The beloved pandas, originally from China, celebrate their birthdays while securing a five-year extension of their stay.
SINGAPORE: Giant pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai will continue their residence in Singapore for an additional five years following an agreement signed on September 2 by the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG).
This announcement coincided with the pandas’ double birthday celebrations, as they both turn 15 and 14 years old this month. The signing event took place at the Giant Panda Forest at River Wonders, attended by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Sun Haiyan, Vice Administrator of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) Li Chunliang, along with other NFGA representatives.
Mike Barclay, Group CEO of Mandai Wildlife Group, expressed delight in strengthening their partnership with CWCA, emphasizing their commitment to giant panda conservation. “We have been on this journey with Kai Kai and Jia Jia for a decade, from their initial arrival to their debut in the Giant Panda Forest exhibit, and we ensure their well-being for each annual breeding season. We look forward to supporting their continued growth and future milestones,” he stated.
Minister Low noted that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Panda Conservation Cooperation between NFGA and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has been welcomed by both Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob and China’s President Xi Jinping. This MOU aims to bolster collaboration on conservation and research initiatives between MWG and CWCA.
“We welcome the extension agreement, which enhances the foundation for our collaboration and allows us to explore new cooperative opportunities,” Ms. Low said. “This extension will enable MWG and CWCA to deepen their impactful work on giant panda conservation and underscores the long-standing friendship between Singapore and China.”
Jia Jia and Kai Kai initially arrived in Singapore in 2012 under a 10-year agreement known as the Agreement on Cooperation in Panda Conservation and Research, with their return scheduled for this year. Last year, MWG revealed that discussions with Chinese authorities were underway to extend the pandas’ stay.
The extension will provide the Singapore team with a chance to organize another breeding season for the pair. Jia Jia and Kai Kai’s first cub, Le Le, was born through artificial insemination on August 14 last year and will return to China once it reaches two years of independence.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR JIA JIA AND KAI KAI
On Friday, media representatives were invited to visit Jia Jia and Kai Kai in their separate enclosures, where each panda was presented with a birthday cake and a gift filled with straw and pellets. Jia Jia, turning 14 on Saturday, enjoyed a bamboo ice cake topped with carrots, apples, and bamboo shoots, while Kai Kai, who will celebrate his 15th birthday on September 14, received a bamboo cake.
Jia Jia entered her enclosure accompanied by her son, Le Le, who recently celebrated his first birthday on August 12 with a three-tier ice cake. Le Le displayed an energetic spirit as he climbed a tree trunk to retrieve a carrot tied to a banner, which he released, revealing a message in Mandarin wishing Jia Jia safety and health.
