Le Le, one of the Memphis Zoo’s giant pandas, has died.
The zoo announced the death Friday morning, calling the news “devastating.” The cause of death has not been determined. But a medical investigation is pending.
Here’s the zoo’s full announcement:
Memphis Zoo is devastated to announce the passing of giant panda “Le Le.”
Le Le was born July 18th, 1998 and was 25 years old at the time of his passing. Le Le came to Memphis Zoo in 2003. Le Le’s name translates to “happy happy”, and his name perfectly reflected his personality.
Le Le was a happy bear that enjoyed apples, engaging with enrichment, and relaxing while covering himself with freshly shredded bamboo. He had an easy-going personality and was a favorite of all who met and worked with him over the years.
Le Le was adored by his keepers, all of the staff at the Memphis Zoo, as well as the city of Memphis. Over the last 20 years Le Le has delighted millions of guests, served as an exemplary ambassador for his species and remains a shining symbol of conservation partnership with the People’s Republic of China.
At this time, a cause of death has yet to be determined as medical investigation is pending.
The Memphis Zoo recently announced that the pandas Ya Ya and Le Le will make their journey back to China within the next few months.
According to the zoo, their loan agreement with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens will end after two decades.
In a Facebook post, the Memphis Zoo said, “Ya Ya and Le Le have been integral parts of the Memphis community for the past 20 years and we are grateful for the time we were able to spend with them.”
The Memphis Zoo also said that “Ya Ya and Le Le helped pioneer research and conservation projects to teach others about the importance of their species.”
Ya Ya and Le Le arrived at the Memphis Zoo in April of 2003. In a video exploring the China Gardens at the Memphis Zoo, CEO Matt Thompson, said that this was the first time that people in the city were able to see giant pandas, and “experience the culture of China.”
Thompson said that many zoos around the world would like to have giant pandas but have been unsuccessful.
In 1987, a panda named “Shuwa” stayed at the Memphis Zoo, but this was only for 31 days. A large number of guests had come to see her, and wondered why there were no pandas at the zoo.
“At the time, pandas were very rare animals and an endangered species with only about 1,000 remaining in the wild,” said the Memphis Zoo.
In 1996, the Memphis Zoo began having conversations about hosting giant pandas. In this same year, Jim Sasser of Tennessee became the United States ambassador to China.
According to the Memphis Zoo, Sasser began to have conversations with Chinese government officials in March of 1999 about panda research being conducted at the zoo.
The zoo also said that in these conversations, then-president Jiang Zameen said that while Chinese people knew a lot about American culture, it seemed as if Americans knew “very little” about Chinese culture. This is how the idea sparked of having pandas at the Memphis Zoo would serve as an educational experience.
The Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens signed a letter of intent in April of 1999,and in the summer of 2001, crews began working on the 16-million dollar exhibit.
While many have enjoyed seeing the pandas for years, many have also voiced their concerns for the well-being of the pandas as well.
In April of 2021, Memphis Flyer reporter Toby Sells said that “A change.org petition and a letter-writing campaign by Panda Voices, a group “brought together by the ongoing mistreatment of pandas Lele (sic) and Yaya (sic) at Memphis Zoo,” has mobilized thousands across the globe.”
According to Sells, mistreatment concerns ranged from Ya Ya’s “four abortions” that cause “irreversible damage to her body,” and claims that Le Le had “dental problems over the years.”
”I assure you that both pandas are monitored by keeper and veterinary staff daily,” said Jessica Faulk, a zoo spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are also in constant communication with our colleagues in China, as well as [the Association of Zoos and Aquariums], and send them monthly updates.”
Memphis Zoo officials are rebutting claims from a group of ”international panda fans” concerned for the well-being of the zoo’s two giant pandas, Le Le and Ya Ya.
A change.org petition and a letter-writing campaign by Panda Voices, a group “brought together by the ongoing mistreatment of pandas Lele (sic) and Yaya (sic) at Memphis Zoo,” has mobilized thousands across the globe. Dozens of form letters have been sent to the Memphis Flyer newsroom.
“I am informed that YaYa (sic) and LeLe (sic) has (sic) been suffering from hunger, incompatible low-quality bamboos, lack of enrichments, and excessive caging time, causing them to be underweight and malnourished,” reads a form-letter submission sent this week from Judith Echeverria in Miami, Florida. “From 2007 to 2012, the zoo has performed four artificial inseminations on YaYa (sic) which ended with four abortions and caused irreversible damage to her body.”
Memphis Zoo leaders said Wednesday morning that they have ”been in an ongoing conversation with this group who has passionately voiced their concerns over our pandas here at the Memphis Zoo.”
”I assure you that both pandas are monitored by keeper and veterinary staff daily,” said Jessica Faulk, a zoo spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are also in constant communication with our colleagues in China, as well as [the Association of Zoos and Aquariums], and send them monthly updates.”
