Six-month-old panda cubs make public debut in Hong Kong

The pair are the first locally-born giant pandas.

By contributor Associated Press

Published Feb 16

Panda cub in a swing, with people in the foreground holding up their phones — The panda twin cubs have made their debut appearance to the public in Ocean Park, Hong Kong (Chan Long Hei/AP)

Hong Kong’s youngest celebrities, two six-month-old panda cubs, have met with their adoring fans in their first public appearance.

The twin cubs, born on August 15, are Hong Kong’s first locally-born giant panda cubs. They live at the Ocean Park theme park along with their parents and two other giant pandas that arrived from mainland China last year.

A keep in blue suit holds up a panda cub — The twins are the first panda cubs born locally (Chan Long Hei/AP)

Crowds flocked to the theme park on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the pandas inside their enclosure. Their caretakers were at hand as the pandas climbed up a tree trunk and snoozed on a swing.

A large selection of panda-themed souvenirs is available at the park.

The cubs do not have names yet – they are being referred to as Elder Sister and Little Brother.

A public competition to name them was launched on Saturday following an event attended by Hong Kong leader John Lee and other officials. Residents can submit their name suggestions through the park’s website.

Rows of keychains featuring pandas — Panda-themed merchandise is being sold at the park as people flock to see the cubs (Chan Long Hei/AP)

The twins can meet with visitors for five hours daily. Those who want to enjoy time with the cubs outside regular visiting hours, before the park opens, can pay 1,500 Hong Kong dollars (about £150).

With the cubs’ birth, Hong Kong now has the largest number of pandas in captivity outside of mainland China. Their names will be announced in the first half of the year.