Memphis Zoo

The Memphis Zoo has the blood of giant panda LeLe on its hands. Zoo officials disregarded multiple pleas from our organization, Panda Voices, ...

[Panda Voices](https://www.pandavoices.org/), created in early 2021 by an international group of panda fans from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, brought together by concerns over pandas YaYa and LeLe. On top of that, [Memphis Zoo used to sell bamboo from their farm to Toronto Zoo in Canada](https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/05/19/pandas_in_toronto_why_you_should_have_gone_into_the_bamboo_business.html) in order to feed their former pandas DaMao and Ershun. Most importantly, we urge China and all zoos to ban the transport of pandas to the Memphis Zoo. [Billie Eilish](https://www.idausa.org/campaign/wild-animals-and-habitats/latest-news/media-release-billie-eilish-wants-to-save-abused-memphis-zoo-pandas/)—have urged the Memphis Zoo to not only improve the care of their giant pandas but effect their return to China, where they would be cared for properly. [emailed the zoo and sent direct messages](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MJSR8iF5LfJikDZgpSFVSFXdKkNMdgUN?usp=sharing) on their social media on several different days throughout the month of January to help LeLe. LeLe died due to the zoo’s blatant neglect and lack of care. We urge Chinese authorities and the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) to ask the zoo to immediately improve YaYa’s diet, nutrition, and care and also take immediate action to return YaYa to China before another tragedy occurs. One of the concerned panda lovers sent multiple emails and even begged the zoo when describing LeLe’s situation in an [email sent on January 26](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L4WrnMs4BnFLoAL9umPSYpMqP1aER19n/view?usp=sharing): “Don’t let [him] die there! [ Screenshots published on both Panda Voices and IDA’s social media in January](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G30MuM-s40YC7_WYALhTleiq61MAmU2e?usp=sharing) showed LeLe’s health issues and asked the Memphis Zoo to urgently act to investigate what was happening with the male panda. I’m down on my knees begging you”; and also [on January 31](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V4uJu2JPkG-m4HqrfhDLLmlfIPEhG09U/view?usp=sharing), the day before he died: “Please, go to see him and don’t let him die.” If Memphis Zoo had taken the time to check and provide medical treatment and more soft and nutritious food to help him improve his health, his death might have been prevented. LeLe had a loss of appetite and was showing signs of weakness, lethargy, and digestive problems, and even [collapsed](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wQwx8QpNolmO4h-vxoCjPAOHKbTLFLde/view?usp=sharing) a few times. The negligence shown by the Memphis Zoo amounts to animal cruelty.