Giant panda twins Bao Di and Bao Mei enjoy their birthday cakes in their new yard at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium, on Aug. 16, 2023. [Photo/China Daily]

At Pairi Daiza Animal Park in Brugelette, Belgium, twin giant pandas Bao Di and Bao Mei celebrated their fifth birthday on Thursday as they bid farewell to visitors before their scheduled return to China this autumn. Their older brother, Tian Bao, will accompany them on the journey.

Pairi Daiza, which has been home to giant pandas since 2014, has emerged as a major global attraction, partly due to its involvement in China's giant panda conservation program.

Central to this initiative are Xing Hui and Hao Hao, a panda pair on loan from China, whose offspring - Bao Mei and Bao Di - were born on Aug. 8, 2019. The twins have captivated thousands of visitors from both Belgium and abroad, contributing to the park's status as one of Europe's most visited zoos, drawing millions each year.

China's conservation efforts, in collaboration with institutions like Pairi Daiza, have played a crucial role in boosting the wild panda population from just 1,200 in the 1980s to 1,864 today. Pairi Daiza has further supported these efforts by aiding in the establishment of a 27,000 square-kilometer nature reserve across the Gansu, Shaanxi, and Sichuan provinces, dedicated to enhancing the genetic diversity of giant pandas.

According to the agreement governing the pandas' stay in Belgium, all offspring must be returned to China by a certain age to contribute to species conservation. The farewell celebration at the park was an emotional event, with the pandas enjoying specially prepared treats from their keepers while visitors captured lasting memories at a photo booth near the park's entrance.

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