UK's Only Pandas Transported by Air From Edinburgh to Chengdu

The UK’s only Pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian were transported by air from Edinburgh to Chengdu, following their 12 year stint at the city’s Zoo.

China Southern Airlines was given the task to transport the two animals back to their homeland, with there now being no pandas left in the UK.

Without further ado, let’s get into it…

UK’s Only Pandas Transported by Air From Edinburgh to Chengdu…

Andre Wadman (GFDL 1.2 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html or GFDL 1.2 http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html), via Wikimedia Commons

[monsterinsights_popular_posts_inline]

China Southern Airlines flight CSG2582 was the flight in question that transported the UK’s only pandas back to Chengdu, China from Edinburgh.

The Boeing 777 Freighter departed the Scottish airport at 1339 local time yesterday afternoon, and arrived into the Chinese destination at 0649 local time this morning.

B-223N was the aircraft in question operating this flight. As per data from Planespotters.net, B-223N is a 0.6 year old Boeing 777 Freighter that was delivered to China Southern Airlines Cargo back in May 2023.

The UK’s only pandas being transported back to Chengdu from Edinburgh was part of a 10-year agreement between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, which was extended by two years due to COVID.

The UK's only giant pandas at Edinburgh Zoo, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, have been loaded into a China Southern Cargo Boeing 777-F aircraft (B-223N) which will take them back to Chengdu (CTU) ,China after 12 years in Scotland.

Flight : https://t.co/wmiImqeBEX

🎥Courtesy:PA Media pic.twitter.com/8cpVFmoUxA
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) December 4, 2023

Michael Livingstone, a senior animal keeper at the Scottish Zoo said the following on this to Sky News:

“It is sad for us that they are going back, I think it’s always been one of those things that’s just been in the future and now we’re at the point where it’s actually happening.

“I can speak for myself and the other keepers in the team at the zoo that have looked after them – it’s going to be a bit of a sad and emotional time.”

Last month, the same arrangement happened in Washington DC when three pandas were sent back to China via a FedEx Boeing 777 Freighter in the Panda Express livery.