Ming Ming and Ping Ping spent 100 days at Dublin Zoo from June to September 1986. In August 1988, Irish officials found out that Ping Ping died after his return to Chengdu, records in the latest release of State Papers show. “The director fully understands the concerns expressed by the Chinese authorities and plans for The Late Late Show appearance have been dropped,” one document noted. Overall, the pandas’ visit to Dublin Zoo was deemed a big success. “They have read a report that he is dead and that there is a suggestion that his death was a consequence of [the pandas’] visit here.

Source: The Irish Times December 28, 2025 09:02 UTC