KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — Giant pandas, Fu Wa and Feng Yi, housed at the Giant Panda Conservation Center (GPCC) in Zoo Negara since 2014, are celebrating their 17th birthdays today.
The giant pandas’ birthday celebration was celebrated with a special birthday cake made of fruits such as apples, watermelons, and grapes, decorated with some flowers.
As a record, the giant panda couple were loaned to Malaysia in 2014 for ten years in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of bilateral ties between Malaysia and China.
Both were born on August 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.
To date, the giant panda couple renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang, have had three offspring, Nuan Nuan, born on August 18, 2015, Yi Yi (January 14, 2018) and Sheng Yi on May 30, 2021. Nuan Nuan was sent back to China in 2017.
Meanwhile, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana in his opening speech said the success in breeding giant pandas contributed to the conservation efforts of the iconic species.
“The journey of the giant pandas is a story that involves dedicated conservationists, researchers and individuals who have poured their passion into ensuring the survival of this remarkable species.
“It is also a story that resonates with the shared values of our nations, a commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of all living creatures,” he said.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_323371" align="aligncenter" width="831"]
Members of the public and press photographers capturing the moment as giant panda Xing Xing enjoys its 17th birthday meal inside the Giant Panda Conservation Center (GPCC) in Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur, on August 23, 2023. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
