Panda Watch is a blog by the South China Morning Post that tracks the latest on the baby panda twins – the first to be born in Hong Kong – until they are ready to meet the public.
Hong Kong’s giant panda twin cubs will finally make their debut public appearance in February, the city leader has announced, around six months after the bears were born.
“Elder Sister” and “Younger Brother”, born to giant panda Ying Ying, would be ready to greet visitors at their home in Ocean Park after Lunar New Year, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a media briefing before his Executive Council meeting this week.
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“The pair of giant panda cubs are around six months old and will meet the public in February,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ying Ying has started spending some time in her enclosure at Giant Panda Adventure as she needs downtime to relax and recharge. The mother has begun taking care of both cubs at the same time.
“Elder Sister” and “Younger Brother” have recently started playing, climbing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees at an enclosure.
“It’s a sign that they are all set to roam around their surroundings, filled with exciting elements like trees, rocks, grass and slopes,” the park said.
Zookeepers have also set up a small playground inside their den.
Ocean Park bought the siblings a wooden rocking horse, a child’s toy slide, foam climbing blocks and chew toys.
In videos posted to social media, both cubs seemed to be having fun in their indoor playground and showed remarkable improvements in mobility within weeks.
On their first attempt, “Younger Brother” struggled to climb the steps to the slide and fell on the ground, while “Elder Sister” tried to crawl up.
While the fall looked painful, the park said in its caption that giant pandas have dense bones, strong muscles, thick fur and squishy fat, cushioning the animal from the fall.
“There’s no risk of injury when they take a tumble,” the park said.
Although “Elder Sister” stumbled while climbing and was apprehensive about going down the slide, she managed to haul herself up and felt the adrenaline on the slide.
“Younger Brother” seemed to be a seasoned player on the slides, quickly getting himself to the top and sliding down headfirst, narrowly avoiding the zookeeper filming the video.
“Elder Sister” was also seen trying to stand on her hind legs by supporting herself against the rocking horse.
In another video, “Younger Brother” also managed to enjoy himself on the rocking horse, sitting gingerly while it swayed with the help of a zookeeper.
“For young pandas, toys like rocking horses and rubber balls serve as environmental enrichment items,” the park explained.
“The enrichment items help satisfy the behavioural and physical needs of giant pandas by providing various types of stimulation and opportunities for species-appropriate behaviours and choices.”
Hong Kong’s giant panda babies are not the only ones who have tugged at the heartstrings of internet users when playing with toys.
At the Chongqing Zoo, two-year-old twin cubs Yuke and Yuai have been captured having a ball with various toys and equipment meant for toddlers.
Zookeepers entertained them with swings hanging from trees and a see-saw, which proved to be a crowd favourite as the twins were seen fighting for a seat with their mother Ershun.
Giant panda Lingyan at the Henan Luanchuan Zoo is also spoiled with a dozen toys in his enclosure.
From a spinning chair and climbing frames to colourful stools and giant inflatable balls, the playful Lingyan always approaches the toys as if he were seeing them for the first time.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Hong Kong’s baby panda twins to meet the public in February: John Lee
- Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s Ying Ying cares for twin cubs together for first time
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