Ueno Zoo’s panda cub Xiang Xiang makes her media debut
Baku, December 20, AZERTAC
A six-month-old giant panda cub was unveiled to the media at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo on Monday, becoming the zoo’s first to debut in 29 years, according to Japan Times.
“We started a panda breeding program in 2010 but it’s not easy to make these animals produce a cub,” Yutaka Fukuda, head of the zoo, said at a ceremony on the zoo’s premises. “We’re happy and proud of our success.”
He stressed that female Xiang Xiang is the zoo’s first cub born as a result of natural mating, and expressed hope the parents’ further reproductive attempts will be successful.
Zoo officials described Xiang Xiang, born on June 12 and now weighing over 12 kg, as healthy.
The cub’s appearances will be restricted to 2½ hours a day until Jan. 31 to ease the burden on the animal, although zoo officials have been preparing Xiang Xiang for crowds for several weeks. It is a tradition to display panda cubs around 180 days after birth.
Visitors will be able to see the cub during five short sessions daily and will be chosen at random from among those who apply. According to the zoo, it received 247,083 applications for sessions this month. The officials warned, however, that Xiang Xiang takes naps several times a day and may be asleep during some sessions.
A live video of the panda can be viewed on its website starting Tuesday, they said.
Meanwhile, many eateries and shops in the area have been beckoning zoo visitors and panda aficionados with panda-themed foods and goods ranging from cupcakes to obi (kimono sashes).
Other news in this section
