On August 16, the giant panda Li Li at Hangzhou Wildlife World celebrated her nineteenth birthday. Early in the morning, keepers busily decorated the birthday venue in the exhibit area.
According to the keepers, Li Li, who is now 19 years old, is considered quite elderly in panda terms, roughly equivalent to a 57-year-old human. This year also marks Li Li’s twelfth year at the park, making her one of the longest-serving “employees” at Hangzhou Wildlife World.
The glass of Li Li’s enclosure was adorned with balloons, flags, and a banner wishing her a happy birthday. Inside the enclosure, keepers spread large banana leaves on the ground, placing fruit ice and bamboo trays on top. The bamboo trays were filled with various fruits, and the fruit ice was packed with tasty treats. Fresh bamboo shoots and bamboo were carefully arranged on the sides, with lotus flowers in bud placed in bamboo tubes. Several of Li Li’s favorite steamed buns were neatly arranged on the fruit ice.
Around 9:50 a.m., Li Li appeared, but instead of enjoying the treats right away, she lay down under a wooden perch and began to sleep. The keepers explained that Li Li is currently in a pseudo-pregnancy period, a condition where a female panda exhibits pregnancy-like behaviors and symptoms without actually being pregnant. As a healthy adult female panda, Li Li’s pseudo-pregnancy can last from one to two months, during which she may show signs of drowsiness, decreased appetite, and heightened sensitivity.
Despite her unusual condition, “star” Li Li graciously allowed visitors to take photos with her. Many tourists who arrived at the enclosure were delighted by the festive setup and asked if it was her birthday. After receiving confirmation, they offered heartfelt birthday wishes to Li Li.
As a top celebrity in Hangzhou Wildlife World, Li Li has many devoted fans. As soon as the park opened at 9:30 a.m., fans rushed from the entrance to the panda hall in the Chinese National Treasure area to celebrate with Li Li. Among them was Ms. Chen, who had traveled from Beijing with her family, having come to Hangzhou from Shanghai. She said, “We didn’t expect it to be Li Li’s birthday today. It’s such a coincidence!”
