Giant pandas An An and Ke Ke, gifted to Hong Kong by the central government, bid farewell to their current residence in Chengdu, Sichuan on Wednesday, a day ahead of their flight to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, where the city is waiting with bated breath for their safe arrival.
Speaking at a farewell ceremony at the Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Xu Qiangxing, deputy director of the international cooperation department at China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said he expects the pair of pandas, which are now ready to leave for Hong Kong, will embark on a new chapter in the HKSAR, and will hopefully breed, eventually.
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Including the panda twins born in Hong Kong in August, the panda population in the city will increase to six with the arrival of An An and Ke Ke — an auspicious number that Xu said he believes will bring more luck to the city.
The two pairs of giant pandas sent previously by the central government to the SAR have brought endless joy to the people in Hong Kong, Xu said.
Also attending the send-off ceremony, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the city is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new pair of pandas.
Yeung said that giant pandas are a national treasure, and that their profound cultural and ecological significance serves to deepen the relationship between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong residents.
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He highlighted the fact that the pair of giant pandas will be arriving during the 75th National Day celebrations this year, which he said demonstrates the central government's care for the SAR and is a tribute to the region's efforts in panda conservation.
Also at the ceremony in Sichuan, Paulo Pong Kin-yee, chairman of Ocean Park — where the pandas will be staying — thanked the central government and the SAR government for entrusting the park to care for the animals, and added that his colleagues at the park are looking forward to the pandas’ arrival.
Both pandas are 5 years old. An An, a male weighing over 130 kilograms, is known for his liveliness and intelligence. Ke Ke, a female weighing about 100 kg, is more gentle and docile.
The city will throw a welcome ceremony for the pair of pandas when they arrive at Hong Kong International Airport, after which they will be given a VIP escort with police motorcycles to their new residence at Ocean Park.
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The pandas will undergo 30 days of quarantine at Ocean Park, and will then be given another 30 days to acquaint themselves with their new home; they are expected to make their public debut in mid-December.
In October, the city will host an event to invite the public to suggest new names for the pandas.
Hong Kong residents have been flooding Ocean Park's social media platforms with comments like “Welcome the two treasures!”, and “Looking forward to meeting them in Hong Kong.”
Some netizens have suggested expanding the panda’s residence at Ocean Park to allow them to roam more freely, while others have expressed concerns about renaming the pandas.
Li Desheng, deputy director of the conservation center, said he believes the pandas will adapt to their new names within a month.
The caregiver responsible for looking after the two pandas, Dong Li, has been caring for them for over a year and a half. He mentioned that upon the pandas' arrival in Hong Kong, hometown-style food will be provided to them to help them through the quarantine period.
The center's veterinarian, Cheng Yanxi, stated that the crates used for transporting the pandas are spacious enough inside for them to turn around, stand up, and roll over. He mentioned that, while the pandas travel to Hong Kong, ample food and sufficient water will be provided for them, along with necessary medications.
