The journey to the return of Giant Panda Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei

Giant Panda Xiao Xiao (male) and Lei Lei (female) were safely returned to the Ya'an Base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center between January 27th and 28th, 2026. The return of the two pandas was carried out based on an agreement between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the China Wildlife Conservation Society.

This time, we will tell you about the journey that Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei experienced from Ueno Zoo to their arrival in China.

Departure day for Ueno Zoo

On the day of transport, Xiaoxiao and Leilei entered the transport crates calmly, just as they had been trained to do during their previous training. However, as soon as the transport crates were separated from their enclosure, they began to react to the changes in the movements and presence of people around them, becoming restless and fidgety. As animal keeper spoke to them and offered them their favorite food, they gradually calmed down, but prioritizing the safe long journey to China, a sedative was administered preventively. After the administration, they remained stable and were carried onto the truck, Xiaoxiao and then Leilei, who were carefully loaded using a forklift. At 1:24 PM, they departed from Ueno Zoo.

Many people gathered along the park path, quietly waving as they watched the two animals depart.

Narita Airport and the cabin

After the truck carrying the two animals arrived at Narita Airport, they went through various procedures and waited for departure. There was still some time before takeoff, and even after the effects of the sedative wore off, they remained calm and were seen eating the food placed inside the transport crate. Afterwards, they were loaded onto a cargo plane and took off at 8:14 PM. They left Japan and headed for China.

Onboard, a Chinese expert and animal keeper who had been looking after the two dogs for a long time accompanied them, regularly checking on them and monitoring their health. Xiaoxiao was seen sitting in a dog-like posture and looking around cautiously, but gradually calmed down as time went on. Leilei, on the other hand, remained relatively calm and was seen resting on her back. Regarding the food placed in the transport crate, Leilei had almost finished eating, and it was confirmed that Xiaoxiao had also eaten some. Changes in the water level in the water dish also suggested that Leilei had been drinking. Although the plane experienced some significant turbulence, both dogs remained calm and arrived safely at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.

After arriving, the two pandas underwent immigration inspections and were loaded back onto a truck for Ya'an Base. They arrived at Ya'an Base around 5:00 AM (6:00 AM Japan time). Despite the early hour, base staff wearing protective suits warmly greeted them in front of the quarantine area, holding fans adorned with pictures of the two pandas. Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei appeared somewhat tired after their long journey, but their health was fine, and they were calmly taken into the quarantine facility. Afterwards, a handover took place with the base staff, and all the information about their up-to-date care, including their personalities, health, and diet, was carefully shared. I was reassured to hear that the same staff who had previously handled pandas returned from Japan would be in charge of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei this time as well.

We stayed at the Ya'an base for several more days to check on the two animals. Soon after arriving, the two animals began to live freely, moving between the outdoors and indoors. They were eating bamboo shoots during the day and bamboo at night, and there seemed to be no particular health problems, and they appeared to be gradually getting used to their new environment.

Xiaoxiao and Leilei have started a new life in China. Our role has come to an end, but even though we are far away, we will always warmly watch over their growth.

I've sent you a message

In preparation for their return, we have created an album that compiles messages for Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei that were collected online, as well as messages from staff who have worked with the two. This album has been handed over to the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center. We believe that we were able to convey to the local people how much they have been loved by so many people in Japan. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who cooperated.

Related articles

(March 5, 2026)