WASHINGTON: Panda exchanges, like the one that sent two bears to Washington’s National Zoo last week, are governed by closely held contracts. In most nations, they are never released. Lawyers for the Smithsonian, which operates the National Zoo, refused to release a 2020 contract. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, which regulates the import and export of exotic species, provided a San Diego Zoo contract with key passages blacked out.But NYT has found full copies of those documents and others in regulatory filings. The contracts govern two pandas at the National Zoo and two more that arrived in San Diego this summer. Comparing these contracts with past agreements revealed that American zoo administrators are ceding increasing authority to the China Wildlife Conservation Association, a government group.
Here are a few of the terms.
Watch What You Tell Journos
The arrival of pandas in Washington and San Diego were highly choreographed media events. But zoo administrators have agreed to limit what they tell journalists. Administrators cannot discuss panda illness, death, disease or “any other important matters” without first consulting with their Chinese partners, whose views “shall be fully respected.”
Don’t Talk About the Money
Zoos pay up to $1.1 million a year to rent pairs of pandas from China. To raise money, zoos court donations from everyday people and big-ticket philanthropists. China retains ownership of the pandas, and zoos pay for the right to display and breed them for a decade. But the China Wildlife Conservation Association prohibits zoos from discussing the deal in that way. “Commercial terms such as ‘lease,’ ‘rental,’ ‘loan agreement’ or ‘contract’ shall not be used”, the contract dictates.
All-Expense Paid Travel
Zoos have agreed to pay for Chinese experts to travel to the US regularly to give advice, including airfare, hotels, a daily stipend of $100 to $150 per person.
Curbs on Live Panda Cams
Last year, a panda at the Memphis Zoo, Le Le, died after panda enthusiasts watched him deteriorate on the zoo’s live video feed. The zoo’s female, Ya Ya, came under scrutiny, too, with animal welfare groups saying that she was too thin and had mangy fur. Some even paid for a billboard in Times Square. Previously, zoos promoted round-the-clock panda feeds. Now, they have agreed to limit their live feeds. Melissa Songer, a Smithsonian conservation biologist, said the National Zoo pushed back. The zoo will offer footage on a delay, Songer said.
Break the Rules? Deal’s Off
The China Wildlife Conservation Association can terminate the contract and recall pandas to China for a variety of reasons. The “unauthorized release of relevant information” to the public is one example. NYT
