Singapore last swooned over its beloved baby panda when it was spoiled with his own tiny crib, but now it’s time to move closer to home.
At 7 months, Le Le has officially outgrown his own enclosure and today moved in with his mother Jia Jia at River Wonders’ Giant Panda Forest Exhibit. The cub put on about 6 kilograms in three months and now weighs almost 16 kilograms.
When this reporter was there late this afternoon, Le Le was curled up in a ball sleeping beneath the bamboo plants surrounding the exhibit while his mama was up a slope chewing on bamboo shoots. The park’s spokesfolks told Coconuts that Le Le was more active this morning leaning against the glass, tugging on branches and getting down and dirty by tumbling down the terrain for fun.
For the new exhibit, some baby-proofing had to be done. The team said they removed “any potential risks” such as replacing the water in the pond with leaves and pine bark chips.
Jia Jia remains “extremely dedicated” and protective of her cub, zoo operator Mandai Wildlife Group said in a release.
Several big shots including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Hong Xiaoyong and Deputy Chairman of Mandai Park Holdings Tan Chuan-Jin were also present this morning at the exhibit to commemorate the big move.
What about papa panda you ask? Kai Kai was just in the next door exhibit chilling in classic dad-style – lying on his back and chewing on some bamboo.
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