KUALA LUMPUR: Giant pandas Fu Wa and Feng Yi, housed at the Giant Panda Conservation Centre (GPCC) in Zoo Negara here since 2014, celebrated their 17th birthday yesterday.
The giant pandas’ birthday was celebrated with a special cake made of fruits such as apples, watermelon and grapes, and decorated with flowers.
The two pandas were loaned to Malaysia in 2014 for 10 years in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of bilateral ties between Malaysia and China.
Both were born on Aug 23, 2006, at the Wolong Panda Centre, Sichuan, China and arrived in the country on May 21, 2014, where they were then housed in a specially built GPCC.
The animals were later renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang, and have had three offspring – Nuan Nuan, born on Aug 18, 2015; Yi Yi (Jan 14, 2018); and Sheng Yi on May 30, 2021. Nuan Nuan was sent back to China in 2017.
Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana in a speech said the success in breeding giant pandas contributed to the conservation efforts of the iconic species, Bernama reported.
“The journey of the giant pandas is a story that involves dedicated conservationists, researchers and individuals who poured their passion into ensuring the survival of this remarkable species.
“It is also a story that resonates with the shared values of our (two) nations, a commitment to sustainable development, and the well-being of all living creatures,” he said.
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