MEMPHIS, Tenn. (April 13, 2023) — On April 8, hundreds of people joined a moving virtual memorial hosted by In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices to honor LeLe the giant panda who died from neglect at the Memphis Zoo, which continues to skirt accountability and has failed to provide any evidence supporting its claims about his health. 

“LeLe’s memorial was a powerful and moving event that united people all over the world in honoring his life,” said Brittany Michelson, Campaign Specialist for Captive Animals at In Defense of Animals. “We were amazed at how many panda supporters and animal advocates joined together to celebrate his life and seek justice for him. May LeLe’s devastating story live on as a reminder that zoos cause great suffering to animals and captivity kills.”

The event drew 783 registrants and 259 people joined live on Zoom. The program in Chinese and English included special elements such as a eulogy, and original tribute videos, artworks, poems, and cards by panda fans. International speakers from In Defense of Animals, Panda Voices, and independent panda supporters gave touching tributes from all over the world, including from China, the U.S., Ukraine, Russia, Brazil, Italy, Malaysia, and the UK. 

“Our virtual memorial gathered together panda fans, animal advocates, and many other people from all over the world who were touched by the appalling situation of the pandas at the Memphis Zoo and fought hard for LeLe and YaYa,” said Taciana Santiago of Panda Voices. “It was an opportunity to celebrate LeLe’s life and pay a touching tribute to him, but also to share the sadness about his tragic death shortly before their return to China. Clear evidence shows that his passing was preventable, so the memorial also aimed to seek justice for him, to make the world know the story of this beautiful individual, and learn lessons from his death. LeLe did not die in vain.”

On December 21, Memphis Zoo announced giant pandas YaYa and LeLe would finally be returned to China once its loan contract ended in early April. This news followed a successful two year campaign by In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices. Devastatingly, LeLe passed away on February 1 after his health took a turn for the worse. 

The results of a preliminary necropsy released on February 26, which concluded LeLe died of heart disease, still need to be confirmed by pathology tests and the final report hasn’t been published yet. Questions about whether LeLe’s heart disease was caused by long-term hunger, malnutrition, difficulty eating due to the zoo’s substandard food and his untreated dental condition, and extreme psychological stress caused by his need to bed for food every day, are still unknown and waiting to be answered.

LeLe started showing increased signs of physical deterioration in mid-January. He had very little interest in bamboo, was visibly weak, appeared emaciated, and was observed to have severe digestive problems. Panda monitors watching the zoo’s panda cam noted LeLe’s health issues escalating over several days. The most worrying moment happened on January 25 when he collapsed on the ground and didn't get up for several hours. 

Despite countless emails and calls to the Memphis Zoo since January 16, LeLe was not examined by a veterinarian, or offered more nutritious food to eat. He was also left unsupervised, with keepers leaving for the day as early as 2:30 p.m. raising concerns that he may not have died prematurely had the zoo taken action and followed recommendations made by activists and the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG).

During the press conference covering LeLe’s death, when questioned about these concerns by journalists, CEO Matt Thompson, Chief Zoological Officer Courtney Janney, and senior veterinarian Felicia Knightley were not able provide any records of Lele’s recent habits or health to support their claim there was “no indication that LeLe was sick,” which contradicts the high level of care and monitoring they claimed to provide. 

Instead, they claimed that LeLe “was just being silly,” “he acts dramatically,” and “he was simply lying down in that video,” raising even more questions about whether zoo staff are negligent, incompetent, or lying. 

Panda Voices has submitted a written report supported by daily panda cam recordings of Lele’s obvious illness that were recorded between from January 15-31, that recorded his diarrhea, and abnormal eating and defecating, to CAZG at the end of March that raise concerns apart from the heart disease that some other issues which are closely related to LeLe’s daily diet and nutrition might also have contributed to his death.

LeLe’s untimely death has sparked international outrage and prompted the Chinese government to release a statement about the pandas.

An account of LeLe's decline and death is available at Counter Currents.

LeLe’s neglectful death has prompted even stronger calls to action for YaYa, who’s physical and psychological health and quality of life has been negatively affected by a lack of appropriate care. She has also been observed showing stereotypic behavior, explained by an enclosure that lacks proper enrichment and only having access to one outdoor area the two pandas had to take turns using. Advocates have expressed great concern over her declining health and are anxiously awaiting her return to China, desperately hoping that she will not succumb to the same tragic outcome that LeLe faced. 

In Defense of Animals’ alert calling for justice for LeLe and YaYa’s immediate return to China has a record-breaking number of supporters, with over 142,000 signatures. It has generated over 2 million emails to Memphis Zoo and other key panda stakeholders.

Once Memphis Zoo heard of LeLe’s memorial, it organized a goodbye party for YaYa on the same date and time, desperately seeking to distract attention from its lethal negligence. YaYa is expected to return home at the end of April.

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Images, video & FOIA requests: https://bit.ly/MemphisPandas

Videos:

• Giant pandas YaYa and LeLe continue to suffer at the Memphis Zoo: Send them Back to China https://youtu.be/yJIH4eKzciQ
• Memphis Zoo: Return Suffering Pandas YaYa and LeLe to China Before It’s Too Late https://youtu.be/0Un8QVxYGkg

Alerts:

• 142,394 actions (2,135,910 emails sent) Justice for LeLe; Save YaYa! Memphis Zoo Must Acknowledge Its Crimes Against Giant Pandas
• 32,570 actions (423,410 emails sent) When Zoo Contract Ends, Giant Pandas Must Go Home to China
• 88,299 actions (706,392 emails sent) Memphis Zoo: Return Suffering Pandas YaYa and LeLe to China Before It’s Too Late
• 188,180 signatures End Pandas YaYa & LeLe’s suffering and send them back home now!

Letters:

July 25, 2022
Sept. 8, 2022

Learn more: 

Feb. 3, 2023 Premature Death Prompts Calls for Memphis Zoo to Never Keep Pandas Again
Jan. 31, 2023 Giant Panda Collapse at Memphis Zoo Prompts Calls for Immediate Action & Permanent End to Panda Exhibit
Dec. 21, 2022 Memphis Zoo's Suffering Giant Pandas to Return Home to China
April 8, 2022 Official Joint Statement From Panda Voices and In Defense of Animals on Memphis Zoo Pandas
Feb. 8, 2022 Billie Eilish Wants to Save Abused Memphis Zoo Pandas
Nov. 23, 2021 Abused Memphis Zoo Pandas Elicit 87,000 Calls to Send Them Home

Contacts:

In Defense of Animals, Brittany Michelson, brittany@idausa.org, 928-420-0727
Panda Voices, Taciana Santiago, taciana.santiago.melo@gmail.com 

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization based in Marin County, California, with over 250,000 supporters and a 40-year history of fighting for animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, California, and rural Mississippi. www.idausa.org/wildanimals

Panda Voices is an organization created in early 2021 by an international group of panda fans from Asia, Europe & The Americas, brought together by concerns over pandas YaYa & LeLe, which began years before. The organization is committed to give voice to the voiceless and promote the humane treatment of animals in captivity through advocacy and services. www.pandavoices.org

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