Beloved pandas depart Toronto for Calgary after 5 year stay

Four giant pandas, which since 2013 have called Toronto home, departed the Toronto Zoo Friday morning for the Calgary Zoo, their new home for the next five years.

There was no fanfare as the pandas departed in a convoy of FedEx vehicles to the FedEx hub for their flight to Calgary.

• Toronto says goodbye to its beloved giant pandas
• Pandas' 5-year stint with Toronto Zoo coming to a close

"I wish I could travel like this, they are going to be getting the first class treatment their own [Boeing] 757, plenty of bamboo, plenty of apples," James Anderson, FedEx senior communications specialist told CBC Toronto.

"More importantly there will be representatives from the zoo the actual handlers that the pandas are accustomed to will be onboard on the flight."

The Toronto Zoo welcomed two adult pandas on loan from China in 2013 under a five-year-loan agreement. The female gave birth to twins in 2015.

The twin cubs are the first-ever giant pandas born in Canada.

Contingency plans in place

Anderson explained there contingencies for everything, and the planning for the move was done over a one-year period.

"We've got a backup truck to follow the two trucks that will be carrying the pandas. We even have a backup plane at our hub," he said.

"The pandas will be boarded on a special Boeing 757 that will take about three and a half hours to get from Toronto to Calgary," Anderson added.

Calgary Zoowill open itspanda exhibit May 7 and spokespersonTrishExton-Pardersays they areexpecting a 25 per cent increase in visitors in the first year.