Concerns over the health of the giant panda Fu Bao, who was beloved domestically and returned to China, have surfaced again. In response, the China Giant Panda Protection Research Center (hereafter referred to as the Center) released a clarification video stating that there were no abnormalities in the health examination results.
On the night of the 13th, the Center uploaded a video titled 'Today's Fu Bao' on its official Weibo account. The Center stated through the video that 'on the morning of the 13th, Fu Bao exhibited a phenomenon of expelling yellow mucus; however, the examination results indicated that Fu Bao's mental state and physiological signs were normal,' and added, 'The mucus expulsion has been confirmed as a common occurrence in giant pandas.'
Recently, videos surfaced on social networking services (SNS) showing Fu Bao appearing to vomit and have diarrhea. Following this, fans claimed that Fu Bao seemed to be lackluster and neglected.
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about Fu Bao's health. Earlier, in December last year, Fu Bao displayed signs of abnormality by shivering and appearing to have seizures while eating bamboo shoots, leading to its transfer to a non-exhibition area. It was subsequently reintroduced to the public in March after more than 100 days. Additionally, there were allegations from fans that Fu Bao was being mistreated due to poor conditions.
Fans expressed concerns about Fu Bao's health and living environment. One fan posted a related video on YouTube, stating, 'Seeing Fu Bao having loose stools made the onlookers' hearts ache so much that they cried.'
As the controversy escalated, the Center, which officially clarified the situation, explained that mucus expulsion is a natural physiological phenomenon that can occur as giant pandas primarily consume bamboo. Furthermore, it elaborated that Fu Bao appearing to vomit and look emaciated is suspected to be due to a roundworm infection, as Fu Bao is currently in a pseudo-pregnancy state and does not have an appetite, even refusing to eat deworming medication.
Pseudo-pregnancy refers to a state in which the body is tricked into thinking it is pregnant, even though it is not. This process of becoming a sexually mature individual capable of pregnancy is similar to the secondary sexual characteristics in humans.
Fu Bao was born on July 20, 2020, between the pandas Ru Bao and Ai Bao, sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a symbol of friendship between China and South Korea. After living at Everland in Yongin and receiving great love domestically, Fu Bao was sent back to China on April 3 last year, 1,354 days after birth, as per and agreement requiring its return before turning 4 years old.