Dear Leadership Of The Chengdu Research Base Of Giant Panda Breeding,
Heye has been locked indoors for nearly 30 days and your explanation is because of "estrus." But panda estrus lasts days, not a month.
Heye's mental health is at risk. She has no outdoor access, no sunlight, no enrichment. She can likely hear and smell her sister through a wall but cannot reach her. Prolonged confinement causes depression and stereotypic behaviors in pandas.
He Hua's pacing is not random, she paces from the outer enclosure to the entrance of the inner enclosure where her sister is locked inside. She is trying to reach Heye. When not pacing, she barely moves except to eat and sleep. She has expelled mucus and shows visible twitching in her belly area on livestream.
The last time Hehua expelled mucus was when separated from her childhood companions. Separation makes her sick.
The sisters can hear and smell each other but cannot touch. Hehua's behavior shows she knows exactly where Heye is and is trying to get to her.
We demand that the Base prioritize the pandas' health above all else.
Specifically:
1. Return Heye to outdoor access immediately
2. Reunite the twins
3. Stop using "estrus" to justify a month of isolation
The science is clear. The suffering is visible. Put the pandas first.
Sign to bring them back together.
