Taiwan Asks China’s Vets to Treat Tuan Tuan

With tensions high, Taiwan has asked China’s vets to treat Tuan Tuan, their below panda. Last month, the adorable panda named Tuan Tuan became ill. He had a three minute long seizure in August and lost his appetite. After performing MRI, the team discovered that the panda has a life-threatening brain lesion. The team in Taiwan wants Tuan Tuan to live out the rest of his life in comfort and wish for China’s vet to assess the panda.

While Taiwan’s vets are doing everything they can for the panda, they hoped that China’s vets would be able to do more. In the past, they have sent panda experts to assist with the births of the cubs. The vets coming to Taiwan this time will be in Taiwan for seven days. They will be observing the panda’s condition, rather then assisting or perform their own health checks. Do you think that China’s vets should do more and treat Tuan Tuan?

Diplomatic Pandas: Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were gifted to Taiwan in 2008. Initially, the giant pandas were supposed to be a gift in 2005 but the Taipei administration at the time refused them. Once the new government took over in 2008, they gladly accepted the pandas. 

Tuan Tuan was born on September 1, 2004, while Yuan Yuan was born on August 31, 2004. They have lived together at Taipei Zoo since December 23, 2008. In 2013, they welcomed their first cub, Yuan Zai. In 2020, they welcomed their second cub, Yuan Bao. During the panda diplomacy, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were exchanged for two Formosan sika deer and two serows. Because of this, Taiwan did not have to send the cubs to China. 

While pandas can live up to 20 years, one panda, Jia Jia, made it to 38. That is equivalent to 111 human years. Perhaps the vets will treat Tuan Tuan so he can fight to live just as long.