On October 17, Wuhan Zoo held a unique birthday party and coming-of-age ceremony for the female giant panda “Meng Meng,” allowing her to experience the “osmanthus-flavored autumn of Wuhan.”
“Meng Meng” was born on October 17, 2019, at the Shenshuping Base in Wolong, Sichuan. On September 9, 2023, she moved into the panda house at Wuhan Zoo with the male giant panda “Wu Lin.” Shortly after arriving in Wuhan, the zoo invited citizens and visitors to celebrate her 4th birthday. This October 17 marks Meng Meng’s second birthday spent in Wuhan.
Caretaker Cai Yi stated, “Female giant pandas generally reach sexual maturity at around 5 years old, so Meng Meng is now officially an adult.”
To ensure a successful birthday party and coming-of-age ceremony, the caretakers and nutritionists carefully prepared activities based on Meng Meng’s daily preferences. At 9:30 AM on October 17, Meng Meng first took a walk around the interior of the panda house, then leaned in to give a kiss to a bamboo display board featuring the words “Hua Meng Meng’s Birthday Party & Coming-of-Age Ceremony.” She then discovered the osmanthus sachet hanging from the board, eagerly pulled it down, smelled it, and even rubbed it on her head, showing her delight. When she saw the “birthday cake” beside her, she was more interested in the osmanthus powder sprinkled on it, burying her nose in the “cake.” It turned out she is quite the “flower-loving girl.” The “cake” was made of ice, topped with her favorite foods like apples, kiwi, carrots, steamed buns, red dates, and bamboo shoots, all sprinkled with fragrant osmanthus powder.
In the interactive area of the event, a visitor named Ma from Guangzhou traveled by high-speed train to Wuhan and wrote “Peace and Joy” on a birthday wish card, which she hung inside the panda house. She said, “There’s a giant panda named ‘Ting Ting’ at Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, who is Meng Meng’s older sister. I’m bringing birthday wishes from her sister to celebrate Meng Meng’s special day.”
Over the past year, the giant panda caretaker team at Wuhan Zoo has consistently fed Meng Meng and Wu Lin at regular intervals, providing them with enrichment toys to play with, and weighing them on every fifth day of the month. Caretaker Cao Jun noted that both pandas have gained weight, their faces have become rounder, and they are in excellent health.
Currently, Meng Meng is in a state of pseudopregnancy, showing decreased appetite and reduced activity levels. Pseudopregnancy refers to the behavior and signs similar to pregnancy that occur in animals due to hormonal fluctuations, which is common among adult female giant pandas and usually lasts for one to two months. Thanks to the meticulous care of the caretaker team, Meng Meng’s weight remains at a healthy level.