Korean fans of the giant panda Fu Bao purchased a full-page advertisement in Tuesday’s New York Times, urging China to provide better care for the beloved bear, who was relocated from South Korea to a state-run panda sanctuary in Sichuan province in April.
Members of the Bao Family Gallery, a community on the Korean internet forum DC Inside, raised the funds for the ad. The final ad copy was posted on their community site on Monday. Previously, the same group had funded a billboard in New York City’s Times Square in May, airing a 15-second video titled “My Name is Fu Bao,” protesting the bear's alleged mistreatment. They claimed to have raised over 150 million KRW (approximately 108,000 USD) for both ads.
The New York Times ad features an image of Fu Bao looking up at her former self in a tree at Everland, the Korean amusement park where she was born. In the advertisement, fans outlined their demands to the Shenshuping Conservatory, where Fu Bao now resides. They called for transparency regarding her health and living conditions, improvements to her environment, installation of 24-hour surveillance cameras, and no unauthorized touching, among other requests. They accused the Shenshuping Panda Base of profiting from Fu Bao while subjecting her to inadequate conditions.
The China Conservation and Research Center has denied these allegations, stating at a press conference that Fu Bao was healthy except for some hair loss. They attributed changes in her fur color to her playful behavior and assured her that her physical development, nutrition, and living environment were being prioritized. The center assigned two panda keepers, two veterinarians, and one nutritionist to ensure her health.
Fu Bao’s new home includes an indoor and outdoor enclosure with around 10 trees, a wooden bench, and a pond, along with a 24/7 surveillance camera. Everland zookeeper Kang Cheol-won, Fu Bao’s primary caregiver, visited her in early July and commented positively on her living conditions, praising the local caregivers' efforts.
Born in 2020 at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi, Fu Bao was the first panda born in Korea through natural breeding. Her parents, Le Bao and Ai Bao, were sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016 as a symbol of friendship between Korea and China. Fu Bao was transferred to China in April, following the policy that foreign-born pandas return to China before turning four when they reach sexual maturity.
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