Ocean Park debut for Hong Kong pandas An An, Ke Ke draws fans from around the world
Beijing-gifted bears greeted by local fans and visitors from Qatar, United States after months of waiting for duo’s big public debut
Male bear An An and his female counterpart, Ke Ke, enjoyed a warm reception from visitors stopping by their home at the park’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures enclosure.
The crowd waved at the duo and used their phones and cameras to capture the bears’ every move, as Ke Ke rested on a tree trunk and An An approached the glass to get a closer look at the visitors.
The occasion saw dozens of people queuing outside the park before it opened at 10am. One fan at the front of the line was seen bringing along several panda dolls, while another wore a special headband to mark the day.
The park distributed about 100 admission tickets every 15 minutes, with patrons only allowed to spend 10 minutes with the pandas.
Panda fan Brian Sit, a 29-year-old construction worker, said he had been waiting in line for 30 minutes just to see the bears.
“During Covid-19, I was stuck at home all day watching panda videos online, and that’s when I became a panda lover,” he said. “I got an Ocean Park annual membership just for them.”
