Twin panda cubs make public debut in Hong Kong

Crowds flocked to the park on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the pandas inside their enclosure. The cubs don’t have names yet – they are being referred to as “Elder Sister” and “Little Brother”

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s youngest celebrities, a pair of six-month-old panda cubs, met with their adoring fans in their first public appearance, on Sunday.

The twin cubs, born August 15, are Hong Kong’s first locally-born giant panda cubs. They are hosted at the theme park Ocean Park along with their parents and two other giant pandas that arrived from mainland China last year.

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Crowds flocked to the theme park on Sunday to catch a glimpse of the pandas inside their enclosure. Their caretakers were at hand as the pandas climbed up a tree trunk or slept on a swing. A large selection of panda-themed souvenirs was available. The cubs don’t have names yet – they are being referred to as “Elder Sister” and “Little Brother.”

A public competition to name them was launched on Saturday following an event attended by Hong Kong leader John Lee and other officials. Residents can submit their name suggestions via the park’s website.

The twins can meet with visitors for five hours daily. Those who want to enjoy time with the cubs outside regular visiting hours, before the park opens, can pay 1,500 Hong Kong dollars (about $190).

With the cubs’ birth, Hong Kong now has the largest number of pandas in captivity outside of mainland China. Their names will be announced in the first half of the year.