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Lo Hoi-ying

The personalities of two pandas gifted by Beijing to Hong Kong are determining how quickly they are adapting to their new home, Ocean Park has said, with the more adventurous one living in a den and the “feisty little princess” remaining in her cage.
Howard Chuk Hau-chung, head of zoological operations and conservation at the park, said on Thursday adult bears An An and Ke Ke were adjusting well to their new surroundings after arriving from the mainland Chinese city of Chengdu last Thursday.
“An An is quarantining in a den while Ke Ke is inside a training cage,” he said.
“They have different personalities so we’ll use different measures.”
He said male An An was more adventurous and open to new things, while female Ke Ke was more reserved and nervous.
“Ke Ke needs more time to adapt and being in a cage allows our caretakers to be close to her to touch her, feed her and help her calm down,” he said.
Assistant curator Matt Leung said Ke Ke was a “feisty little princess” who was sensitive to new things and a stranger when he first met her in the Sichuan reserve.
“She doesn’t like it when strangers feed her or touch her, she will retract her paw or walk away,” he said.
“I could still observe her and be near her to let her get used to my voice and would never force her to interact.”

Regarding the pandas’ consumption of bamboo, assistant curator Mandy Tang said the park had increased the ratio of those grown in the southern Guangzhou province to about 60 per cent, up from the initial 30 per cent, as part of the adaptation process.
Chuk said the bears’ feeding and sleeping patterns were starting to return to normal as they settled in.
Pandas normally spent the first two days marking new and unfamiliar environments with their scents to increase their sense of security as part of their natural behaviour, he said.
“They rub their secretions on the walls, floor and the weighing scale to make themselves feel more safe and comfortable,” he said.
The team at the park is monitoring their diet, appetite, bowel movements and sleeping patterns to assess their condition.
The pair are currently spending at least 30 days in quarantine and will get another 30 days to adapt to their recently renovated and expanded home at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures enclosure.
Chuk said the smaller quarantine space made it easier for staff to monitor the bears during their early days and for the pandas to get comfortable.
“If the space is too big, it would be difficult for our caretakers to control and monitor the pandas,” he said.
“In the small den, it’s easier for them to mark their scent and find their favourite corner they feel comfortable in.”


The pandas, both aged five, equivalent to 15 years in human life, will not meet the public until Christmas at the earliest.
An An and Ke Ke, as they are known before Hong Kong decides on their new names, arrived in Hong Kong on a Cathay Cargo flight on September 26.
The bears are a gift from Beijing to celebrate the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty.
The government launched a naming competition for the two giant pandas on Wednesday, encouraging members of the public to submit suitable suggestions with an accompanying paragraph of about 100 words explaining why the proposals were suitable.
The entries, which must be in Chinese, will be judged by a government-appointed panel.
A painting competition will also be rolled out later this month, in which submissions should bring out their interpretation of the bears’ personalities and characteristics.
The contest will be split into three tiers – ones for primary and secondary schools, and an open competition. Participants must submit the pieces along with about 100 words describing the inspiration for their artworks.
The naming contest ends on October 27, while the painting competition runs from October 21 to November 8.


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Panda personalities: adventurous An An, cautious Ke Ke adjust to Hong Kong at own pace

Ke Ke (left) and An An arrived from Sichuan province last week. Photo: Ocean Park

Ke Ke arriving at Hong Kong International Airport last week. The bears’ feeding and sleeping patterns are starting to return to normal as they settle in. Photo: Elson Li

Naming contest for giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing open to public

Ke Ke (left) and An An, the giant pandas gifted by Beijing, are expected to be ready to meet the Hong Kong public around Christmas, at the earliest. Photo: Bifengxia Panda Base

An An, one of the giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, peers out of his transport crate at Hong Kong airport. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong’s Cathay sent ‘top guns’ to transport giant pandas from Chengdu, aided by team of 90

Panda Ke Ke peeks out of her cage as she arrives with her male companion An An at Hong Kong International Airport on September 26. Photo: Elson Li

Cathay Cargo director Tom Owen says the carrier sent its “top guns” to transport the two giant pandas from Chengdu to Hong Kong, aided by a team of 90 professionals from different organisations. Photo: Jonathan Wong

From pandas to supercars: Hong Kong’s Cathay Cargo chief says no shipment too challenging

Tom Owen, director of Cathay’s cargo services, has said he wants to cement Hong Kong’s status as the world’s busiest air cargo hub. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Cathay Cargo’s revenue in the first half of this year increased by 1.5 per cent, year on year, to HK$10.9 billion. Photo: Elson Li

Giant panda An An arrives at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Elson Li

News

Hong Kong

Ocean Park says pair adjusting well after arriving last week, but ‘princess’ Ke Ke taking a little longer to feel completely at ease


Ocean Park says pair adjusting well after arriving last week, but ‘princess’ Ke Ke taking a little longer to feel completely at ease.


Hong Kong’s pandas

Pandas