On August 7, the seven giant pandas at Nanjing Ziqing Lake Wildlife World celebrated their fifth collective birthday in the park. The park meticulously prepared a warm birthday ceremony for them, inviting last year’s “Panda Ambassadors” and children who share the same birth month as the pandas to join the joyful party. At the birthday party, each panda enjoyed a sumptuous enrichment “cake” and received their favorite toys.
It is reported that Nanjing Ziqing Lake Wildlife World currently houses seven national treasure giant pandas, all of whom are “overseas returnees” or second-generation overseas pandas. This year’s birthday celebration began on August 7 and will continue with individual panda birthdays until August 23. The pandas’ birthdays are celebrated with a sense of ceremony, including exclusive enrichment “cakes” made primarily of ice blocks and bamboo shoots, complemented with apples, dragon fruit, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh and tasty “vegetable skewers.” Additionally, the birthday pandas receive birthday gifts—two new toys such as tires and slides.
At the kickoff ceremony, the park invited last year’s “Panda Ambassadors” to witness the joyful scene and complete the mission handover to protect the giant pandas. It is reported that the recruitment for this year’s “Panda Ambassadors” has begun, with seven ambassadors continuing to participate in the protection and promotion of giant pandas and other wildlife. The event also invited children born in the same month as the pandas to join the celebration. The site featured a science class, allowing children to get closer to the world of giant pandas through food displays, touching experiences, hands-on activities, and close observations.
The Panda Pavilion is one of the special exhibits at Ziqing Lake Wildlife World. The park has custom-built luxurious “villas” for the pandas, considering their living habits and seasonal characteristics throughout the year. Each panda’s activity area ranges from 550 to 600 square meters and includes swings, slides, tires, and other play facilities. “With the high outdoor temperatures, pandas are sensitive to heat and are most comfortable at temperatures between 7 to 20 degrees Celsius. So, they mostly play indoors now,” said a zookeeper. To ensure the pandas have a comfortable summer, the indoor panda pavilion runs air conditioning all day to cool the area, and the pandas are regularly provided with ice and water.
To inspire more children to explore nature during the holidays, Ziqing Lake Wildlife World has launched a special parent-child benefit activity in collaboration with Deji Plaza during the panda birthday celebrations. Families who meet specified shopping or points requirements at Deji Plaza during the event will receive parent-child tickets to the wildlife world, turning consumption into fun and providing an immersive experience from the city to nature for parent-child families.