KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — Malaysia will finally be able to welcome the two giant pandas Feng Yi (female) and Fu Wa (male) when their MAS Kargo flight touches down at KLIA at 6.25am this morning.
The two eight-year-old giant pandas will be taken to Zoo Negara and quarantined in a newly built panda enclosure for a month.
Zoo Negara chairman of administration, human resource and education Rosly Ahmat Lana said the exhibition, which took close to 10 months to finish, is the best and biggest ever in the world.
“Before building the enclave, studies were conducted on the most suitable environment for both pandas, and I dare say this is the best in the world,” he said.
“There will be three vets and six ground staff working round the clock to look after them.
“We have also accustomed them to our local bamboo, which was flown to them in China mid-last year.
Also on the menu for the pandas are cakes made of wheat and bamboo.
Rosly said the pandas would be given new Malaysian names and a contest would be held for the public to pick the most suitable names leading up to the opening.
On June 15, 2012, the Malaysian and Chinese governments clinched a deal for Feng Yi and Fu Wa to be loaned to Malaysia for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries this year.
“We are hopeful that in the 10 years they are here, the pandas will breed and we can welcome another addition to the zoo, and we are confident they will be able to mate.
The 1.6ha complex also includes an exercise area, holding den, laboratory, veterinary clinic, incubator room and a monitoring room with temperatures held at 18C-24C.
Tickets will be priced at RM20 for adults, and RM10 for children and senior citizens.
“We will only allow up to 3,000 visitors a day and the exhibition will be open from 9am till 5pm.
“We are hopeful that they will get accustomed to the environment in a month’s time and we will be able to open the exhibition to the public by end-June, which will be officiated by the prime minister,” Rosly said.
