Japan Zoo's Unique Solution: Zookeepers in Panda Suits After Country Runs Out of Pandas

• Japan has entered a new year without a single giant panda for the first time in over five decades, after its last four pandas returned to China in June 2025.
• One Japanese zoo is addressing the absence by having zookeepers dress in panda suits, allowing visitors to feed them apple pieces as part of an "experience programme."
• The initiative aims to mimic animal care work, educate visitors on panda routines, and soften the disappointment of panda fans.
• Pandas have significant cultural importance in Japan, symbolizing diplomatic ties with China since their arrival in 1972.
• The program has received mixed reactions, with some finding it endearing and others seeing it as a stark reminder of the pandas' absence and the complex Japan-China relations.

Why It Matters: A Japanese zoo uses zookeepers in panda suits to fill the void left by pandas returning to China.