Picture: The facilities of An An and Coco’s new home, “Sichuan Treasures Hall”, have been upgraded with a new climbing frame.
Chief Executive Li Jiachao said yesterday that a pair of giant pandas “An An” and “Ke Ke” donated to Hong Kong by the Central Government will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow and will immediately move into the “Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Curiosities Museum” in Ocean Park. They hope to be in the park in mid-December. A large-scale launching ceremony will be held to allow giant pandas to meet the public.
In order to welcome the pair of national treasures, the government has made preparations in four aspects to stimulate the atmosphere in the city, including holding a naming competition next month to find a new name for the giant pandas. Ocean Park is arranging new homes for them. The Sichuan Treasure Museum has completed the first phase of the upgrade project, adding a climbing frame, and a snow drifting system will be added in the second phase. Sources said that the weather in Sichuan will snow, and the snow drifting system will help reproduce Sichuan’s climate environment and help the giant pandas adapt to their new home after arriving in Hong Kong.
Yang Runxiong, director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, left for Chengdu, Sichuan yesterday. At the invitation of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center, he attended the giant panda farewell ceremony held in Dujiangyan today. Tomorrow morning, a pair of giant pandas will arrive in Hong Kong from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight. The SAR government will hold a welcome ceremony at the Hong Kong International Airport. The giant panda was immediately escorted by the police and boarded a convoy arranged by Cathay Pacific Airways. It is expected to arrive at Ocean Park in the afternoon.
Meet the public as soon as December
The pair of giant pandas will be quarantined for at least 30 days, and their health status will be closely monitored by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and Ocean Park. They will then need to adapt to the new environment for at least another 30 days, and experts will evaluate the appropriate time to meet the public. Ocean Park care team Some interactive projects have been designed to help them adapt to the new environment, and it is expected that a pair of giant pandas will be able to meet the public in mid-December.
Chief Executive Li Ka-chiu said that he once again sincerely thanks the central government for its care and support for the Hong Kong SAR and donated two giant pandas to the Hong Kong SAR. The SAR government and Ocean Park have made preparations in four aspects. In order to help the giant pandas adapt to the new environment as soon as possible, Ocean Park nursing staff have already visited the Dujiangyan Base of the Panda Center to learn about the habits of the two giant pandas and support the physical examination procedures before the giant pandas go to Hong Kong. In order to bring the giant pandas closer to the wild environment in their new habitat, Ocean Park has specially designed their new homes. Climbing frames, plants, etc. have been added so far. The ground will be renovated later, snow rocks and snow sprayers will be added, and monitoring will be improved. system etc. Li Jiachao said that this past Sunday, he went to Ocean Park for an on-site inspection to ensure that the new residence would make the giant pandas “comfortable to live in.”
Ocean Park’s two panda pavilions have been closed since August. The Sichuan Treasures Museum has been undergoing an upgrade project in the past two months. Ocean Park said that the new climbing frame is made of solid wood and fiberglass reinforced concrete to allow the giant pandas to express their full energy. The second phase of the museum’s upgrade project includes adding snow stones and renovating the logistics area; and the “Giant Panda Tour” where giant pandas “Yingying” and “Lele” live will expand the attraction area and enhance the overall visitor experience.
Set up a falling snow system to reduce “homesickness”
Sources told Ta Kung Pao that giant pandas had lost their appetite in the past, but were willing to eat bamboo from Sichuan, and suspected that they were homesick. Sichuan has four seasons and snow falls. In order to prevent the giant pandas from not adapting to the weather in Hong Kong, a snow falling system was added to the panda pavilion to simulate their original living environment, “so that they will not feel that they are far away from their hometown.” It is understood that after the facilities of the two panda halls are upgraded, the zoning layout of the halls will remain unchanged, and the Sichuan golden monkeys will continue to live in the Sichuan Exotic Treasures Hall.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club stated that it has approved a donation of more than NT$121 million to support Ocean Park in upgrading the facilities of its two panda pavilions to create a living environment closer to the natural ecology. It will also be used to implement community education programs and donate funds to students from low-income families to visit the giant pandas in the park.
Mainland experts stay in Hong Kong temporarily to help them adapt
The China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center stated that it has arranged for experts and breeders to have in-depth exchanges with the four breeders who went to Ocean Park to study, so that they can become familiar with and master the temperament and living habits of the two giant pandas, and build trust with them. A keeper and a veterinarian from the Panda Center will accompany the giant pandas to Hong Kong and stay for a period of time to help them adapt to their new home as soon as possible.
