Renowned US wildlife park launches first Chinese New Year celebration

San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Saturday kicked off its first Chinese New Year celebration in its 50-year-long history.

During the two-day celebration of the Year of the Tiger, a Chinese zodiac animal, guests can discover such activities as Chinese New Year good fortunes, Asian-inspired food, engaging experiences with wildlife care specialists and adorable animals in the park.

Guests are also invited to tie red ribbons written with their wishes to the trees in the park's Tiger Trail and will receive red envelopes and small gifts from the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles, including souvenirs of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

Located in the city of Escondido in the US state of California, the 1,800-acre wildlife park, home to more than 3,600 animals representing over 300 species, welcomes more than 1 million guests each year. A Chinese New Year celebration is also being held in its sister park, the San Diego Zoo.

Sending his greetings to those celebrating the arrival of the Chinese New Year, Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, operator of the parks, said during the launching ceremony that the wishing trees will be planted in Tiger Trail and "marked with a commemorative plaque honoring this day and our long-term friendship with our Chinese conservation partners."

"May these trees tell a story of our collective power to create positive change, forge lasting friendships, and recognize the beauty in the diversity of our world," he said.

Baribault praised the joint efforts by the alliance and its Chinese partners in contributing to breeding and protecting giant pandas.

In 1996, a female panda named Bai Yun, meaning white cloud in Chinese, arrived at the San Diego Zoo and soon gained in popularity. In 2019, she and her sixth cub Xiao Liwu, meaning a small gift in Chinese, returned to China.

Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Zhang Ping, who also attended the launching ceremony, thanked the alliance for holding the Chinese New Year celebration, saying it enables the public to feel the strength and vitality of the real tigers in close range, and better understand the symbolic meaning that the Year of the Tiger carries.

"As the Beijing Winter Olympics motto goes, 'Together for a Shared Future,' we hope our two peoples will come together and work together to build a better future for the world," he added.