San Diego zoo earns its stripes in Year of the Tiger

As the San Diego Zoo Safari Park celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year, it also recognized a conservation partnership that has been in place for decades.

"Today, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance hosts its inaugural Lunar New Year celebration. This year begins the Year of the Tiger, known for being brave, courageous and generous," said Paul Baribault, president and CEO of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, on Saturday.

He noted that through working with its partners in China, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has helped remove giant pandas from the endangered species list.

"One of our most wonderful success stories of our past is the shared success of the panda recovery, really where its population was in a very desperate state. But working with our partners in China collectively, we are able to turn that outcome around. That was only possible with partnership, with friendship … in place for 30-plus years," Baribault said.

Zhang Ping, the Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, thanked the wildlife alliance for its dedication and commitment to giant pandas and the protection of other animals.

"China and the US' collaboration on giant panda protection is a successful story of China-US cooperation. It built a bridge of friendship that connects the hearts and minds of our two peoples," he said.

Baribault told China Daily that it is wonderful to see the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement "collectively moving toward more sustainable solutions in their sports".

He also said the Olympic Games celebrate interconnectedness and the world coming together, which is also what the Lunar New Year celebration at the safari park aims to achieve.

As a former athlete who had competed on the United States' national team in men's luge for six years, Baribault said he is always excited to watch the Games because he gets to see the athletes he had trained with or competed against in the past.

"When I competed, you are competing in world cups and world championships every year, so you are always one big family, a global family. So it's so neat to see some of those athletes who I competed against, now are coaches for the other teams. So it's always fun to see that we stay connected through all the years," he added.

As part of the celebration, guests and visitors to the park received Winter Olympic souvenirs from the Chinese Consulate General, as well as red packets from the wildlife alliance.

RJ Albright, who lives in San Diego, spoke with China Daily after getting a red packet for his daughter. "We came to see tigers today," he said.

Of the Olympics' opening ceremony, Albright said it was "absolutely beautiful".

teresaliu@chinadailyusa.com