A heartfelt send-off was held at the Singaporean River Safari to bid farewell to giant panda Le Le, who will return to China on January 16, 2024, with hundreds of residents joining the event.

Le Le is the first giant panda born in Singapore, and he celebrated his second birthday in August this year. The fluffy panda commenced his quarantine on December 14 and is currently making final preparations for his journey to China.

On January 16, he will head for Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province, accompanied by veterinarians, keepers and Chinese staff.

With over 1.8 million people having visited this adorable giant panda, it is safe to say that locals have witnessed him growing up. They stood in long queues to say goodbye on the last day before his departure.

"We've been coming every year since he was born, watching him grow from a tiny baby to now. I brought my child here because today is the last day Le Le stays in Singapore," said Rao Hailiang, a Singapore resident.

"I want to say goodbye to Le Le because he's going back home. I'm sad because I hoped he could stay here. Still, I'm happy because he's returning home to contribute to the research and protection of giant pandas," said Zhang Limei, another resident in Singapore.