Hong Kong’s panda cub twins have had to share the spotlight over the past few days as the city welcomed the arrival of two adult bears from mainland China’s Sichuan province.
The twins have passed the six-week mark, with Ocean Park continuing to delight fans with frequent updates on their growth – thickening fur, increasingly pronounced black and white colours, and constant squeaking as they roll about in their incubators.
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Their eyes have yet to fully open, but “separation” between the upper and lower eyelids has begun, according to an Instagram post.
“Then after about a month and a half, [their] eyes will be completely opened,” the post said.
Meanwhile, the city welcomed two new adult pandas gifted by Beijing to celebrate the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty.
The pair – known as An An and Ke Ke until they receive their new Hong Kong names – arrived from Sichuan on Thursday, but will not be ready to meet the public until they have completed at least 30 days of quarantine at Ocean Park.
Caretakers from the park were sent to the mainland ahead of the duo’s arrival to allow the bears to familiarise themselves with at least some of their new humans.
While some internet users are keen to attach human traits and emotions to pandas, the bears’ ability to form bonds with their carers remains questionable.
Solitary animals by nature, pandas become accustomed to humans in close vicinity when living in captivity. But pandas can also be “grumpy” and exhibit “hints of natural behaviours that are more aggressive” and bearlike, according to a 2017 interview the Smithsonian Magazine conducted with an American caretaker.
Aggressive behaviour from pandas in captivity is certainly not unheard of. A video circulating online last week showed a mainland-based panda named Ding Ding chasing, charging at and eventually knocking over a carer who had stopped the bear from going through a door.
The panda briefly held down the staff member, swiping at her with its paws and trying to bite her. Onlookers could be heard shrieking in the background.
But the seriousness of the incident was unclear as the carer appeared to be laughing at some moments.
A similar clip in April showed pandas Yu Ke and Yu Ai at Chongqing Zoo chasing and tripping up a zookeeper who had entered their enclosure to feed them.
The zoo later clarified the pandas were only being “playful” and had not meant to “attack”.
While no pandas or humans were harmed, the zoo held a safety meeting to help prevent similar incidents from happening again.
In 2019, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan issued a public warning that pandas were not always as meek and docile as they appeared, according to state media China Daily.
The base made the call for caution after an eight-year-old girl fell into a panda enclosure and had to be rescued by a guide as curious pandas wandered over.
There are no records of pandas in captivity having killed people.
Development: Eyelids starting to separate, but not yet fully open
More from South China Morning Post:
- ‘Sichuan-flavoured’ food to help Hong Kong’s 2 incoming pandas adjust to new home
- Hong Kong to hold naming contest for 2 new giant pandas in October, John Lee says
- Hong Kong to create panel to name giant pandas being gifted to city by Beijing
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