China-Taiwan's Reunion Symbol Panda Tuan Tuan Dies in Taipei Zoo Due to Malignant Brain Tumor

In a rare occasion for engagement between the two countries, Taiwan has invited a couple of Chinese experts to assist with an ill panda.

The two specialists arrived on Tuesday when Taipei Zoo's Tuan Tuan was suspected of having a cancerous brain tumor, deteriorated. The massive panda and his companion, Yuan Yuan, were given to the zoo in 2008 during a period of improved ties between Taiwan and China which were divided following the civil war in 1949.

The Washington Post report stated that the ties have worsened ever since, with Beijing shutting off communication in 2016 after the election of autonomy President Tsai Ing-wen, who was re-elected in 2020. Polls consistently demonstrate that the Taiwanese oppose China's proposal for political unification between the two sides, preferring instead the established order of de-facto independence.

Reviving The 'Hope'

Tuan Tuan's MRI revealed that lesions in his brain had enlarged, indicating that the sickness was "progressing swiftly," according to a news statement from the zoo. In a statement from the zoo, spokesperson Eric Tsao mentioned that the parties were pooling their expertise and experience to offer Tuan Tuan the greatest therapy and the best daily care, following an ABC News report.

Chief veterinarian Lai Yen-hsueh mentioned that the doctors agreed to postpone surgery because of the animal's likely response to anesthesia and also the location of the infected region. Wu Honglin & Wei Ming, the specialists, have extensive expertise in researching panda health, including reproduction at China's primary panda research station in Wolong, Sichuan province.

Pandas that further reproduce infrequently in the woods and feed on bamboo are among the world's most endangered species. There are around 1,800 pandas in the wild, with another 500 in zoos or sanctuaries, predominantly in Sichuan.

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Panda: A Distinct Symbol of China

The cute and loving giant panda, increasingly recognized as a symbol of China, exists not anywhere else on the planet outside of confinement. The WWF emblem features a gigantic panda, which is considered as a "national treasure" throughout China. Because bamboo contains few calories, giant pandas may eat for up to 14 hours every day. When they're full, they will slumber for 2 to 4 hours. When they awaken, they will search for more food. Aside from feeding and resting, they also climb mountains. A huge panda can live in trees. They live in trees to avoid danger, propose to spouses, and avoid bigger competitors.

According to National Geographic, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are some of the most endangered creatures on the planet. With a species range that originally stretched thousands of kilometers, they are now restricted to a few patches of bamboo forest. Conservationists in China are striving to increase the range of pandas in confinement as well as release more pandas into the wild.

Last month, China sent in Jing Jing, a four-year-old boy weighing 120 kilograms, which bestowed the Arabic name Suhail, while Si Hai, a three-year-old female weighing 70 kilos, was assigned the Arabic name Thuraya. The pandas will be the symbol of China in the FIFA World Cup.