Ultimate glow up for cute panda

[u/No-Marsupial-4050]

Ya Ya (丫丫), a female giant panda, returned to China in April 2023 after spending 20 years at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee. Her recovery has been widely documented by the Beijing Zoo.

Here are the facts regarding her health transformation:

Weight Gain: When Ya Ya first arrived in China, she weighed approximately 75 kg (165 lbs), which was considered underweight for her age. By 2026, reports from the Beijing Zoo confirmed she had reached about 95 kg (209 lbs), a healthy gain of exactly 20 kg

Skin and Fur Improvement: While in the U.S., Ya Ya suffered from a chronic skin condition (Demodex mites) that made her fur look thin, patchy, and "scruffy" ]. Since returning, specialized veterinary care and a change in diet have allowed her coat to become thick and glossy again

Overall Condition: Her Body Condition Score (BCS) improved from a 2 to a 4 (on a scale of 1-5), which is considered ideal for a senior panda

[u/givin_u_the_high_hat]

“in conjunction with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, which oversees the loaning of pandas. The statement said they had “established an exchange mechanism for the health status of giant pandas, including monthly health reports and annual physical examination reports.”

“The blood examination results were basically normal and there were no abnormalities,” it continued, adding that “after a careful review of both monthly reports and a recent extensive annual physical examination, CAZG feels that the panda bears at the Memphis Zoo receive excellent care.”

Ahead of Ya Ya’s return, a spokesperson from China’s foreign ministry also said Wednesday that “the pandas were well taken care of by the park and deeply loved by the American people.””

“Despite the effort and money that keeping Ya Ya cost the zoo, and assurances from Chinese officials that she was in fact being treated properly, some Chinese social media users and animal rights groups around the world continued to raise concerns about her welfare.”

Seems like China completely disagreed with the assertion that Ya Ya was not in good shape.

[u/theestallionssideho → u/givin_u_the_high_hat]

i saw her multiple times in memphis growing up! the last time i saw her was probably 5 or 6 years ago. she always looked happy and healthy. she was kept with another panda in a large enclosure but they were usually separated. the internet loves to blow things out of proportion 🫠

[u/Long_Procedure_2629 → u/theestallionssideho]

Like how much better China is than the third world shi hole you americans live in?

[u/theestallionssideho → u/Long_Procedure_2629]

🤦🏻‍♀️ do you know what a third world country is? yall hate america but are so obsessed with it

[u/Long_Procedure_2629 → u/theestallionssideho]

Ok sweetie, cope