Indonesia’s first giant panda cub is thriving and preparing for his public debut later this month, veterinarians have confirmed.
The furry cub, nicknamed “Rio,” was observed squirming during a recent check-up where his hearing and eyesight were assessed, confirming his healthy development.
At 169 days old, Satrio Wiratama, or Rio, now weighs 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and has begun walking independently, climbing on his mother, and sampling bamboo shoots. His growth, particularly his teeth, is noted to be faster than average.
Veterinarians are closely monitoring his progress to ensure he adapts well to crowds ahead of his introduction at the Indonesian Safari Park, located outside the capital, Jakarta.
Bongot Huaso Mulia, a veterinarian overseeing Rio’s development, stated: “What’s important to note is that all of Rio’s senses are active; he has the ability to understand the environment, assess the situation, adapt to more people, and hear sounds, even in certain levels of noise. We will train him gradually.”
Rio was born on 27 November to 15-year-old pandas Hu Chun and Cai Tao. The pair arrived in Indonesia in 2017 as part of a 10-year conservation partnership with China, residing in a specially built enclosure at the park in Cisarua, West Java province, approximately 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the capital.
The two adult pandas have a large fan base in Indonesia. Rio’s birth has drawn many panda enthusiasts, and his public debut has been eagerly anticipated, with numerous requests on social media to see him soon.
The three of them are living in a three-tier temple known as the Panda Palace on a hill surrounded by about 5,000 square meters of land (1.2 acres) and equipped with an elevator, sleeping area, medical facilities and indoor and outdoor play areas.
Rio’s name symbolizes the hope, resilience, and shared commitment of Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species.
Pandas are China’s unofficial mascot and Beijing’s loans of the animals to overseas zoos have long been seen as soft-power “panda diplomacy.”
Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcomed. There are less than 1,900 giant pandas in their only wild habitats in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.
Rio was born through artificial insemination. Besides having a new individual, Rio also provides new genetic data on giant pandas, which can help research in Indonesia and in China, said Aswin Sumampau, president director of the park.
“This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, a small victory for us, as we’ve managed to breed a species that is extremely difficult to breed.
“Just imagine, for the past two years, no pandas were born at any ex-situ conservation facility worldwide. Taman Safari has managed to do that,” Sumampau said.
