Memphis Zoo in U.S. holds sendoff for giant panda Ya Ya

STORY: Memphis Zoo in U.S. holds sendoff for giant panda Ya Ya DATELINE: April 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:58 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: various of the farewell event at the Memphis Zoo STORYLINE: The Memphis Zoo in Memphis, the U.S. state of Tennessee, held a farewell event for female giant panda Ya Ya on Saturday. Hundreds of people attended the sendoff at the CHINA exhibit, where they said goodbye to Ya Ya, signed letters, and watched cultural performances. Ya Ya came to the Memphis Zoo in 2003 with male giant panda Le Le under a partnership between the zoo and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG). The Memphis Zoo announced in December 2022 that the giant panda loan agreement with the CAZG will end in 2023. Unfortunately, Le Le died in February ahead of the pair's scheduled return to China. According to an autopsy by Chinese and American experts, the death was caused by heart disease. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Washington D.C. (XHTV)