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Lo Hoi-ying

Panda Watch is a weekly blog by the Post that tracks the latest on the baby panda twins – the first to be born in Hong Kong – until they are ready to meet the public. To read our previous blog entries, click here.
Hong Kong’s first giant panda cubs are approaching their 100th day next week, growing beyond the most vulnerable period for both mother and babies.
The park has been regularly posting images on social media showing heartwarming moments between mother Ying Ying and her babies, as well the twins playing with each other mischievously.
To celebrate the 100-day milestone, Ocean Park will dish out signature Chinese traditional delicacies to visitors on November 23 and 24, while father Le Le will also be the first of the six giant pandas at the park to greet visitors after a hiatus.
While the cubs will not be meeting the public yet, live streams of their daily activities will be broadcast on a giant LED screen at the park twice a day starting November 23.
Special merchandise will go on sale and a new exhibit documenting the cubs’ journey so far will be on display.
Red eggs and ginger pork knuckles – a traditional Chinese dish typically served to family and friends after a baby is born – will be given out in designated areas around the park, along with panda-themed crafting workshops, photo opportunities and performances.
In Chinese tradition, parents gather with family and friends to celebrate a child’s 100th day with food and prayers. Reaching 100 days of life is seen as a critical milestone for a newborn as it signifies that the baby has survived the vulnerable early months of life.
In line with Chinese tradition, zoos across the world usually only name their cubs after the 100–day mark.
Different countries also adopt local traditions during celebrations, with activities such as zhuazhou, a Chinese ritual held when a child turns a year old in which they pick up objects related to a career or personality trait.

The name of Fu Bao, one of South Korea’s most beloved giant pandas born in July 2020, was announced on the 100th day of her birth after a popular vote.
Fu Bao, which means lucky treasure, celebrated her first birthday to huge fanfare at Everland’s Panda World in Yongin.
Zookeepers held a traditional “doljabi” ceremony, during which the one-year-old panda and her twin siblings were placed in front of items that symbolise different possible paths for their future.
Some of the items included a ball representing talent, a microphone representing popularity and a gavel representing honour.
In the end, Fu Bao selected a loaf of bread, which symbolises happiness, while her siblings picked a bamboo dumbbell and a bamboo microphone.
In Singapore, Le Le, born in 2021, celebrated his first birthday with a three-tier ice cake stuffed with carrots, bamboo, edible flowers and apple slices.
Zookeepers decorated his enclosure with a banner that said “Happy Birthday”.
The cub also grabbed a decorated drawing of his mother Jia Jia, which was arranged as part of a ritual that emulate the zhuazhou ritual.
For his second birthday, the male giant panda was presented with wrapped presents containing boxes of hay, which he tore apart with much enthusiasm.

In Mexico, giant panda Xin Xin received a birthday piñata, shaped like a panda and stuffed with apples and carrots when she turned 33.
One of the world’s oldest, she is also the last panda in Latin America not owned by China. Xin Xin is the offspring of Pe Pe and Ying Ying, gifted to the Mexico zoo by China in 1975.
The arrival of the two giant pandas in the 1970s sparked a panda fever, with pop songs, cartoons, and commemorative coins celebrating the pandas.


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Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s twin cubs ready for 100-day milestone, with festivities planned

Ocean Park will roll out new merchandise and give out free food on November 23 and 24 to celebrate the 100th day of Hong Kong’s twin cubs. Photo: Ocean Park

Fu Bao selects a loaf of bread, which symbolises happiness, on her first birthday in July this year. Photo: Handout

Le Le, the first giant panda born in Singapore, is given an ice cake filled with food on her first birthday in 2022. Photo: AFP

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Hong Kong

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Panda Watch: tracking the growth of Hong Kong’s baby panda twins

Panda Watch: twin cubs set to make public debut in Hong Kong on February 16

“Elder Sister” (left) and “Younger Brother” are set to meet the Hong Kong public on February 16. Photo: May Tse

“Younger Brother” has chosen a log as his favourite spot in Ocean Park’s Giant Panda Adventure enclosure. Photo: May Tse

“Elder Sister” (right) enjoys lazing and napping on a fork of branches on a tree. Photo: May Tse

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s twin cubs to make public debut after Lunar New Year

“Elder Sister” (left) and “Younger Brother” have recently started playing and climbing around their enclosure, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing at trees. Photo: Ocean Park

“Younger Brother” plays with his toys. Photo: Ocean Park

Despite taking an early tumble, “Elder Sister” has learned to enjoy playing on the slide set up by zookeepers. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda Watch: twin cubs start crawling ahead of first Christmas at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park

‘Younger Brother’ has started crawling around his den. Photo: Instagram/ pandahk_official

‘Elder Sister’ and ‘Younger Brother’ have been bonding by playing with one another. Photo: Instagram/ pandahk_official

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s twin cubs weigh 40 times more than at birth

Hong Kong’s panda cubs. Photo: Instagram/pandahk_official

‘‘Younger Brother” tips the scale at 5.5kg from 112 grams at birth. Photo: Instagram/pandahk_official

Hong Kong’s panda twin cubs will be given ‘caring training’ at 2 to 3 years old

Hong Kong’s panda cubs. Photo: Instagram/ pandahk_official

Male giant panda An An is already undergoing “caregiving training” at the park. Photo: Oscar Liu

Howard Chuk, Ocean Park’s head of zoological operations and conservation, outside the panda enclosure. Photo: Oscar Liu

Panda Watch: how can Hong Kong cash in on panda economy as cubs reach milestone?