Li Ka-chiu said that the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau is working with Ocean Park, the Tourism Board, and all sectors of society to promote Hong Kong-wide publicity activities. A pair of giant pandas donated to Hong Kong are currently named “An An” and “Ke Ke”. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will hold a territory-wide naming campaign in October, inviting all Hong Kong residents to use their creativity to rename the giant pandas. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will also hold large-scale painting competitions.
Hong Kong-wide naming event to be held next month Chief Executive: Let’s show our creativity
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will hold a territory-wide naming campaign for the pair of giant pandas donated to Hong Kong by the central government in October. The pair of giant pandas are both currently 5 years old. The male giant panda’s name at the Panda Center is “An’an”, and the female giant panda’s current name is “Keke”. Chief Executive Li Ka-chiu said yesterday that he hopes all Hong Kong citizens will use their creativity to come up with meaningful new names for the two giant pandas that can highlight their characteristics.
An An is strong, outgoing and lively
The pair of giant pandas are both currently 5 years old and have just entered adulthood, full of energy. “An’an” was born in June 2019 and currently weighs more than 130 kilograms. It has a round head, a long body, a strong body, agile movements, smart and active personality, and an outgoing and lively personality.
Coco, the “tomboy” of the giant panda world
“Keke”, formerly known as “Tian Ke”, was born at the Shenshuping Base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center in June 2019. He currently weighs about 100 kilograms. It has a docile temperament, is gentle and cute, lively and active, and is good at climbing. It is a typical “tomboy” in the giant panda world.
“An’an”‘s mother is “Lin Bing” and her father is “Wugang”. “Lin Bing” is the first baby born by the giant panda “Lin Hui” in Thailand at the Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand. He is a well-known star in Thailand. He returned to his hometown of Sichuan in 2013 for marriage, and gave birth to twins for the first time. They reproduced within 5 years. There were 7 cubs born out of 4, and “An’an” is the eldest brother of “Lin Bing”’s third litter.
“An’an” has an older brother “Laolao”, two older sisters named “Haihai” and “Wenhui”, and two younger brothers named “Wulin” and “Dudu”. “An’an” and the female giant panda “Yaya” were selected as the city mascots of Ya’an City, Sichuan Province in 2019. The two pandas have been childhood sweethearts and have a very good relationship.
“Keke”‘s mother is “Hanyuan” and his father is “Jinke”. He has an older brother “Qilin” and a younger sister “Keyuan”. This year, “Keke” moved to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
The police escort team shoulders heavy responsibilities
A pair of giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by the Central Government will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow. To ensure that the pair of national treasures are safely and smoothly transported from the Hong Kong International Airport to Ocean Park, the police will dispatch an escort team to escort them along the way. Some people in the insurance industry said that relevant parties have also insured the entire transportation of the giant pandas, ensuring that the giant pandas will receive careful medical care at any time if they feel unwell along the way and after arriving in Hong Kong.
Avoid national treasures and choose the smoothest route
The two giant pandas are expected to arrive in Hong Kong from Sichuan at around 11 pm tomorrow. After the SAR government held a welcome ceremony at the Hong Kong International Airport, the police escort team will escort the giant pandas to Ocean Park. According to reports, the police will dispatch elite motorcycles and convoys from the escort team to form an “arrow-shaped” team to escort the entire journey of about 43 kilometers.
In order to reduce bumpy roads and ensure a smooth and comfortable ride for the giant pandas, the convoy will use straight roads and wide, smooth and flat routes. It will first take the Tsing Yi-Tsing Ma Bridge, then the Western Harbor Crossing and Aberdeen Tunnel, avoiding the Pok Fu Lam area. mountain road. In the meantime, the traffic departments of other police districts will cooperate. It is expected that a pair of giant pandas will arrive at Ocean Park at about 2 pm tomorrow afternoon.
Luo Shaoxiong, president of the International Professional Insurance Consulting Association, told Ta Kung Pao that for such an important national treasure, the SAR government will definitely insure the entire transportation of the pair of pandas. As for the amount of insurance, the industry generally decides based on the security measures during the transportation process and whether there are professional escorts such as veterinarians accompanying the group. He believes, “With such careful and careful care, I believe the insurance premium will not be as astronomical as people think.” number.”
