Malaysians will get to know two of China’s cutest exports when they arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.30am tomorrow.
The two giant pandas, the male Fu Wa and the female Feng Yi, will be flown in from Chengdu via a MASKargo flight, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G Palanivel.
“The pandas will be flying on a special flight and will arrive at the Animal Hotel, MASKargo complex at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” the New Straits Times quoted him as saying yesterday.
The pair of eight-year old pandas will be transported to the Zoo Negara, where they will be quarantined for a month in a state-of-the-art air-conditioned enclosure.
A ministry official said the sending-off ceremony for the pair would take place in Chengdu today before they depart for Malaysia.
The official said the pandas were put on a night flight to ensure they arrived in Malaysia in the morning when the weather was cool.
Upon their arrival, the pandas will be transported to the National Zoo in a Department of Wildlife and National Parks lorry.
“A water cannon will be let off to welcome the pandas before they are taken to the National Zoo for a quarantine period,” the official said.
National Zoo deputy director Dr Muhammad Danial Felix said eight zoo officers had been trained to care for the pandas.
The pandas, on loan from the Chinese government to Malaysia for 10 years, symbolise 40 years of good relations between Malaysia and China, established in 1974.
Video: The Star Online
