The Harbin Northern Forest zoo has gotten a new panda after four years of their panda exhibit being empty. Originally the zoo built the panda house at a cost of 700,000 yuan (about $103,000) for a panda it borrowed from Beijing. When the panda returned the house was left empty. Now four years later the zoo has signed a deal with Chendgu Zoo to borrow a panda for a year.

The zoo has spent the last two months getting the panda house ready for it's new occupant. The eight year old panda from Chengdu made the flight to Harbin in northern China on Tuesday. On his arrival he was examined by the vet and given a clean bill of health.

As with all pandas his eating habits will be monitored, to check that he is doing ok.

UPDATE Jérôme from www.pandas.fr has found that the panda is called Xiao Jiao NameXiao Jiao Other NamesXiao Jiao ZiLiang Liang Chinese Names娇子 Stud Number646 Date of Birth2006-Aug-31 SexFemale Current LocationHarbin Zoological Garden Born atChengdu Zoological Garden MotherJiao Zi - #425 Father Zi. Thanks Jérôme.