On June 26, the Municipal Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government held a birthday party for giant panda brothers “Jian Jian” and “Kang Kang” to celebrate their ninth birthday. Students and teachers from local schools were invited to join the celebration and send warm wishes to the pandas.
Keepers carefully prepared a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and crafted a special birthday ice cake. Students and teachers, wearing festive birthday hats, sang birthday songs for the panda brothers and offered heartfelt blessings. When “Jian Jian” and “Kang Kang” saw their icy birthday treat, they eagerly dove in, eating with great delight. The pandas’ amusing eating expressions brought joyful laughter from the guests, who excitedly captured the adorable moments on their phones.
Currently, the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion is home to four pandas: 17-year-old father “Kai Kai,” 18-year-old mother “Xin Xin,” and their 9-year-old twin sons “Jian Jian” and “Kang Kang.” In daily care routines, in addition to feeding and cleaning, the caretaking team conducts regular medical check-ups to monitor their health. Remarkably, the “Happy Family” has been trained to cooperate in non-anesthetic procedures such as blood collection, blood pressure and heart rate measurements, and physical examinations.
To enrich the lives and activity of the “Happy Family,” the caretakers often hide bamboo and other favorite treats in pools or sacks, encouraging the pandas to play treasure-hunting games. After playtime, when the pandas get dirty or tired, they are given baths. Their main food—bamboo—is sourced from Guangdong or Sichuan, depending on the season. During bamboo shoot season, they also enjoy fresh shoots, along with apples, fragrant pears, and high-fiber biscuits as supplements.
The care team maintains close communication with experts from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Based on the health status of each family member, they adjust the diet accordingly, ensuring the pandas not only enjoy the taste of their homeland but also stay healthy and happy in Macau.