Giant Panda Le Le will be back in public  view on Saturday for the first time since August. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong is hoping to get a panda economy running. Photo: Jelly Tse

He Ye and He Hua have captured the hears of visitors. Photo: Facebook/ Panda HeHua & HeYe

Panda fans wait for Fu Bao at South Korea’s Everland amusement park. Photo: AFP

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cubs near 3-month mark, entering exciting and playful phase

“Younger Brother” (left) and “Elder Sister” will soon turn three months old. Photo: Ocean Park

Ying Ying cuddles “Younger Brother” while trying to relax. Photo: Ocean Park

“Younger Brother” (left) and “Elder Sister” were born on August 15. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cub ‘winces’ at mother’s poo, experts explain scent marking behaviour

Ke Ke, one of the two adult giant pandas gifted to the city by Beijing. Photo: Instagram. 

Ocean Park has posted a funny moment between “Elder Sister” and Ying Ying in their den, in which the cub appears to wince at her mother’s poo. Photo: Instagram

Adult giant panda, An An, enjoying a snack of bamboo. Photo: Instagram

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cubs’ tails grow rounder, start to ‘disappear’ at 70 days

‘Big Sister’ has black patches around her eyes that look like eyeliner, says zookeeper Elke Wu. Photo: Ocean Park

The tails of “Big Sister” (left) and “Little Brother” have grown rounder and will appear to vanish as they grow older. Photo: Ocean Park

“Little Brother” has louder shrieks than his sister, who is gentler and quieter, zookeeper Elke Wu says. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cub twins happier and healthier at 2 months old

Ocean Park shares its latest pictures of “Elder Sister” and “Little Brother”. Photo: Ocean Park Hong Kong

The two panda cubs have come a long way since they were born in August. Photo: Ocean Park Hong Kong

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cubs starting to develop their own distinctive features

Elder Sister (left) and Little Brother. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda-themed merchandise at Ocean Park. Photo: Jelly Tse

Moko’s electronic panda display has been mocked by some social media users. Photo: Eugene Lee

Ocean Park has started serving panda-themed desserts. Photo: Dickson Lee

Panda Watch: Hong Kong twins ‘starting to see the world’, graduate from incubators to cots

Normally, one cub spends time with a caretaker as the other is nursed by Ying Ying, who is learning the ropes of motherhood. Photo: Ocean Park

The two cubs were also captured in a rare moment together, with the “Elder Sister” placing her paw on her brother’s arm. Photo: Ocean Park

“Elder Sister” now weighs more than 1.6kg. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda Watch: twins’ eyes open wider, spotlight shared with Hong Kong newcomers An An and Ke Ke

The cubs’ eyes have yet to fully open, but “separation” between the upper and lower eyelids has begun. Photo: Instagram/pandahk_official

The cubs’ have delighted fans with their playful behaviour on social media. Photo: Instagram/pandahk_official

Panda Watch: Hong Kong cub twins put on healthy weight at 5-week mark

“Little Sister” takes a small nap as she reaches five weeks old. Photo: Handout

“Little Brother” spends time with momma while his sister rests. Photo: Handout

Panda Watch: Hong Kong twins shows off strong hind legs ahead of 1-month birth anniversary

The twins will mark their one-month birthday on Saturday. Photo: Ocean Park

Ocean Park has said it is exploring product ideas to tie-in with the birth of the twins. Photo: Ocean Park

Fu Bao and Everland Resort zookeeper Kang Cheol-won have enjoyed celebrity status in South Korea. Photo: Handout

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s cub twins are 3 weeks old and thriving

The fur on “Little Brother” is starting to develop into a panda’s trademark black-and-white coat. Photo: SCMP

“Elder Sister” gets some licks and a cuddle from mum. Photo: Ocean Park

A screengrab of Ying Ying and her cubs from an undated video posted on Thursday. Photo: Instagram/pandahk_official 

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s cub twins start to develop black-and-white features and sprout fur

Photo: Facebook/Ocean Park Hong Kong

The cub nicknamed “Elder Sister”. Despite being twins, the cubs are growing at different rates, with the girl currently slightly larger than her brother. Photo: Ocean Park

“Little Brother” boasts more pronounced dark patches. Photo: Ocean Park

Ocean Park recently posted a video of Ying Ying being fed a bowl of water sweetened with apples, to encourage her to stay hydrated, recover faster and produce more milk. Photo: Ocean Park

Panda Watch: wiggling and sucking milk, Hong Kong’s cub twins survive first critical days after birth

The latest photos show the cubs have started to sprout sparse fur on their pink skin. Photo: Facebook/Ocean Park 

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s Ying Ying cares for twin cubs together for first time

Panda mum Ying Ying is caring for her twin cubs together for the first time. Photo: Ocean Park

Ocean Park will dish out signature Chinese traditional delicacies such as red eggs and pork knuckles to visitors on November 23 and 24


Ocean Park will dish out signature Chinese traditional delicacies such as red eggs and pork knuckles to visitors on November 23 and 24.


Panda Watch weekly blog

Panda Watch: Hong Kong’s twin cubs ready for 100-day milestone, with festivities planned

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ocean Park will dish out signature Chinese traditional delicacies such as red eggs and pork knuckles to visitors on November 23 and 24

Ocean Park will dish out signature Chinese traditional delicacies such as red eggs and pork knuckles to visitors on November 23 and 24