crowds have been thronging the panda enclosure to bid them farewell.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the conservation charity that owns and manages Edinburgh Zoo, said that the pandas will leave for China in the first week of December, but the exact date and time of departure won’t be announced due to safety and security reasons.

The two giant pandas have garnered a great deal of public interest, and the BBC billed the panda enclosure as a “rock star” attraction that has been at the top of the must-see list of more than 600,000 visitors to the zoo each year.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has been holding a series of events since January that have proved immensely popular.

Activities included a one-hour guided tour and behind-the-scenes experience to help the keepers feed Yang Guang. The tickets sold out in just 90 minutes. (China Daily)