Giant panda “Shu Xiang” will on Sunday (29 November) be sent back to the mainland as part of a national breeding programme for the mammals.

“Shu Xiang” has been kept in quarantine at a local facility prior to leaving the city for Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

The departure date for the animal was decided after consultation between the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and authorities from the mainland. The decision took into consideration included weather conditions and the timetable for completion of a string of preparative procedures, such as the issuing of an export permit, the quarantine process and transportation arrangements.

“Shu Xiang”, which has been in Macao since 2010, lost its female giant panda companion last year when it died from kidney failure. A team of experts suggested that “Shu Xiang” be returned to Chengdu for better pair matching opportunities and possible breeding, now that the panda is of breeding age.

The animals currently housed in the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion are “Kai Kai” and “Xin Xin”. The pair arrived in Macao on 30 April.

President Xi Jinping had announced the gift to Macao of the new pair when he was in the city last December for the inauguration of the SAR’s new Government team.