To commemorate the 100th day since the birth of Hong Kong’s first panda twins, Ocean Park Hong Kong is set to host a vibrant celebration over the weekend, with live broadcasts allowing panda enthusiasts around the world to witness the cubs’ milestone moment.
On Saturday and Sunday, guests visiting the park will receive complimentary traditional treats of red eggs and pork knuckle with ginger, commonly served during full moon and 100-day banquets to symbolize good fortune.
Additional celebrations comprise a photography display documenting the progress of the panda cubs, hands-on workshops centered around pandas, live shows, and multimedia presentations.
From Saturday, Giant Panda Adventure, one of the park’s two giant panda habitats, will reopen following a three-month renovation. The twins’ father, Le Le, who lives there, will greet the public again.
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Starting 10 am on Saturday, the celebration will be live-streamed on the park’s Instagram account for panda - @pandahk_official - allowing panda enthusiasts worldwide to follow the latest developments of Gaje and Sailou, the cubs’ nicknames, which refer to “elder sister” and “younger brother” in Cantonese.
Visitors attending the on-site activities at the park can also watch real-time high-definition panda live streams on the giant LED screen at the park’s Whiskers Theatre, observing the twin cubs as they sleep, play, and explore.
The live broadcast will be shown at the theater at noon and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday, with each session lasting for 30 minutes. Replays will be shown every hour from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The park has also launched a series of products about the young pandas. A highlight is the “Ying Ying’s Doll” – a replica plush toy that simulates the panda cub for Ying Ying to familiarize with the cubs’ scents.
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Priced at HK$60 ($7.7), this vivid toy features the cub’s pink body, even with a yellow poop on it, and is widely popular with panda fans.
“Can't wait for the 100-day banquet!” declared one Instagram user, while another commented, “Finally, we get to ‘see’ which panda cub is which.”
Another commenter remarked, “The ‘Made in Hong Kong’ panda cubs feel so endearing. I wasn’t much of a panda fan before, but now I can't stop thinking about these two little ones.”
Many netizens suggested daily live streams, expressing hopes for regular updates on the real-time antics of the panda twins.
READ MORE: Birth of panda twins brings double joy to Hong Kong
The cubs, born to Ying Ying on Aug 15, are expected to make their public debut in mid-February when they are six months old.
Another pair of pandas gifted by the central government to mark the HKSAR’s 27th anniversary is expected to meet the public in mid-December.
Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com
