CHENGDU - Two giant pandas departed from Southwest China's Sichuan province on Wednesday bound for Austria, where they will spend the next decade at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo as part of an ongoing conservation and research program between the two countries.

The pandas, a male named He Feng and a female named Lan Yun, were born in 2020 and are described as energetic and gentle, respectively. Their names reference the freshness of lotus and the fragrance of orchids, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP).

The bears were accompanied on the flight by a Chinese veterinarian and an Austrian keeper. Their supplies included fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, specially prepared steamed corn buns, water and medications.

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Upon arrival, the pandas will undergo quarantine. A Chinese keeper and veterinarian will remain in Austria to help them adapt to their new environment, the CCRCGP said.

Schoenbrunn Zoo, one of the world's oldest zoos with a history of over 270 years, has upgraded its panda facilities in preparation for the pair's arrival. The enclosure includes climbing structures, wooden perches, artificial caves and a pond with an automated filtration system. A bamboo plantation has also been established to ensure a steady food supply.

Two Austrian keepers were previously sent to China to become familiar with the pandas' behavior and dietary preferences.

This latest exchange continues more than two decades of collaboration between China and Austria. Since 2003, when the two countries formally began joint research on panda conservation, they have seen notable successes in breeding, disease prevention, personnel training and public education, among other areas.

China's iconic giant pandas, with their round faces, plump bodies and signature markings, are beloved worldwide as both cultural symbols and emblems of biodiversity.

Official data shows the wild giant panda population in China has grown from around 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900. The global captive population of giant pandas now stands at 757.

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Thanks to the protection efforts, the International Union for Conservation of Nature downgraded the status of the giant panda from endangered to vulnerable.