Singapore bids farewell to China-bound panda cub

Singaporeans bid farewell to a two-year-old panda cub on Wednesday as authorities prepared to send him to China where he will join the country's breeding program. 

Le Le, the first giant panda to be born in the city-state, made his final public appearance at the River Wonders wildlife park before a month-long quarantine ahead of his departure.  He was born in 2021 via artificial insemination after his parents, Jia Jia and Kai Kai, failed to mate naturally.  

The pair arrived in Singapore in 2012 on loan from China.  Under the arrangement, their offspring were to be sent to China after reaching independence to join the country's panda breeding program.  Le Le is scheduled to travel to Chengdu on January 16.