The Hong Kong giant pandas Jia Jia and De De celebrated their first birthday this August. The Chairman of Ocean Park, Paulo Pong, mentioned yesterday (Oct. 5) that giant pandas are solitary animals with certain levels of aggression. He anticipates that the two panda cubs will need to be separated around the age of three. He added that both the park and its supporters believe there should be no limit to the number of giant pandas. "We are so fortunate to have twins. Friends have suggested that we should quickly have more while they are still able to breed. If there is an opportunity, we will support this, hoping that both An An and Ke Ke, or later Elder Sister and Little Brother, may need to mate with different giant pandas from the Mainland."
Additionally, the previous government provided support for Ocean Park's educational and conservation efforts. Starting from the 2022-23 fiscal year, a total of HK$2.8 billion in conservation education funding will be distributed annually over four consecutive years, totaling 11.2 billion, although this funding will cease in the next fiscal year. Pong stated that they will manage finances prudently in the future.
He emphasized that this funding is crucial: "Whether it's for the Ocean Park Conservation Alliance or the Seahorse Rangers, many young people and students are involved, so this HK$2.8 billion is very important."
Chan also revealed that the panda craze has led to a 20-30% increase in park attendance, and currently, over half of the retail products are related to giant pandas. He hopes this will help boost revenue and aims for the park to achieve long-term financial balance, thereby reducing the burden on the government.
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