Fu Bao, the first panda born in South Korea, returned to Sichuan; set to meet public following quarantine

Giant panda Fu Bao arrived at Chengdu on Wednesday night after being delivered on a chartered flight from South Korea. The panda is in good health and will be subject to a month-long quarantine period until it meets the public again.

In order to welcome Fubao back home, the Shenshuping giant panda base under the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda started preparations early.

Currently, the center has prepared an enclosure, built multiple work teams, and carefully established an animal care team including two experienced keepers. A special seasonal "menu" including fresh bamboo shoots and arrow bamboo shoots has also been specially prepared.

In order to help Fu Bao readapt to life in his hometown Sichuan, during the one-month quarantine period, two Chinese keepers will remain on call along with Kang Cheol-won, Fu Bao's breeder in South Korea, who accompanied the giant panda on her flight.

They will also help the panda overcome a "language barrier" after returning to China - learning to understand Chinese, especially Sichuan dialect. The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda will also officially assign a chief keeper for Fu Bao based on his preferences towards the two current keepers.

The mating season for giant pandas mainly takes place during spring, and currently, Fu Bao has not shown any signs of mating behavior. Experts believe that "Fu Bao" will not be involved in breeding research this year. Many suggest that the "mating" of "Fu Bao" may have to wait until the following year or the year after.

As for when "Fu Bao" can be seen by the Sichuan public, expert Zeng Wen from the center said that it is difficult to estimate at the moment. Based on past experiences, the adaptation period for returning giant pandas can range from 1-2 months to 7-8 months, or even longer.

Video of Fu Bao's arrival at Chengdu airport stirred controversy as netizens claimed the panda was being probed by a member of veterinary staff.

In response, the center said that the vet probed Fu Bao in order to conduct a necessary health inspection.

Large screens in Chengdu, Chongqing, and Beijing were lit up on Wednesday night to welcome Fu Bao home. These large screen advertisements were purchased by dozens of Fu Bao fans from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and South Korea. The organizer of the media purchase told reporters that they saw Fu Bao being embraced in South Korea, and many fans posted advertisements to support Fu Bao. They wanted to respond to South Korean fans by saying, "Fu Bao is our national treasure, and there are also so many people in China who love this panda," she said.

In accordance with the cooperation agreement signed between China and the South Korea, Fu Bao started her journey back to China on Wednesday. "We welcome Fu Bao's return and express our thanks to Fu Bao's caretakers in the South Korea," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on a Wednesday briefing.