Excitement rippled through Ocean Park on Thursday as two giant pandas, gifts from mainland China, arrived at their new Hong Kong home. The five-year-old pandas, An An and Ke Ke, will remain in quarantine for a period before being introduced to the public.
Their arrival has already generated considerable buzz, particularly among younger visitors. Twelve-year-old Alice, visiting from Australia, expressed her enthusiasm: “I love pandas. I will come back for the twin new pandas. They would attract more tourists and people will be entertained.”
While some were thrilled by the news, others experienced a touch of disappointment. A local woman celebrating her birthday at the park lamented the temporary closure of the panda exhibit. “[I’m] a little bit sad because pandas are the signature of Ocean Park. I can’t see them… maybe I will come next time to see the two new pandas,” she commented.
The pandas’ debut is highly anticipated, promising to draw crowds and boost tourism. However, not all visitors were fortunate enough to coincide their trip with the pandas’ arrival. A couple from Israel expressed their regret at missing the iconic animals during their “once in a lifetime” visit to Hong Kong. “They are so cute and there are no pandas from where we come from, so it’s like an experience for us,” one of them explained, highlighting the unique appeal of these charismatic creatures. The pandas’ arrival underscores the continuing cultural exchange between mainland China and Hong Kong, further solidifying the special administrative region’s status as a prime destination for wildlife enthusiasts and tourists alike.
