Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Baby panda draws crowds at Tokyo zoo on first viewing day

by

TOKYO Dec 19, 2017 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Baby panda Xiang Xiang plays at its enclosure during a press preview at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2017. (AFP Photo)
Baby panda Xiang Xiang plays at its enclosure during a press preview at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2017. (AFP Photo)
by Dec 19, 2017 12:00 am

Hundreds of fans flocked to a Tokyo zoo Tuesday for the first public viewing of baby panda Xiang Xiang, after winning a lucky lottery ticket that a quarter of a million applied for.

Long queues formed outside the zoo as fans -- many wearing panda cub hats or gloves -- waited patiently for a brief glimpse of Xiang Xiang, whose name is derived from the Chinese character for "fragrance."

Such was the demand to see the hot new attraction that the zoo held a lottery and only those lucky enough to win the coveted golden ticket gained access to the panda enclosure.

Nearly 250,000 people applied to see Xiang Xiang and the zoo will limit the maximum number of visitors to 2,000 a day until the end of January to reduce stress on the animals.

AFP PhotoInside, Xiang Xiang rolled around in her pen, munching on bamboo and scrambling up trees while her mother watched laconically.

To spare the pandas from overexposure, visitors were allotted only a few minutes to watch them in action before being moved on by a strict team of timekeepers.

But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the fortunate fans who got to see Xiang Xiang on her first day on public display.

"Oh how cute," cooed university student Haruna Yamada, 21, dressed for the part with fluffy panda ears and matching panda accessories -- earrings, necklaces and rings.

"I've been a fan of pandas since high school. They are my favorite animal," enthused Yamada, pleased to see that Xiang Xiang was "really active, moving around".

Japanese media were no less obsessed with Xiang Xiang's first day, with television channels broadcasting live images of the panda and the crowds.

Images of Xiang Xiang were plastered over the front pages.

Merchandising shops were also cashing in on the craze, with panda goods flying off the shelves.

A particularly popular toy was a stuffed version of Xiang Xiang as a newborn that was popular with old and young alike despite an uncanny resemblance to a pink rat.

For avid panda fans who miss out, the zoo will offer a year-long live stream of Xiang Xiang's daily life starting from Tuesday.

Mum Shin Shin, who mated with Ri Ri in February, had previously given birth in 2012 -- the zoo's first panda delivery in 24 years -- only for the cub to die from pneumonia six days later.

Zookeepers have since given the adult pandas some private space in a bid to create an environment for the bashful creatures to mate successfully -- a notoriously difficult process.

Until recently considered an endangered species, it is estimated that around 2,000 giant pandas remain in the wild, in three provinces in central China.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 19, 2017 12:41 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    homepage
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Unrest grips Wisconsin city after police shooting
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021