Zoo Negara eager to help conservation efforts

KUALA LUMPUR: While giant pandas are known for their low birth rate, this is not the case with the Malaysian couple, Xing Xing and Liang Liang.

On loan from China since 2014, the pair – originally named Fu Wa and Feng Yi – defied the stereotype of the species to give birth to three cubs in less than 10 years. These were Nuan Nuan in 2015, Yi Yi in 2018 and Sheng Yi in 2021.

“Yes, they are very productive,” said Zoo Negara deputy president Datuk Rosly Lana during an interview here last week.

“It is God’s will, I believe. But it is also because of the care and love given to the pandas by our caretakers who are experts in handling them,” he said.

Since giant pandas are known for their favourite activities of eating and sleeping all day, as well as having a very short mating window of between three to five days a year, they tend to be “too lazy to mate”, according to a study in 2021 by the Society for Conservation Biology.

Zoo Negara’s caretakers, said Rosly, understand the pandas’ habits and know when they are sad.

“The caretakers take samples from the pandas every day to check their health. It’s more than a job (for them). They feel a lot of responsibility and love for the pandas they care for,” he said.

With the 10-year loan coming to an end this year, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties, the question of whether Fu Wa and Feng Yi’s stay here will be extended is yet to be known.

Just like in other countries where the departure of their beloved pandas back to China broke the heart of their caretakers, the same goes for the carers in Zoo Negara.

Taking care of the giant pandas from an early age has created a strong emotional bond between the animals and their caretakers, with the carers describing the feeling as akin to “taking care of our own children”.

This was clearly the case for Malaysian panda caretaker Akmal Hadi Samsuddin when he was reunited with his “princess” Nuan Nuan in China after years of separation, according to reports.During Akmal Hadi’s visit, social media users were touched when they saw him bring Nuan Nuan’s favourite panda toy.

Should the pair Fu Wa and Feng Yi be sent back to China after the current loan ends, Rosly said Zoo Negara is hoping that its request for a replacement will be considered by the Chinese government.

“We have no idea whether it (the contract) can be extended. We have also made a request to replace the pandas with a new pair if they are sent back.

“If we are successful in getting a new pair, we look forward to having them here, especially since we are considered as the best panda keeper in the world and produce the most babies. We can help reproduce more giant pandas here as a contribution on our part to the world,” said Rosly.

In January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said that he would reach out to China’s President Xi Jinping to discuss the possibility of extending the pandas’ stay in Malaysia.

Putrajaya, said Anwar, would look into all possible mechanisms to extend the loan, adding that he was optimistic that the Chinese government would give due consideration to Malaysia’s proposal.