The Police Escort Group was established in 1986 and is under the direct command of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations). The members of the police escort team are all traffic police officers with superb driving skills. In addition to escorting dignitaries and VIPs from various countries, they also shoulder important tasks such as escorting cultural relics and national treasures. They are an excellent team that represents the image of the police force and the government. In 2022, the Palace Museum in Beijing loaned “national treasure” cultural relics to Hong Kong for display. After arriving in Hong Kong, the police escort team was responsible for escorting the cultural relics to the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District.
Panda craze cannot stop business opportunities everywhere
With the arrival of another pair of giant pandas as a gift from the central government to Hong Kong on Thursday, Hong Kong will have six pandas. Chief Executive Li Ka-chiu said yesterday that giant panda elements have been added to many large-scale programs, including the Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Festival, drone performances, Symphony of Lights, etc. Some district councils have launched panda everywhere activities, and some shopping malls have displayed giant panda decorations for the public. “Punch in”, some catering and retail industries have launched giant panda products. He encouraged all walks of life to seize the opportunity and create new business opportunities.
Since the central government announced in July that it will send another pair of giant pandas to Hong Kong, the public has been eagerly anticipating that all sectors of society have launched activities and products with giant panda elements. Some large shopping malls have launched large-scale panda-themed activities and check-in devices to attract customers to Shatin New City. Take the Plaza as an example. It spent NT$300 million to revitalize the Chill Park, an outdoor space on the 3rd floor of Phase 1 of over 20,000 square feet. The theme is changed regularly. The first example is the “Panda Me United ‘Cute’ Project”, with more than 80 pieces installed on the platform and in the shopping mall. Giant panda installation; Ocean Park, which has the advantage of being the home venue, has successively launched new giant panda products. The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel in Hong Kong earlier celebrated the birth of Hong Kong giant pandas by launching a new-born accommodation activity from now until November 30. 22% off on staying in a panda-themed room.
Multiple large-scale activities welcome national treasures
Li Ka-chao said yesterday that in order to welcome the two giant pandas to Hong Kong, in addition to the giant panda naming competition and painting competition that will be held in October, many large-scale programs have successively added giant panda elements, including the Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Festival held by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department this month, and the Tourism There will also be a drone show by the Bureau, as well as a special edition of A Symphony of Lights to celebrate National Day next month.
In order to facilitate citizens and tourists to obtain information, the HKTB has launched a one-stop giant panda-themed webpage on the tourism information platform. Ocean Park will also set up a dedicated page to update the living conditions of the two giant pandas in Hong Kong.
Li Ka-chao also pointed out that in addition to Ocean Park launching giant panda products and adding giant panda elements to festival activities, the Post Office also plans to launch special stamps and stamps with a giant panda theme in December. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Ocean Park will actively encourage all sectors of society and different organizations to create business opportunities through the panda craze. He encouraged all sectors of society to seize the opportunity and launch relevant promotional activities, merchandise, cultural and creative products, tourism products, etc. to create business opportunities and promote consumption.
The government adopts four measures to welcome giant pandas
Help you adapt as quickly as possible
new environment
•Ocean Park nursing staff have already arrived at the Dujiangyan base to conduct preliminary work
•Ocean Park has specially transported bamboos grown in Guangdong Province to the Dujiangyan base to allow them to gradually adapt
•Giant pandas will be quarantined in Ocean Park for at least 30 days after arriving in Hong Kong
•After the giant panda completes quarantine, it will take another 30 days to adapt to the new environment
Customize your new home
•The “Sichuan Treasures Museum” where giant pandas live has completed the first phase of optimization work, including adding climbing frames, plants, etc.
•The second phase of the upgrade project includes renovating the ground and adding snow stones. “Giant Panda Tour” expands attraction area
The whole city is welcome to participate
Giant pandas arrive in Hong Kong
•A naming activity will be held for newly arrived giant pandas in Hong Kong in October
•Hold a large painting competition
•Multiple large-scale programs are gradually adding unique panda experiences
•A naming activity will be held later for a pair of Hong Kong giant pandas
Seize the opportunity
Create new business opportunities
•Ocean Park launches giant panda products
•Festival activities incorporate giant panda elements
•The Post Office launches giant panda-themed stamps and stamps in December
•Large shopping malls display giant panda decorations for citizens to “check in”
• “Duqiao” in the catering and retail industries launches giant panda products