Beijing zoo welcomes two new residents |12 April 2012

Attending the signing ceremony held Monday at the Botanical Gardens was Minister for Environment and Energy Dr Rolph Payet, principal secretary for environment Wills Agricole, principal secretary for foreign affairs Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, sales and marketing manager of the National Botanical Gardens Foundation Sharon Ernesta, and a Chinese delegation.

In his speech, Dr Payet said President James Michel had announced the donation of the two tortoises to Beijing zoo on his last visit to China and that he had stayed true to his word.

Mrs Ernesta said both tortoises have already arrived safely in Beijing and the zoo is now responsible for the two tortoises.

“The agreement is basically to formalise the donation,” she said and added the gift will hopefully present a lot of opportunities in terms of exchanges and collaborations between the two institutions.

“We are hoping some of our staff will be able to go to the Beijing zoo and follow courses in different domains and take part in plant and animal exchanges. We are also hoping to invite some of Beijing zoo’s technical advisors to the garden in the future for advice and sharing of skills,” she said.