The giant pandas in Hong Kong before An An and Ke Ke
The latest panda craze is not the city’s first, far from it – Le Le and Ying Ying made their Hong Kong debut in 2007
Local media got their first glimpses of Hong Kong’s newest pair of giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, at their new enclosures at Ocean Park on Monday, ahead of the big public reveal on December 8. But the five-year-olds from Chengdu are just the latest in a long line of Ailuropodas arriving to beguile Hongkongers. Back in 2007, it was two pandas that kicked off annual Handover Day celebrations.
“The pair of giant pandas bound for Hong Kong as a handover anniversary gift from the central government will go on public view on July 1, Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman said yesterday,” reported the South China Morning Post on April 17, 2007. “Mr Zeman made the announcement in Beijing after signing an agreement with the Wolong Nature Reserve Administration to deliver the pandas on April 26.
“A ceremony at Hong Kong International Airport will welcome the 18-month-old cubs, which have still to be named, although they are likely to be out of sight due to quarantine restrictions.
“A preview would be arranged for VIPs on June 30, Mr Zeman said. He added that from April 26 a webcam would allow people to monitor the pandas via the park’s website.”
On July 2, the Post reported that “it was like a superstar’s debut when giant pandas Le Le and Ying Ying [ …] met the public for the first time. More than 20,000 people yesterday visited the renovated panda habitat at Ocean Park [ …] Shy in front of the crowds, the pair preferred to keep a distance from their visitors at the beginning. However, they soon became more relaxed, and tempted by apples offered by their keepers, came down from the branches to enjoy breakfast. Cameras shutters clicked all day whether the duo were eating, playing or sleeping.