While the letter and the group’s website provide links they say proves their allegations of mistreatment at Memphis Zoo, they don’t clearly substantiate any of their claims. For example, for proof of Ya Ya’s “four abortions” that caused “irreversible damage to her body,” the group points to a 2012 web post from Giant Panda Global sourced from a story from The Commercial Appeal. In it, Ya Ya was 11 and had been inseminated four times since her first fertility period when she was six “including a miscarriage in March 2010.”
The group asserts Le Le has ”had dental problems over the years.” Its proof comes “from the videos” in which “he seems to have difficulty in biting and chewing bamboo.” Neither the letter nor the website make clear what videos they reference. The zoo runs three “panda cams,” showing both indoor enclosures and the pandas’ outdoor space.
From the panda cam, Panda Voices claimed it found evidence of “self abuse” as Ya Ya can be seen “banging her head on the floor over and over.” While there’s no context for Ya Ya’s behavior, Panda Voices claims its enough to show “stereotypical behavior” from “excessive caging that could cause appetite loss.”
From videos and photos online, groups have claimed that the zoo’s pandas look unwell. A photo of Ya Ya went viral in 2019 after online commenters suggested she looked skinny. Zoo officials told WREG at the time that the panda was healthy but was just showing her age. Newer claims had the zoo issue a seven-minute Facebook video update on the panda’s condition in February.
In its new campaign, Panda Voices looks to the discoloration and patchiness of the of the pandas’ fur and claims, for Ya Ya, the panda has ”been tortured by parasite infection for over a decade, causing extreme itching and shedding. Her skin disease started in 2008 and 13 years later it has spread throughout her entire body.”
Zoo officials said the bear does have a skin condition but it does not cause “itching or severe discomfort.”
”Our veterinary team reports the appearance of Ya Ya’s skin and coat varies considerably throughout the year due to a number of factors,” said Faulk, the zoo spokeswoman. “According to our veterinary staff, Ya Ya has a skin mite condition, which in bears who do not have a perfect immune system, could cause the fur symptoms she displays.
“However, she does not present any additional signs of disease such as itching or severe discomfort that could be caused by staff or anything else. Otherwise, she is a very healthy bear; she just doesn’t have the fluffy fur like most other pandas.”
The change.org petition from Panda Voices had more than 46,000 digital signatures as of Wednesday morning.
Sex complicates everything … especially if you’re a panda: Your intended mate ovulates once a year, and you can’t quite figure out where everything is supposed to go.
Despite zoo keepers’ best efforts, Memphis Zoo pandas Ya Ya and Le Le decided that theirs was a love better left unconsummated, that, in the long run, they’d be better off as friends.
Last week, the zoo closed the panda exhibit as 6-year-old Ya Ya was deemed ready to ovulate since her urine contained high levels of hormones. The notoriously reclusive pandas were placed together, separated by a thin piece of wire mesh. Mammals curator Matt Thompson said that Le Le, the 8-year-old male, started rubbing his scent all over the mesh. He even began doing handstands to try and impress his intended.
With the zoo’s panda cam off-line, the Flyer tried to imagine the scene:
Le Le: So, er, come here often?
Ya Ya: Seriously? That’s the line you’re going to use? I only ovulate once a year.
Le Le: [trying again] You know, Ya Ya, we’re both old enough now. No one else is around. I do a mean handstand. What do you think?
Ya Ya: I don’t know. I’ve never done it on camera before [gesturing to the panda cam]. I might be shy.
Le Le: For God’s sake, Ya Ya. Here we are. You got me into your habitat. Your hormone levels are right. You’re peeing on command. Now you start opening up your personal life to me and tell me the visitors won’t be back for hours.
Ya Ya: [seductively throwing her head back] So?
Le Le: Ya Ya, you’re trying to seduce me.
Ya Ya: [laughs indignantly]Le Le, I am not trying to seduce you.
Le Le: Aren’t you?
Ya Ya: Would you like me to seduce you?
[Excited zoo staff lift the mesh. But Le Le has performance anxiety.]
Le Le: Ya Ya, I’m sorry, I know we’re on a time schedule, but I don’t think I can do this.
Ya Ya: You what?
Le Le: This is all terribly wrong.
Ya Ya: Le Le, do you find me undesirable?
Le Le: Oh, no, Ya Ya. I think you’re the most attractive of all the pandas I know. I mean that.
Ya Ya: Le Le, I want you to know that I’m available to you. But if you don’t think you can do this, maybe we’d be better off as friends.
[Le Le tries once again but can’t seem to figure it out. Ya Ya says it would be better for him to go. Zoo staff then step in and anesthetise Le Le to take semen for Ya Ya’s insemination. The zoo will not know for several months if Ya Ya is pregnant.]
