Giant pandas return to Edinburgh Zoo after 19 years

Red pandas, which are closely related to the giant panda, have returned to the zoo after a 19-year absence

The new arrivals, a male and female pair named Ramu and Kumari, are the first giant pandas to live in Scotland since 2003

Ramu is five years old and Kumari is three, and both animals were born and raised at Edinburgh Zoo.

The pandas were flown to their new home from Chengdu in China, where they were born.

The move comes as part of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) giant panda breeding programme.

RZSS is hoping to breed giant pandas in Scotland for the first time, and the return of Ramu and Kumari is a significant step towards achieving this goal.

The giant pandas will live in a new enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo, which has been designed to mimic their natural habitat in China.

The enclosure includes a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as a variety of climbing structures and plants.

Visitors to Edinburgh Zoo will be able to see the giant pandas from May 24.

The giant panda is a critically endangered species, and there are only around 1,800 left in the wild.

The RZSS is working to protect the giant panda and its habitat, and the return of Ramu and Kumari is a positive step towards achieving this goal.