Le Le, a giant panda, passed away on Friday, the Memphis Zoo confirmed. According to a spokesman for the Memphis Zoo, the Giant Panda died “unexpectedly” on February 1, 2023. While a medical examination is ongoing, the cause of death is yet unknown.
Le Le’s name means “happy happy,” and the zoo claimed that this nickname perfectly captured his character.
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Who was Le Le?
Le Le passed away at the age of 25. She was born on July 18, 1998. In 2003, Le Le came to the Memphis Zoo. Among the zoo’s two giant pandas, another was a female by the name of Ya Ya. A 20-year loan from China to keep the pandas at the zoo was going to run out this year.
In a statement, Le Le was described as 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.”
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Le Le and Ya Ya were to return to China over the next several months, the zoo announced in a statement in December. It’s uncertain whether Ya Ya’s plans will change as a result of Le Le’s passing.
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“Le Le was adored by his keepers, all of the staff at the Memphis Zoo as well as the City of Memphis,” the zoo said. The zoo additionally released a movie containing a collection of Le Le pictures from over the years. “While we are heartbroken, we cherish the memories,” the caption reads.