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Lo Hoi-ying

Panda Watch is a 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 giant panda twin cubs will finally make their debut public appearance in February, the city leader has announced, around six months after the bears were born.
“Elder Sister” and “Younger Brother”, born to giant panda Ying Ying, would be ready to greet visitors at their home in Ocean Park after Lunar New Year, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a media briefing before his Executive Council meeting this week.
“The pair of giant panda cubs are around six months old and will meet the public in February,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ying Ying has started spending some time in her enclosure at Giant Panda Adventure as she needs downtime to relax and recharge. The mother has begun taking care of both cubs at the same time.
“Elder Sister” and “Younger Brother” have recently started playing, climbing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees at an enclosure.
“It’s a sign that they are all set to roam around their surroundings, filled with exciting elements like trees, rocks, grass and slopes,” the park said.
Zookeepers have also set up a small playground inside their den.

Ocean Park bought the siblings a wooden rocking horse, a child’s toy slide, foam climbing blocks and chew toys.
In videos posted to social media, both cubs seemed to be having fun in their indoor playground and showed remarkable improvements in mobility within weeks.
On their first attempt, “Younger Brother” struggled to climb the steps to the slide and fell on the ground, while “Elder Sister” tried to crawl up.
While the fall looked painful, the park said in its caption that giant pandas have dense bones, strong muscles, thick fur and squishy fat, cushioning the animal from the fall.
“There’s no risk of injury when they take a tumble,” the park said.
Although “Elder Sister” stumbled while climbing and was apprehensive about going down the slide, she managed to haul herself up and felt the adrenaline on the slide.
“Younger Brother” seemed to be a seasoned player on the slides, quickly getting himself to the top and sliding down headfirst, narrowly avoiding the zookeeper filming the video.
“Elder Sister” was also seen trying to stand on her hind legs by supporting herself against the rocking horse.
In another video, “Younger Brother” also managed to enjoy himself on the rocking horse, sitting gingerly while it swayed with the help of a zookeeper.
“For young pandas, toys like rocking horses and rubber balls serve as environmental enrichment items,” the park explained.
“The enrichment items help satisfy the behavioural and physical needs of giant pandas by providing various types of stimulation and opportunities for species-appropriate behaviours and choices.”

Hong Kong’s giant panda babies are not the only ones who have tugged at the heartstrings of internet users when playing with toys.
At the Chongqing Zoo, two-year-old twin cubs Yuke and Yuai have been captured having a ball with various toys and equipment meant for toddlers.
Zookeepers entertained them with swings hanging from trees and a see-saw, which proved to be a crowd favourite as the twins were seen fighting for a seat with their mother Ershun.
Giant panda Lingyan at the Henan Luanchuan Zoo is also spoiled with a dozen toys in his enclosure.
From a spinning chair and climbing frames to colourful stools and giant inflatable balls, the playful Lingyan always approaches the toys as if he were seeing them for the first time.


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Hong Kong’s pandas

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

Hong Kong’s baby panda twins to meet the public in February: John Lee

“Younger Brother” (left) and “Elder Sister”. Photo: Ocean Park

Chief Executive John Lee has said the twin cubs are now six months old. Photo: Sun Yeung

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

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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: 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’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

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 

‘Elder Sister’ and ‘Younger Brother’ are now playing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees


‘Elder Sister’ and ‘Younger Brother’ are now playing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees.


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

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Elder Sister’ and ‘Younger Brother’ are now playing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees

‘Elder Sister’ and ‘Younger Brother’ are now playing, crawling on grass, climbing up rocks and clawing trees