Hong Kong welcomes new pair of giant pandas
On Thursday, a pair of giant pandas named An An and Ke Ke arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a gift from the central government to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the region's return to China. They are set to live at Ocean Park, where they will undergo a 30-day quarantine before interacting with the public.
TroibNews 
On September 10, 2024, female panda Ke Ke was spotted munching on bamboo at the Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda in Sichuan Province, southwest China. A new pair of giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday, marking the third pair of pandas sent to Hong Kong in celebration of the 27th anniversary of its return to China.
A welcome ceremony was attended by HKSAR Chief Executive Chan Kwok-ki and other government officials. The pandas made their journey from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and are set to join four other pandas already living at Ocean Park Hong Kong.
Following their arrival, An An and Ke Ke will undergo a 30-day quarantine period to help them adjust to their new environment, with plans for them to be ready for public viewing by December. Staff at Ocean Park have been preparing for the pandas' transition since July, engaging in care training and sensory exposure to foster familiarity with their new home. Both pandas, born in June 2019, have unique traits: An An is noted for being playful and agile, while Ke Ke is gentle and a proficient climber.
Veterinarian Cheng Yanxi from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, who accompanied the pandas on their trip, reported that they are both in good health. Cheng plans to remain in Hong Kong for two to three months to assist with the pandas’ full adaptation.
Before their departure, a farewell ceremony was held in Dujiangyan, where panda care records were formally transferred to Ocean Park. Paulo Pong Kin-yee, the chairman of Ocean Park, expressed his enthusiasm for the pandas' journey. Meanwhile, keeper Dong Li from the CCRC ensured their comfort during travel by packing their favorite foods, including carrots, apples, and bamboo sourced from their native region.
To assist with their dietary transition, experts from Sichuan and Ocean Park coordinated efforts, providing bamboo from Guangzhou to help ease the pandas’ adjustment. Fresh bamboo from Sichuan will continue to be supplied to maintain their appetite during this period.
With the addition of An An and Ke Ke, Hong Kong now hosts six pandas, including Ying Ying and Le Le, who are already at Ocean Park, along with the recently born twins. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR government plans to hold a local naming competition in October, inviting the public to propose meaningful names for the new pandas. The names currently given to them are temporary.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
A welcome ceremony was attended by HKSAR Chief Executive Chan Kwok-ki and other government officials. The pandas made their journey from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and are set to join four other pandas already living at Ocean Park Hong Kong.
Following their arrival, An An and Ke Ke will undergo a 30-day quarantine period to help them adjust to their new environment, with plans for them to be ready for public viewing by December. Staff at Ocean Park have been preparing for the pandas' transition since July, engaging in care training and sensory exposure to foster familiarity with their new home. Both pandas, born in June 2019, have unique traits: An An is noted for being playful and agile, while Ke Ke is gentle and a proficient climber.
Veterinarian Cheng Yanxi from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, who accompanied the pandas on their trip, reported that they are both in good health. Cheng plans to remain in Hong Kong for two to three months to assist with the pandas’ full adaptation.
Before their departure, a farewell ceremony was held in Dujiangyan, where panda care records were formally transferred to Ocean Park. Paulo Pong Kin-yee, the chairman of Ocean Park, expressed his enthusiasm for the pandas' journey. Meanwhile, keeper Dong Li from the CCRC ensured their comfort during travel by packing their favorite foods, including carrots, apples, and bamboo sourced from their native region.
To assist with their dietary transition, experts from Sichuan and Ocean Park coordinated efforts, providing bamboo from Guangzhou to help ease the pandas’ adjustment. Fresh bamboo from Sichuan will continue to be supplied to maintain their appetite during this period.
With the addition of An An and Ke Ke, Hong Kong now hosts six pandas, including Ying Ying and Le Le, who are already at Ocean Park, along with the recently born twins. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR government plans to hold a local naming competition in October, inviting the public to propose meaningful names for the new pandas. The names currently given to them are temporary.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
