英语新闻｜“丫丫”即将回国

Female giant panda Ya Ya, having lived in the United States for two decades, will return to China within the next few days, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

据国家林草局消息，旅美20年的雌性大熊猫“丫丫”将于近日回到祖国。

As arranged by the Chinese and US sides, she will board a homeward-bound plane to Shanghai.

按照中美双方安排，“丫丫”将登上回国的航班，飞往上海。

Ya Ya was born at the Beijing Zoo on Aug. 3, 2000. She arrived at the Memphis Zoo in April 2003, along with giant panda Le Le as envoys of friendship, and was warmly welcomed.

2000年8月3日，“丫丫”在北京动物园出生，2003年4月，她与大熊猫“乐乐”一起作为友好使者来到孟菲斯动物园，受到了热烈欢迎。

The Memphis Zoo announced in December 2022 that it would return Ya Ya to China, concluding 20 years of cooperative research on time. Hundreds of people said goodbye to Ya Ya on April 8 at her farewell event at the zoo ahead of her return to China.

2022年12月，孟菲斯动物园宣布将“丫丫”送回中国，按时结束长达20年的合作研究。2023年4月8日，在“丫丫”返回中国之前，数百人在动物园举行的告别活动中与她道别。

The initial agreement for Ya Ya's stay in the US was for 10 years. It was extended for another decade in 2013.

“丫丫”最初旅居美国协议期限为10年，2013年时，这份协议又延长了10年。

In February, a Chinese expert group arrived at the Memphis Zoo to check Ya Ya's health. According to their evaluation, a skin disease caused hair loss in Ya Ya, but she had a good appetite, normal excrement, and stable weight.

2月，中国专家组抵达孟菲斯动物园，对“丫丫”进行健康检查。据专家组评估，除了皮肤病导致的毛发脱落外，“丫丫”食欲良好，粪便性状正常，体重稳定。

A veterinarian and a keeper from the Beijing Zoo reached the Memphis Zoo last month and worked with the experts from the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, who had arrived earlier, to get familiar with the living habits and feeding conditions of Ya Ya.

3月，北京动物园的一名兽医和一名饲养员抵达孟菲斯动物园，与先期抵达的中国动物园协会专家一道，熟悉了解“丫丫”的生活习性和饲养情况。

They also worked along with staff on the US side for Ya Ya's breeding, nursing, and health assessment and made further preparations for her return to ensure a safe and sound trip.

中方工作人员与美方工作人员共同做好了“丫丫”的饲养护理与健康评估等工作，进一步细化回国前的准备工作，确保“丫丫”平安回国。

The Memphis Zoo has a relatively sound management system and operation procedures, said the veterinarian, noting that Ya Ya's body weight and health condition are stable now.

兽医表示，孟菲斯动物园有比较完善的管理制度和操作规程，“丫丫”目前的体重和健康状况都比较稳定。

Keepers at the Memphis Zoo would record the time, type, and weight of food provided to Ya Ya every day, as well as the situation of her excrement, while veterinarians would conduct health examinations on Ya Ya on time. This data is provided to the Chinese side regularly, according to the veterinarian.

孟菲斯动物园的饲养员会每天记录给“丫丫”提供食物的时间、种类、重量，以及粪便的情况，兽医也会按时对“丫丫”进行健康检查。据兽医介绍，这些数据会定期提供给中方。

"To better breed Ya Ya after she returns to China, we also learned some gestures and commands for behavior training from US keepers at Memphis," said the Beijing Zoo keeper sent to Memphis.

赴美的北京动物园饲养员表示：“为了能在回国后更好地饲养‘丫丫’，我们在孟菲斯也跟美方饲养员学习了一些行为训练的手势和口令。”

The veterinarian said that the Chinese staff learned about how Ya Ya is fed and cared for in Memphis and had some interactions with her.

兽医说，中方工作人员了解了“丫丫”在孟菲斯动物园的喂养和照顾情况，并与“丫丫”进行了一些互动。

The panda has recently been feeding on biscuits from China so that her digestive system can adapt as soon as possible. Training has also been conducted to help her get accustomed to the shipping crate for the cross-ocean flight.

最近，“丫丫”在食用中国提供的饼干，以便消化系统能够尽快适应。同时，“丫丫”还接受了对运输笼的适应训练，以便到时能顺利渡过跨洋旅程。

The Memphis Zoo has been feeding Ya Ya with different types of bamboo, and how much she eats varies seasonally, said Associate Curator Lauren Caskey at Memphis Zoo, adding that sugar canes, grapes, and biscuits are also provided.

孟菲斯动物园副馆长劳伦·卡斯基表示，孟菲斯动物园一直在用不同种类的竹子喂养“丫丫”，“丫丫”的食量随季节变化，此外，动物园还提供甘蔗、葡萄和饼干。

Special care is needed for an aging panda, and zoo staff take detailed notes on Ya Ya's diet and carefully look at her mouth, back, and hands daily, said Caskey.

卡斯基表示，年迈的熊猫需要特别照顾，动物园工作人员会详细记录“丫丫”的饮食状况，每天仔细检查她的嘴巴、背部和手掌。

In her eyes, Ya Ya is funny and likes to be close with people. "When Ya Ya sees you, she always comes over to say hi and you actually do see a smile on her face."

在卡斯基看来，“丫丫”十分有趣，喜欢与人亲近。她说：“‘丫丫’见到人来，总会过来打声招呼，你真的能从‘丫丫’脸上看见笑容。”

"We've had a wonderful opportunity to have our colleagues from China here, and we've been helping give them all the information about our wonderful Ya Ya," said Caskey.

卡斯基说：“中国同事的到来是个很好的机会，我们一直帮助提供关于‘丫丫’的所有信息。”

"Ya Ya is so smart and adaptable, and I know she is gonna do great when she goes back to China," she said.

她说：“‘丫丫’非常聪明，适应能力也很强，我相信她回到中国后会一切都好。”

Homeward

英/ˈhəʊmwəd/ 美/ˈhoʊmwərd/

adj.在归途上的，向家的

Veterinarian

英/ˌvetərɪˈneəriən/ 美/ˌvetərɪˈneriən/

n.兽医