Three Japan-born giant pandas to participate in China breedi

Three giant pandas born and raised at a zoo in western Japan will be transported to China to participate in a breeding program.

The three panda siblings are male-female twins Hai Bang and Yang Bang, aged six, and a four-year-old younger sister, called You Bang.

They have been at adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture since birth and are scheduled to leave Japan for Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, on June 5.

All of three are approaching sexual maturity, and will take part in a breeding program in Chengdu in accordance with China’s giant panda protection policies and a cooperative project agreed between Chengdu research base of Giant Panda Breeding and Adventure World in Shirahama.

Chengdu Research base of Giant Panda Breeding, with the approval of the state Council, joined forces with Adventure World in 1994 for an international scientific research project on the giant panda species.

This project has successfully bred 15 giant panda cubs. Among these pandas, eight are now in China. Hai Bang, Yang Bang and You Bang will be the ninth, tenth and eleventh giant pandas to leave Japan for China.