New panda pair make debut in Macao to greet Children's Day

MACAO - The new giant panda pair donated by the Chinese central government as gifts to Macao made official debut Monday in panda pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park to greet the International Children's Day.

Over 300 people, most of them are children accompanied by their parents, gathered to meet the Kaikai and Xinxin, said the staff of the park.

Xinxin seemed in the good mood, keep eating bamboo at first, and then wandering in the house. She even came to interact with the kids from time to time stretching one paw on the glass window just like say "hi" to the audience.

The children thrilled with excitement when she walked closer, taking photos and greeting Xinxin as well.

At the other room, Kaikai yawned, strolling from the right to the left to smell and jump into the pool. A pupil laughed and turned to his mom, saying:" look at there, Kaikai is taking a bath!"

The guide introduced habits and characteristics of giant pandas to make the children get to know more about this endangered animal.

To coordinate with habitual behavior of giant pandas, the temperature of the indoor activity area has been set in the range of 18 to 22. The semi-transparent film roof of the pavilion brings natural light into the venue.

The keeper and vet believed both of the new pandas are in good heath after careful observation and analysis of their quantity of food intake and excretion everyday. "They eat as much as they did in Sichuan, the female Xinxin weighs 116 kilograms now, even stronger than before", vet Chen said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Limited number of visitors are set from June 1 to June 30 to make sure the pair not frightened by the excessive audiences and adapt to the new surroundings.

The pair arrived in Macao on April 30 as gifts from the central government to replace a former pair, also named Kaikai and Xinxin, after the former Xinxin died of kidney failure in June last year.

The former pair came to Macao as gifts for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Macao's return to China.