Safari park in Guangzhou presents baby panda to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

China

Safari park in Guangzhou presents baby panda to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

2024-09-15 01:33 Last Updated At：08:37

To celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou City of Guangdong Province, south China introduced to visitors baby panda Mei Zhu, the daughter of Meng Meng, the oldest sister of the world's only surviving panda triplets, and prepared a series of activities on Friday.

Mei Zhu, aged only 87 days, is in good health and just began teething. But the baby panda always gets a bit cranky after milk feedings, and requires panda keepers to spend around half an hour to calm her down.

"As a young panda, her digestive system is still developing, and excessive activity after feeding can lead to digestive issues. She is quite energetic now. If she found any strangers entering her enclosure and they wanted to, for example, pet her, she would be quite defensive, due to her self-protection instincts," said Chen Siming, a wildlife conservation expert.

Another star panda in the zoo, Guo Qing, also received his present, a pile of mooncake-shaped wowotou (a type of steamed corn bread). Guo Qing was of good appetite, which amused many of his fans.

"I am here just to see her. I drove 38 kilometers just to watch her mischief. She is very famous for that, always causing trouble when her keeper is not around," said a visitor.

The koalas are also welcoming guests. Totaling over 70 koalas in the park, more than 40 of them were presented to visitors by their keepers. The chubby animals constitute a big family of eight generations, with the youngest being 2 years old and the oldest reaching 19, much older than the average lifespan of the species.

"We've sent technicians to Australia to learn how to feed the Koalas, pick up veterinary and health care skills. With our valuable experience gained through years of raising the koalas, we are able to provide them good environment, food, and medical care. As a result, the average lifespan of the troop is getting longer," said a koala keeper.

In addition to these highlights, Chimelong Safari Park is also planning a series of animal enrichment events and sharing stories of the animals with the visitors during the Mid-Autumn Festival vacation.

Malaysia's durian restaurants thrive amid booming demand

Malaysia's durian-themed restaurants are booming as record numbers of durian lovers are flocking to the country, eager to sample what many consider the world's best varieties of the pungent fruit.

Often described as a fruit people either love or hate, durian has long been a favorite among many Chinese visitors as well.

New outlets have sprung up across Kuala Lumpur and Penang, branding themselves as restaurants but serving little beyond durian in different forms, from fresh fruit to ice cream, cream puffs, milkshakes and even deep-fried versions.

"We opened this place nearly a year ago, and our customers come from all over the world," said Ophelia Ng, branch director of Laifa in Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia.

Visitors said the draw was the wide range of durian varieties on offer.

"My friend is from Singapore, and this friend is from Indonesia. So we are here to try out different varieties of durian. I think there is different flavors, [some are] a little bit bitter, some are sweeter or creamier, yes, so that's why we are trying it out first before we order the big one," said Wen Ni, a Malaysian durian lover.

Some tourists, however, found the taste less appealing.

"I'm not sure if I like it. I don't really like it. It's not really good," said a tourist from Austria.

For Chinese tourists, sampling Malaysia’s finest durian remains an essential experience.

"When you come to Malaysia, you can't afford to miss the best durian. The finest varieties are Musang King and Black Thorn. It's best to enjoy them in a restaurant, where you can eat comfortably in a cool, air-conditioned setting. The durian is delicious, and relaxing here while savoring the fruit is the best experience," said Zhao Bin, a tourist from Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province.

With durians banned from hotels and public transport, restaurants offering air-conditioned comfort have become the preferred way for tourists to enjoy Malaysia's most divisive fruit.