Adorable giant pandas to land in HK: Exclusive profiles & photo gallery

A pair of giant pandas, donated to Hong Kong by the central government, are scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow (Sept. 26).

During a press meeting before the Executive Council today (Sept. 24), Chief Executive John Lee announced that both pandas, each five years old and recently matured, are bursting with vitality.

The newly donated pandas to Hong Kong are named Lin An-an and Tian Ke. According to the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda, both pandas are in good health and are currently undergoing quarantine at the Dujiangyan Panda Base.

The male panda currently known as An An at the panda center weighs over 130 kilograms, is robust, agile, and known for his intelligence and lively nature. The female panda, known as 'Ke Ke', weighs about 100 kilograms, is adept at climbing, and is known for her gentle and affectionate demeanor.

Profile of Lin An-an:

Lin An-an (ID 1183), a male, was born on June 28, 2019, at the Shenshuping base of The China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Wolong. His mother, Lin Bing (ID 740), and father, Wu Gang (ID 502), are also notable pandas.

Lin Bing, An An's mother, was the first panda born in Thailand and returned to Sichuan for breeding in 2013, where she gave birth to twins on her first try. Lin An-an is the older brother from her third set of cubs.

An An, with a round head and long body, is quick and lively, and was chosen along with another female panda, Ya Ya, as the mascots for Ya'an City in Sichuan in 2019.

Profile of Tian Ke:

Tian Ke (ID 1180), also known as Yuan Mei, a female, was born on June 26, 2019, at the the Shenshuping base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Wolong. Her mother is Han Yuan and her father is Jin Ke, and she has an older twin brother named Qi Lin (also known as Yuan Ge).

In 2024, Tian Ke moved to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where she and her brother have seldom appeared in public. Tian Ke is gentle, lively, and loves to climb, epitomizing the playful spirit typical of young pandas.

Tomorrow (Sept. 25), the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda will hold a ceremony to send off An An and Ke Ke to Hong Kong. The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kevin Yeung, departed today for Chengdu, Sichuan, to attend the ceremony.

To ensure a smooth transition to Hong Kong and help the pandas adapt to their new home, the panda center has conducted comprehensive health assessments and arranged for experts and keepers to interact with four keepers from Ocean Park Hong Kong to familiarize them with the pandas' personalities and habits.

When 'An An' and 'Ke Ke' depart for Hong Kong, the panda center will also send a keeper and a veterinarian to accompany them and stay for a period to assist the pandas in acclimating to their new environment.

The China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda and Hong Kong Ocean Park are meticulously preparing for the transportation currently, ensuring the safety and health of the pandas upon their arrival.

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